diff --git a/.github/workflows/npm-publish-simulation.yml b/.github/workflows/npm-publish-simulation.yml
index 746bdc9e8..759713097 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/npm-publish-simulation.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/npm-publish-simulation.yml
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ jobs:
         id: build
         working-directory: mdn/fred
         run: |
+          npm pkg set _gitSha=${{ github.sha }}
           npm pack
           TARBALL=`ls mdn-fred-*.tgz`
           echo $TARBALL
@@ -58,6 +59,10 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
 
     steps:
+      - name: "Move npm cache to D: drive"
+        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
+        run: echo "npm_config_cache=D:\npm-cache" >> $env:GITHUB_ENV
+
       - name: (mdn/content) Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6.0.2
         with:
@@ -81,7 +86,6 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: mdn/content
         shell: bash
         run: |
-          npm cache clean --force
           TARBALL=$(ls ../../mdn-fred-*.tgz)
           npm install file:$TARBALL
           npm install
@@ -89,6 +93,11 @@ jobs:
           # Increase GitHub API limit.
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
+      - name: (mdn/content) Verify correct fred installed
+        working-directory: mdn/content/node_modules/@mdn/fred
+        shell: bash
+        run: test "$(npm pkg get _gitSha --json)" = '"${{ github.sha }}"'
+
       - name: (mdn/content) Render (Linux)
         if: runner.os == 'Linux'
         working-directory: mdn/content