GitHub Community's "Remove the inactive label" workflow fails due to unsupported Ruby 3.3.5 pin

[TyceHerrman]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Bug

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Workflow Configuration

Discussion Details

Summary

The community/community repository's Remove the inactive label workflow is failing because it relies on Ruby 3.3.5, which is unavailable on the current GitHub-hosted runner image.

The workflow runs automatically whenever someone comments on a GitHub Community Discussion. Consequently, community participants can receive GitHub Actions failure notifications for a workflow they neither own nor explicitly initiated.

This issue was identified at least as early as March 2026, and two external pull requests attempting to fix it have been automatically closed without being merged.

Reproduction and failure

Comment on a discussion in community/community.

The repository's remove-inactive-label.yml workflow triggers via discussion_comment: created.

The workflow attempts to install Ruby based on the repository's .ruby-version file.

The Set up Ruby step fails before bundle install or the label-removal script can execute.

Example failing run: #40389588052 — October 26, 2026

Relevant job output:

Using 3.3.5 as input from file .ruby-version

Error: Unavailable version 3.3.5 for ruby on ubuntu-26.04

Only the latest patch release of each series is built
for newer runner images.

ruby-3.3.13 is available on ubuntu-26.04:
use ruby-version: '3.3.13', or '3.3' to always use
the latest 3.3.x release.

Cause: Unexpected HTTP response: 404

The workflow uses ubuntu-latest and ruby/setup-ruby@v1 without specifying ruby-version, so the action reads the repository's .ruby-version, which remains pinned to 3.3.5.

Existing reports and attempted fixes

1. PR #190287 — Fix CI failure caused by invalid ruby version (March 22, 2026)

This PR identified the same underlying problem and proposed changing .ruby-version from 3.3.5 to 3.3, allowing ruby/setup-ruby to select a compatible patch release.

It was automatically closed with the message:

This pull request is being automatically closed because we do not accept external contributions to this repository.

2. Discussion #193833 — Remove inactive pipeline failed for me (April 24, 2026)

Another community participant reported the same workflow failing and questioned why it ran automatically.

That discussion was closed unanswered. Replies suggested permissions, race conditions, and Actions Runner Controller troubleshooting, but did not identify the Ruby-version incompatibility. This failure occurs in GitHub's own repository before the label-removal script starts, so those suggestions do not address the demonstrated failure.

3. PR #211280 — Update Ruby setup action to version 3.3.13 (October 26, 2026)

Another attempted fix was submitted today, but it changed uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1 to uses: ruby/setup-ruby@3.3.13, confusing the action version with the Ruby runtime version.

That PR was also automatically closed under the repository's external-contribution policy.

Relevant repository history

Commit b241588, November 19, 2024, changed .ruby-version from 3.1.2 to 3.3.5, introducing the pin responsible for the current incompatibility.

PR #130996, merged July 5, 2024, changed several workflows to use ruby/setup-ruby@v1. This concerned the action reference itself, not the Ruby runtime version.

The repository's close-dormant-discussions.yml already uses ruby/setup-ruby@v1 with ruby-version: '3.3', demonstrating the appropriate configuration.

Suggested resolution

Update the repository's .ruby-version from:

3.3.5

to:

3.3

Alternatively, explicitly configure ruby-version: '3.3' in the affected workflow, as already done in close-dormant-discussions.yml.

The repository's other Ruby-dependent workflows should also be checked for reliance on the incompatible pin.

the previously proposed fix in https://github.com/community/community/pull/190287/ should make Remove the inactive label execute successfully on the current GitHub-hosted runner images

This would restore the intended label-removal automation and eliminate the associated configuration-related failure notifications.

[github-actions[bot]]

💬 Your Product Feedback Has Been Submitted 🎉

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us! Your feedback is invaluable as we build a better GitHub experience for all our users.

Here's what you can expect moving forward ⏩

• Your input will be carefully reviewed and cataloged by members of our product teams. 
  • Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not always be able to provide individual responses.
  • Rest assured, your feedback will help chart our course for product improvements.
• Other users may engage with your post, sharing their own perspectives or experiences. 
• GitHub staff may reach out for further clarification or insight. 
  • We may 'Answer' your discussion if there is a current solution, workaround, or roadmap/changelog post related to the feedback.

Where to look to see what's shipping 👀

• Read the Changelog for real-time updates on the latest GitHub features, enhancements, and calls for feedback.
• Explore our Product Roadmap, which details upcoming major releases and initiatives.

What you can do in the meantime 💻

• Upvote and comment on other user feedback Discussions that resonate with you.
• Add more information at any point! Useful details include: use cases, relevant labels, desired outcomes, and any accompanying screenshots.

As a member of the GitHub community, your participation is essential. While we can't promise that every suggestion will be implemented, we want to emphasize that your feedback is instrumental in guiding our decisions and priorities.

Thank you once again for your contribution to making GitHub even better! We're grateful for your ongoing support and collaboration in shaping the future of our platform. ⭐