diff --git a/api/step/plan.go b/api/step/plan.go
index 02f5546f0..bfacc5136 100644
--- a/api/step/plan.go
+++ b/api/step/plan.go
@@ -64,17 +64,18 @@ func planStep(ctx context.Context, database database.Interface, scm scm.Service,
 	s.SetReportAs(c.ReportAs)
 	s.SetCreated(time.Now().UTC().Unix())
 
-	id, err := scm.CreateChecks(ctx, r, b.GetCommit(), s.GetName())
-	if err != nil {
-		// TODO: make this error more meaningful
-		return nil, err
-	}
+	if c.ReportStatus {
+		id, err := scm.CreateChecks(ctx, r, b.GetCommit(), s.GetName(), b.GetEvent())
+		if err != nil {
+			// TODO: make this error more meaningful
+			return nil, err
+		}
 
-	// TODO: have to store the check ID somewhere
-	s.SetCheckID(id)
+		s.SetCheckID(id)
+	}
 
 	// send API call to create the step
-	s, err = database.CreateStep(ctx, s)
+	s, err := database.CreateStep(ctx, s)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to create step %s: %w", s.GetName(), err)
 	}
diff --git a/api/step/update.go b/api/step/update.go
index dca493625..7d3ebcddd 100644
--- a/api/step/update.go
+++ b/api/step/update.go
@@ -154,13 +154,17 @@ func UpdateStep(c *gin.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	err = scm.FromContext(c).UpdateChecks(ctx, r, s, b.GetCommit())
-	if err != nil {
-		retErr := fmt.Errorf("unable to set step check %s: %w", entry, err)
+	if s.GetCheckID() != 0 {
+		s.SetReport(input.GetReport())
 
-		util.HandleError(c, http.StatusInternalServerError, retErr)
+		err = scm.FromContext(c).UpdateChecks(ctx, r, s, b.GetCommit(), b.GetEvent())
+		if err != nil {
+			retErr := fmt.Errorf("unable to set step check %s: %w", entry, err)
 
-		return
+			util.HandleError(c, http.StatusInternalServerError, retErr)
+
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
 	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, s)
diff --git a/api/types/repo.go b/api/types/repo.go
index bfad93623..01e9f03ea 100644
--- a/api/types/repo.go
+++ b/api/types/repo.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ type Repo struct {
 	PipelineType *string   `json:"pipeline_type,omitempty"`
 	PreviousName *string   `json:"previous_name,omitempty"`
 	ApproveBuild *string   `json:"approve_build,omitempty"`
+	InstallID    *int64    `json:"install_id,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // Environment returns a list of environment variables
@@ -345,6 +346,19 @@ func (r *Repo) GetApproveBuild() string {
 	return *r.ApproveBuild
 }
 
+// GetInstallID returns the InstallID field.
+//
+// When the provided Repo type is nil, or the field within
+// the type is nil, it returns the zero value for the field.
+func (r *Repo) GetInstallID() int64 {
+	// return zero value if Repo type or InstallID field is nil
+	if r == nil || r.InstallID == nil {
+		return 0
+	}
+
+	return *r.InstallID
+}
+
 // SetID sets the ID field.
 //
 // When the provided Repo type is nil, it
@@ -618,6 +632,19 @@ func (r *Repo) SetApproveBuild(v string) {
 	r.ApproveBuild = &v
 }
 
