diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index d549e3c34..509bf37e4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -143,21 +143,20 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4.1.0
         with:
           node-version: '20'
-          registry-url: 'https://registry.npmjs.org'
           cache: 'npm'
           cache-dependency-path: frontend/package-lock.json
+      - name: Configure npm with token (if available)
+        if: secrets.NPM_TOKEN != ''
+        run: echo "//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}" > ~/.npmrc
       - name: Install frontend dependencies
         run: cd frontend && npm ci
-        env:
-          NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
       - name: Build frontend
         run: cd frontend && npm run build
-        env:
-          NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
       - name: Run frontend tests
         run: cd frontend && npm run test -- --run
-        env:
-          NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
+      - name: Clean up npmrc
+        if: always() && secrets.NPM_TOKEN != ''
+        run: rm -f ~/.npmrc
       - name: Upload frontend build artifacts
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4.6.2
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/frontend-licenses-update.yml b/.github/workflows/frontend-licenses-update.yml
index 54e423c58..ac2013e2d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/frontend-licenses-update.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/frontend-licenses-update.yml
@@ -48,21 +48,24 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-node@39370e3970a6d050c480ffad4ff0ed4d3fdee5af # v4.1.0
         with:
           node-version: '18'
-          registry-url: 'https://registry.npmjs.org'
           cache: 'npm'
           cache-dependency-path: frontend/package-lock.json
 
+      - name: Configure npm with token (if available)
+        if: secrets.NPM_TOKEN != ''
+        run: echo "//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}" > ~/.npmrc
+
       - name: Install frontend dependencies
         working-directory: frontend
         run: npm ci
-        env:
-          NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
 
       - name: Generate frontend license report
         working-directory: frontend
         run: npm run generate-licenses
-        env:
-          NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
+        
+      - name: Clean up npmrc
+        if: always() && secrets.NPM_TOKEN != ''
+        run: rm -f ~/.npmrc
 
       - name: Check for license warnings
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/testdriver.yml b/.github/workflows/testdriver.yml
index 68f487141..67d248d46 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/testdriver.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/testdriver.yml
@@ -131,8 +131,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Set up Node
         uses: actions/setup-node@49933ea5288caeca8642d1e84afbd3f7d6820020 # v4.4.0
         with:
-          registry-url: 'https://registry.npmjs.org'
           cache: 'npm'
+          
+      - name: Configure npm with token (if available)
+        if: secrets.NPM_TOKEN != ''
+        run: echo "//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}" > ~/.npmrc
 
       - name: Run TestDriver.ai
         uses: testdriverai/action@f0d0f45fdd684db628baa843fe9313f3ca3a8aa8 #1.1.3
@@ -148,8 +151,11 @@ jobs:
             1. /run testing/testdriver/test.yml
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
           FORCE_COLOR: "3"
+          
+      - name: Clean up npmrc
+        if: always() && secrets.NPM_TOKEN != ''
+        run: rm -f ~/.npmrc
 
   cleanup:
     needs: [deploy, test]