diff --git a/api/build/restart.go b/api/build/restart.go
index 3a05ad93b..898c2e75f 100644
--- a/api/build/restart.go
+++ b/api/build/restart.go
@@ -116,10 +116,10 @@ func RestartBuild(c *gin.Context) {
 	// set sender to the user who initiated the restart and
 	b.SetSender(cl.Subject)
 
-	// fetch user scm id
-	senderID, err := scm.GetUserID(ctx, u)
+	// fetch scm user id
+	senderID, err := scm.GetUserID(ctx, u.GetName(), u.GetToken())
 	if err != nil {
-		retErr := fmt.Errorf("unable to get user scm id for %s: %w", u.GetName(), err)
+		retErr := fmt.Errorf("unable to get SCM user id for %s: %w", u.GetName(), err)
 
 		util.HandleError(c, http.StatusInternalServerError, retErr)
 
diff --git a/api/webhook/post.go b/api/webhook/post.go
index 20600d525..c514943b9 100644
--- a/api/webhook/post.go
+++ b/api/webhook/post.go
@@ -207,6 +207,23 @@ func PostWebhook(c *gin.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	// attach a sender SCM id if the webhook payload from the SCM has no sender id
+	if len(b.GetSenderSCMID()) == 0 || b.GetSenderSCMID() == "0" {
+		// fetch scm user id for pusher
+		senderID, err := scm.FromContext(c).GetUserID(ctx, b.GetSender(), repo.GetOwner().GetToken())
+		if err != nil {
+			retErr := fmt.Errorf("unable to assign sender SCM id: %w", err)
+			util.HandleError(c, http.StatusBadRequest, retErr)
+
+			h.SetStatus(constants.StatusFailure)
+			h.SetError(retErr.Error())
+
+			return
+		}
+
+		b.SetSenderSCMID(senderID)
+	}
+
 	// set the RepoID fields
 	b.SetRepo(repo)
 	h.SetRepoID(repo.GetID())
diff --git a/cmd/vela-server/schedule.go b/cmd/vela-server/schedule.go
index 6a38998e6..e7e0df759 100644
--- a/cmd/vela-server/schedule.go
+++ b/cmd/vela-server/schedule.go
@@ -186,10 +186,10 @@ func processSchedule(ctx context.Context, s *api.Schedule, settings *settings.Pl
 		return fmt.Errorf("unable to get user for name %s: %w", s.GetUpdatedBy(), err)
 	}
 
-	// fetch user scm id
-	senderID, err := scm.GetUserID(ctx, u)
+	// fetch scm user id
+	senderID, err := scm.GetUserID(ctx, u.GetName(), u.GetToken())
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("unable to get user scm id for %s: %w", u.GetName(), err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to get SCM user id for %s: %w", u.GetName(), err)
 	}
 
 	b.SetSenderSCMID(senderID)
diff --git a/scm/github/user.go b/scm/github/user.go
index 848684521..e50cc19ff 100644
--- a/scm/github/user.go
+++ b/scm/github/user.go
@@ -6,21 +6,20 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 
-	api "github.com/go-vela/server/api/types"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
 // GetUserID captures the user's scm id.
-func (c *client) GetUserID(ctx context.Context, u *api.User) (string, error) {
+func (c *client) GetUserID(ctx context.Context, name string, token string) (string, error) {
 	c.Logger.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
-		"user": u.GetName(),
-	}).Tracef("capturing scm id for %s", u.GetName())
+		"user": name,
+	}).Tracef("capturing SCM user id for %s", name)
 
 	// create GitHub OAuth client with user's token
-	client := c.newClientToken(*u.Token)
+	client := c.newClientToken(token)
 
 	// send API call to capture user
-	user, _, err := client.Users.Get(ctx, u.GetName())
+	user, _, err := client.Users.Get(ctx, name)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
diff --git a/scm/github/webhook.go b/scm/github/webhook.go
index 241f7e6d2..3092ae63e 100644
--- a/scm/github/webhook.go
+++ b/scm/github/webhook.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func (c *client) ProcessWebhook(ctx context.Context, request *http.Request) (*in
 	// process the event from the webhook
 	switch event := event.(type) {
 	case *github.PushEvent:
-		return c.processPushEvent(h, event)
+		return c.processPushEvent(ctx, h, event)
 	case *github.PullRequestEvent:
 		return c.processPREvent(h, event)
 	case *github.DeploymentEvent:
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ func (c *client) RedeliverWebhook(ctx context.Context, u *api.User, r *api.Repo,
 }
 
 // processPushEvent is a helper function to process the push event.
-func (c *client) processPushEvent(h *library.Hook, payload *github.PushEvent) (*internal.Webhook, error) {
+func (c *client) processPushEvent(ctx context.Context, h *library.Hook, payload *github.PushEvent) (*internal.Webhook, error) {
 	c.Logger.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
 		"org":  payload.GetRepo().GetOwner().GetLogin(),
 		"repo": payload.GetRepo().GetName(),
@@ -178,11 +178,6 @@ func (c *client) processPushEvent(h *library.Hook, payload *github.PushEvent) (*
 	// ensure the build sender is set
 	if len(b.GetSender()) == 0 {
 		b.SetSender(payload.GetPusher().GetName())
-		// todo: sender_scm_id:
-		//   commit_author/pusher has no ID attached in gh api payload
-		//  - (a) auth with repo token and convert username to scm id
-		//  - (b) error out when payload didnt have a sender
-		//  - (c) dont set an scm id...
 	}
 
 	// ensure the build email is set
diff --git a/scm/service.go b/scm/service.go
index d7a21a78e..88bb5ecf3 100644
--- a/scm/service.go
+++ b/scm/service.go
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ type Service interface {
 	// User SCM Interface Functions
 
 	// GetUserID defines a function that captures
-	// the scm user attached to a Vela user.
-	GetUserID(context.Context, *api.User) (string, error)
+	// the scm user id attached to the username.
+	GetUserID(context.Context, string, string) (string, error)
 
 	// Access SCM Interface Functions