diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index fbfcdbe..e054f66 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -29,10 +29,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: npm ci
 
-      # Set NPM auth token from GitHub Secrets
-      - env:
-          NPM_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_AUTH_TOKEN }}
-
         # build modules with microbundle
       - name: Build
         run: npm run build
@@ -40,6 +36,8 @@ jobs:
         # set auth token here instead of inside .npmrc file
       - name: Set config variables
         run: npm config set //registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken ${NPM_AUTH_TOKEN}
+        env:
+          NPM_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_AUTH_TOKEN }} # Set NPM auth token from GitHub Secrets
 
         # publish package to npm registry using token
       - name: Publish to NPM