diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr_welcome.yml b/.github/workflows/pr_welcome.yml
index 48691e61d87b..18f68836dc81 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr_welcome.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr_welcome.yml
@@ -17,8 +17,11 @@ jobs:
       pull-requests: write
     steps:
       - uses: plbstl/first-contribution@7c31f41b0e7a70adfcae06cf964679f61af6780b  # v4.3.0
+        env:
+          GH_PAT_READ_ORG: ${{ secrets.GH_PAT_READ_ORG }}
         with:
           labels: first-contribution
+          skip-internal-contributors: true
           pr-opened-msg: >+
             Thank you for opening your first PR into Matplotlib!