+// SetInstallID sets the InstallID field.
+//
+// When the provided Repo type is nil, it
+// will set nothing and immediately return.
+func (r *Repo) SetInstallID(v int64) {
+	// return if Repo type is nil
+	if r == nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	r.InstallID = &v
+}
+
 // String implements the Stringer interface for the Repo type.
 func (r *Repo) String() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf(`{
diff --git a/database/repo/table.go b/database/repo/table.go
index 65bd21fb2..ec033f48b 100644
--- a/database/repo/table.go
+++ b/database/repo/table.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ repos (
 	pipeline_type TEXT,
 	previous_name VARCHAR(100),
 	approve_build VARCHAR(20),
+	install_id    INTEGER,
 	UNIQUE(full_name)
 );
 `
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ repos (
 	pipeline_type TEXT,
 	previous_name TEXT,
 	approve_build TEXT,
+	install_id    INTEGER,
 	UNIQUE(full_name)
 );
 `
diff --git a/database/step/table.go b/database/step/table.go
index a7cd7eb74..900734de4 100644
--- a/database/step/table.go
+++ b/database/step/table.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ steps (
 	host          VARCHAR(250),
 	runtime       VARCHAR(250),
 	distribution  VARCHAR(250),
+	check_id      INTEGER,
 	report_as     VARCHAR(250),
 	UNIQUE(build_id, number)
 );
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ steps (
 	host          TEXT,
 	runtime       TEXT,
 	distribution  TEXT,
+	check_id      INTEGER,
 	report_as     TEXT,
 	UNIQUE(build_id, number)
 );
diff --git a/scm/github/github.go b/scm/github/github.go
index e33cb5711..5db5f45b2 100644
--- a/scm/github/github.go
+++ b/scm/github/github.go
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ package github
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"crypto/x509"
+	"encoding/base64"
+	"encoding/pem"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
@@ -118,11 +121,24 @@ func New(opts ...ClientOpt) (*client, error) {
 
 	if c.config.GithubAppID != 0 && len(c.config.GithubAppPrivateKey) > 0 {
 		c.Logger.Infof("sourcing private key from path: %s", c.config.GithubAppPrivateKey)
-		transport, err := ghinstallation.NewAppsTransportKeyFromFile(http.DefaultTransport, c.config.GithubAppID, c.config.GithubAppPrivateKey)
+
+		decodedPEM, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(c.config.GithubAppPrivateKey)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error decoding base64: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		block, _ := pem.Decode(decodedPEM)
+		if block == nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse PEM block containing the key")
 		}
 
+		privateKey, err := x509.ParsePKCS1PrivateKey(block.Bytes)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse RSA private key: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		transport := ghinstallation.NewAppsTransportFromPrivateKey(http.DefaultTransport, c.config.GithubAppID, privateKey)
+
 		transport.BaseURL = c.config.API
 		c.AppsTransport = transport
 	}
@@ -184,17 +200,28 @@ func (c *client) newClientToken(token string) *github.Client {
 }
 
 // helper function to return the GitHub App token.
-func (c *client) newGithubAppToken(r *api.Repo) *github.Client {
+func (c *client) newGithubAppToken(r *api.Repo) (*github.Client, error) {
 	// create a github client based off the existing GitHub App configuration
 	client, err := github.NewClient(&http.Client{Transport: c.AppsTransport}).WithEnterpriseURLs(c.config.API, c.config.API)
 	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	// if repo has an install ID, use it to create an installation token
+	if r.GetInstallID() != 0 {
+		// create installation token for the repo
+		t, _, err := client.Apps.CreateInstallationToken(context.Background(), r.GetInstallID(), &github.InstallationTokenOptions{})
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
+
+		return c.newClientToken(t.GetToken()), nil
 	}
 
 	// list all installations (a.k.a. orgs) where the GitHub App is installed
 	installations, _, err := client.Apps.ListInstallations(context.Background(), &github.ListOptions{})
 	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	var id int64
@@ -208,7 +235,7 @@ func (c *client) newGithubAppToken(r *api.Repo) *github.Client {
 
 	// failsafe in case the repo does not belong to an org where the GitHub App is installed
 	if id == 0 {
-		panic(err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	// create installation token for the repo
@@ -217,5 +244,5 @@ func (c *client) newGithubAppToken(r *api.Repo) *github.Client {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
-	return c.newClientToken(t.GetToken())
+	return c.newClientToken(t.GetToken()), nil
 }
diff --git a/scm/github/repo.go b/scm/github/repo.go
index c80968390..daf59cc88 100644
--- a/scm/github/repo.go
+++ b/scm/github/repo.go
@@ -662,12 +662,15 @@ func (c *client) GetBranch(ctx context.Context, r *api.Repo, branch string) (str
 }
 
