diff --git a/lib/util/http/auth.spec.ts b/lib/util/http/auth.spec.ts
index 2854af307c1389bc55d1c2509e84c6c2af2b53cb..208a8209b67da11fa1267681c8a24595a37d9332 100644
--- a/lib/util/http/auth.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/util/http/auth.spec.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ describe('util/http/auth', () => {
       expect(opts).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
         {
           "headers": {
-            "authorization": "token XXXX",
+            "authorization": "Bearer XXXX",
           },
           "hostType": "gitea",
           "token": "XXXX",
diff --git a/lib/util/http/auth.ts b/lib/util/http/auth.ts
index 99cc9bec817651f9ee1d400b05d313e7a4a3bc3d..0beec921d901c98fc6174b98be402ac138a10e34 100644
--- a/lib/util/http/auth.ts
+++ b/lib/util/http/auth.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@ export function applyAuthorization<GotOptions extends AuthGotOptions>(
       options.hostType &&
       GITEA_API_USING_HOST_TYPES.includes(options.hostType)
     ) {
-      options.headers.authorization = `token ${options.token}`;
+      // Gitea v1.8.0 and later support `Bearer` as alternate to `token`
+      // https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/pull/5378
+      options.headers.authorization = `Bearer ${options.token}`;
     } else if (
       options.hostType &&
       GITHUB_API_USING_HOST_TYPES.includes(options.hostType)