diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index e0032b4..dec6f86 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -29,11 +29,6 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 0
           persist-credentials: false
 
-      - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e # v6.4.0
-        with:
-          node-version: 24
-          cache: npm
-
       - name: Validate release
         run: |
           if [[ "$GITHUB_REF" != "refs/heads/main" ]]; then
@@ -41,7 +36,6 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
 
-          git fetch origin main --tags
           if [[ "$(git rev-parse HEAD)" != "$(git rev-parse origin/main)" ]]; then
             if [[ "$GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT" == "1" ]] || ! git tag --points-at "$GITHUB_SHA" | grep -Eq '^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$'; then
               echo "new releases must use the latest commit on main" >&2
@@ -54,6 +48,11 @@ jobs:
             echo "Retrying a partially published release after main advanced"
           fi
 
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e # v6.4.0
+        with:
+          node-version: 24
+          cache: npm
+
       - name: Calculate version
         id: release
         env:
diff --git a/test/release-workflow.test.js b/test/release-workflow.test.js
index fe94c5d..17a9a38 100644
--- a/test/release-workflow.test.js
+++ b/test/release-workflow.test.js
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ function validateAfterMainAdvances(attempt, { tag = true } = {}) {
   execFileSync("git", ["commit", "-am", "later"], { cwd: checkout });
   execFileSync("git", ["push", "origin", "main"], { cwd: checkout });
   execFileSync("git", ["checkout", "--detach", releaseSha], { cwd: checkout });
+  execFileSync("git", ["remote", "set-url", "origin", path.join(directory, "unreachable.git")], { cwd: checkout });
   return () =>
     execFileSync("bash", ["-euo", "pipefail", "-c", validateRelease], {
       cwd: checkout,