diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
index 1236d9c86c..0958dd4c43 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ jobs:
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
       - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+      - name: Authenticate with private NPM package
+        run: echo "//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=${{ secrets.NPM_READ_ONLY_TOKEN }}" > ~/.npmrc
       - name: Install Netlify E2E
         run: npm install @netlify/e2e@1.0.0-rc.0
-        env:
-          NPM_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_READ_ONLY_TOKEN }}
       - name: Create Remlink Config
         run: node ./tools/create-remlink.config.js
       - name: Trigger Netlify E2E image build
diff --git a/.npmrc b/.npmrc
deleted file mode 100644
index ae643592e7..0000000000
--- a/.npmrc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=${NPM_TOKEN}