 // CreateChecks defines a function that does stuff...
-func (c *client) CreateChecks(ctx context.Context, r *api.Repo, commit, step string) (int64, error) {
+func (c *client) CreateChecks(ctx context.Context, r *api.Repo, commit, step, event string) (int64, error) {
 	// create client from GitHub App
-	client := c.newGithubAppToken(r)
+	client, err := c.newGithubAppToken(r)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
 
 	opts := github.CreateCheckRunOptions{
-		Name:    fmt.Sprintf("vela-%s-%s", commit, step),
+		Name:    fmt.Sprintf("vela-%s-%s", event, step),
 		HeadSHA: commit,
 	}
 
@@ -680,9 +683,12 @@ func (c *client) CreateChecks(ctx context.Context, r *api.Repo, commit, step str
 }
 
 // UpdateChecks defines a function that does stuff...
-func (c *client) UpdateChecks(ctx context.Context, r *api.Repo, s *library.Step, commit string) error {
+func (c *client) UpdateChecks(ctx context.Context, r *api.Repo, s *library.Step, commit, event string) error {
 	// create client from GitHub App
-	client := c.newGithubAppToken(r)
+	client, err := c.newGithubAppToken(r)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	var (
 		conclusion string
@@ -719,13 +725,41 @@ func (c *client) UpdateChecks(ctx context.Context, r *api.Repo, s *library.Step,
 		status = "completed"
 	}
 
+	var annotations []*github.CheckRunAnnotation
+
+	for _, reportAnnotation := range s.GetReport().GetAnnotations() {
+		annotation := &github.CheckRunAnnotation{
+			Path:            github.String(reportAnnotation.GetPath()),
+			StartLine:       github.Int(reportAnnotation.GetStartLine()),
+			EndLine:         github.Int(reportAnnotation.GetEndLine()),
+			StartColumn:     github.Int(reportAnnotation.GetStartColumn()),
+			EndColumn:       github.Int(reportAnnotation.GetEndColumn()),
+			AnnotationLevel: github.String(reportAnnotation.GetAnnotationLevel()),
+			Message:         github.String(reportAnnotation.GetMessage()),
+			Title:           github.String(reportAnnotation.GetTitle()),
+			RawDetails:      github.String(reportAnnotation.GetRawDetails()),
+		}
+
+		annotations = append(annotations, annotation)
+	}
+
+	output := &github.CheckRunOutput{
+		Title:            github.String(s.GetReport().GetTitle()),
+		Summary:          github.String(s.GetReport().GetSummary()),
+		Text:             github.String(s.GetReport().GetText()),
+		AnnotationsCount: github.Int(s.GetReport().GetAnnotationsCount()),
+		AnnotationsURL:   github.String(s.GetReport().GetAnnotationsURL()),
+		Annotations:      annotations,
+	}
+
 	opts := github.UpdateCheckRunOptions{
-		Name:       fmt.Sprintf("vela-%s-%s", commit, s.GetName()),
+		Name:       fmt.Sprintf("vela-%s-%s", event, s.GetName()),
 		Conclusion: github.String(conclusion),
 		Status:     github.String(status),
+		Output:     output,
 	}
 
-	_, _, err := client.Checks.UpdateCheckRun(ctx, r.GetOrg(), r.GetName(), s.GetCheckID(), opts)
+	_, _, err = client.Checks.UpdateCheckRun(ctx, r.GetOrg(), r.GetName(), s.GetCheckID(), opts)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/scm/service.go b/scm/service.go
index 08382eb98..e36595de0 100644
--- a/scm/service.go
+++ b/scm/service.go
@@ -143,8 +143,8 @@ type Service interface {
 	GetHTMLURL(context.Context, *api.User, string, string, string, string) (string, error)
 
 	// TODO: add comments
-	CreateChecks(context.Context, *api.Repo, string, string) (int64, error)
-	UpdateChecks(context.Context, *api.Repo, *library.Step, string) error
+	CreateChecks(context.Context, *api.Repo, string, string, string) (int64, error)
+	UpdateChecks(context.Context, *api.Repo, *library.Step, string, string) error
 
 	// Webhook SCM Interface Functions