diff --git a/.github/workflows/backstage-release.yaml b/.github/workflows/backstage-release.yaml
index 5f4ea6c1..1cdbe323 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/backstage-release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/backstage-release.yaml
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: ./backstage
         run: yarn --prefer-offline --frozen-lockfile
 
+      - name: lint all code
+        run: yarn backstage-cli repo lint
+
       - name: Install tooling
         shell: bash
         working-directory: ./backstage
@@ -98,9 +101,3 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           export PATH="./node_modules/.bin/:$PATH"
           yarn postpack
-      - name: lint all code
-        run: yarn backstage-cli repo lint
-        with:
-          token: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
-          access: public
-          package: backstage/plugins/knative-event-mesh-backend