diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml
index f99757d635..36e7b725d5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e.yaml
@@ -25,13 +25,57 @@ on:
       - "test/testdata/**"
 
 jobs:
+  # New Job: Checks permissions for PRs and outputs the result.
+  check-permissions:
+    name: Check PR author permissions
+    # This job only runs for pull_request_target events.
+    if: github.event_name == 'pull_request_target'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      granted: ${{ steps.permission_check.outputs.result }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Check user permissions
+        id: permission_check
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          result-encoding: string # Capture the script's return value as an output
+          script: |
+            const actor = context.payload.pull_request.user.login;
+
+            // Allow dependabot and other bots unconditionally.
+            if (actor.endsWith('[bot]')) {
+              core.info(`User @${actor} is a bot, allowing.`);
+              return 'true';
+            }
+
+            try {
+              const response = await github.rest.repos.getCollaboratorPermissionLevel({
+                owner: context.repo.owner,
+                repo: context.repo.repo,
+                username: actor,
+              });
+
+              const permission = response.data.permission;
+              if (permission === 'admin' || permission === 'write') {
+                core.info(`✅ User @${actor} has '${permission}' permission. Proceeding.`);
+                return 'true';
+              } else {
+                core.warning(`User @${actor} has '${permission}' permission. 'write' or 'admin' is required. Skipping E2E tests.`);
+                return 'false';
+              }
+            } catch (error) {
+              core.warning(`Could not verify permission for @${actor}. They might not be a collaborator. Error: ${error.message}`);
+              return 'false';
+            }
+
+  # Modified Job: Now depends on the check-permissions job.
   e2e-tests:
-    # Run on schedule, unconditional workflow_dispatch,
-    # or pull_request_target if the actor has write/admin permissions.
+    needs: [check-permissions] # It depends on the result of the check.
+    # The job runs on schedule/dispatch, or on PRs if the check-permissions job granted access.
     if: >
       github.event_name == 'schedule' ||
       github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' ||
-      (github.event_name == 'pull_request_target' && contains(fromJSON('["zakisk", "infernus01", "savitaashture", "chmouel", "vdemeester", "enarha", "aThorp96", "waveywaves", "mathur07", "dependabot[bot]"]'), github.event.pull_request.user.login))
+      github.event_name == 'pull_request_target'
     concurrency:
       group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ matrix.provider }}-${{ github.event.pull_request.number || github.ref_name }}
       cancel-in-progress: true
@@ -68,10 +112,74 @@ jobs:
       TEST_BITBUCKET_SERVER_USER: pipelines
       TEST_BITBUCKET_SERVER_E2E_REPOSITORY: PAC/pac-e2e-tests
     steps:
+      - name: Check user permissions (detailed)
+        id: check_perms
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          script: |
+            const actor = context.actor;
+            const { owner, repo } = context.repo;
+
+            try {
+              const response = await github.rest.repos.getCollaboratorPermissionLevel({
+                owner,
+                repo,
+                username: actor,
+              });
+
+              const userPermission = response.data.permission;
+
+              if (userPermission === 'admin') {
+                core.info(`✅ Permission check successful. User @${actor} is an ADMIN.`);
+              } else if (userPermission === 'write') {
+                core.info(`✅ Permission check successful. User @${actor} has WRITE permission.`);
+              } else {
+                core.setFailed(`❌ Permission check failed. User @${actor} has '${userPermission}' permission, but 'write' or 'admin' is required to proceed.`);
+              }
+
+            } catch (error) {
+              core.setFailed(`Could not verify permission for @${actor}. They might not be a collaborator. Error: ${error.message}`);
+            }
+
       - uses: actions/checkout@v5
         with:
           ref: ${{ inputs.target_ref || github.event.pull_request.head.sha || github.sha }}
 
