diff --git a/.github/workflows/secret-scanner.yml b/.github/workflows/secret-scanner.yml
index d713d06..ea9b892 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/secret-scanner.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/secret-scanner.yml
@@ -15,5 +15,13 @@ permissions:
 
 jobs:
   scan:
+    # The reusable's gitleaks job requests pull-requests: write (PR
+    # summary comments) and actions: read. A called workflow cannot
+    # exceed the caller's grant - without these, every run dies at
+    # startup_failure. See standards#472.
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      pull-requests: write
+      actions: read
     uses: hyperpolymath/standards/.github/workflows/secret-scanner-reusable.yml@d135b05bfc647d0c0fbfedc7e80f37ea50f49236
-    secrets: inherit
+    secrets: inherit
\ No newline at end of file