diff --git a/.github/workflows/periodic-merge-24h.yml b/.github/workflows/periodic-merge-24h.yml
index 0455c9f5a5e1..fcd3b7ca1e6b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/periodic-merge-24h.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/periodic-merge-24h.yml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ defaults:
 
 jobs:
   periodic-merge:
-    if: github.repository_owner == 'NixOS'
+    if: github.repository_owner == 'NixOS' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
     strategy:
       # don't fail fast, so that all pairs are tried
       fail-fast: false
diff --git a/.github/workflows/periodic-merge-6h.yml b/.github/workflows/periodic-merge-6h.yml
index edd4cb0b2df6..ad81eb6c9a3b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/periodic-merge-6h.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/periodic-merge-6h.yml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ defaults:
 
 jobs:
   periodic-merge:
-    if: github.repository_owner == 'NixOS'
+    if: github.repository_owner == 'NixOS' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
     strategy:
       # don't fail fast, so that all pairs are tried
       fail-fast: false