+      # Step to check PR author's org membership and repo permissions.
+      # This step will fail the job if checks do not pass, skipping subsequent steps.
+      - name: Check user permissions on PRs
+        if: github.event_name == 'pull_request_target'
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          script: |
+            const actor = context.payload.pull_request.user.login;
+            const org = context.repo.owner;
+
+            // Allow dependabot and other bots unconditionally.
+            if (actor.endsWith('[bot]')) {
+              core.info(`User @${actor} is a bot, allowing.`);
+              return;
+            }
+
+            try {
+              // Directly check the user's permission level on the repository.
+              // This covers both org members and external collaborators with sufficient access.
+              const response = await github.rest.repos.getCollaboratorPermissionLevel({
+                owner: org,
+                repo: context.repo.repo,
+                username: actor,
+              });
+
+              const permission = response.data.permission;
+              if (permission !== 'admin' && permission !== 'write') {
+                core.setFailed(`❌ User @${actor} has only '${permission}' repository permission. 'write' or 'admin' is required.`);
+              } else {
+                core.info(`✅ User @${actor} has '${permission}' repository permission. Proceeding.`);
+              }
+            } catch (error) {
+              core.setFailed(`Permission check failed for @${actor}. They are likely not a collaborator on the repository. Error: ${error.message}`);
+            }
+
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
           go-version-file: "go.mod"
@@ -93,8 +201,8 @@ jobs:
           nohup gosmee client --saveDir /tmp/gosmee-replay ${{ secrets.PYSMEE_URL }} "http://${CONTROLLER_DOMAIN_URL}" &
 
       - name: Setup tmate session
-        uses: mxschmitt/action-tmate@v3
         if: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.debug_enabled }}
+        uses: mxschmitt/action-tmate@v3
         with:
           detached: true
           limit-access-to-actor: true
@@ -121,11 +229,8 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           ./hack/gh-workflow-ci.sh create_second_github_app_controller_on_ghe
 
-      # Adjusted step-level conditions based on the new job-level logic
       - name: Run E2E Tests
-        # This step runs for schedule, PR target (if job started), or workflow_dispatch (if job started)
-        # Remove the old label check which is no longer relevant for triggering.
-        if: ${{ github.event_name == 'schedule' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || github.event_name == 'pull_request_target' }}
+        # The job-level `if` condition already handles this, so the step can run unconditionally
         env:
           TEST_PROVIDER: ${{ matrix.provider }}
           TEST_BITBUCKET_CLOUD_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.BITBUCKET_CLOUD_TOKEN }}
@@ -142,7 +247,6 @@ jobs:
           ./hack/gh-workflow-ci.sh run_e2e_tests
 
       - name: Run E2E Tests on nightly
-        # This step still runs specifically for schedule or workflow_dispatch
         if: ${{ github.event_name == 'schedule' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' }}
         env:
           NIGHTLY_E2E_TEST: "true"
@@ -188,3 +292,4 @@ jobs:
           notify_when: "failure"
         env:
           SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL: ${{ secrets.SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL }}
+
diff --git a/pkg/pipelineascode/pipelineascode.go b/pkg/pipelineascode/pipelineascode.go
index 451c0403f2..6a185d0653 100644
--- a/pkg/pipelineascode/pipelineascode.go
+++ b/pkg/pipelineascode/pipelineascode.go
@@ -150,6 +150,14 @@ func (p *PacRun) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// startPR creates and initializes a Tekton PipelineRun for the given match.
+// It may auto-create a basic auth Secret for git access (and set its ownerRef),
+// adds Pipelines-as-Code labels/annotations, optionally marks the PipelineRun
+// as pending when repository concurrency is enabled, creates the PipelineRun in
+// the target namespace, reports an initial status with a console URL to the SCM
+// provider, and patches state/logURL metadata used by the PAC watcher. On
+// partial failures after creation, it returns the created PipelineRun along
+// with the error so callers can decide how to proceed.
 func (p *PacRun) startPR(ctx context.Context, match matcher.Match) (*tektonv1.PipelineRun, error) {
 	var gitAuthSecretName string