diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 031933910..4156e5178 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ permissions:
   contents: read
 jobs:
   build:
-    if: vars.PACKAGER_URL != ''
+    # any forks that predate this repo having an action will have actions
+    # enabled by default, which will fail in a lot of cases because the branch
+    # is new, which makes the differential build fail
+    if: github.event_name != 'push' || github.repository_owner == 'runelite'
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
@@ -30,7 +33,7 @@ jobs:
         java-version: 11
     - name: fetch packager
       env:
-        PACKAGER_URL: ${{ vars.PACKAGER_URL }}
+        PACKAGER_URL: "https://github.com/runelite/plugin-hub-tooling/releases/download/v0/bundle.tar.zst"
       run: |
         set -exu
         curl --location --output bundle.tar.zst "$PACKAGER_URL"
@@ -89,7 +92,7 @@ jobs:
         path: /tmp/jars
         retention-days: 4
   upload:
-    if: vars.PACKAGER_URL != '' && github.event_name != 'pull_request'
+    if: (github.event_name != 'push' || github.repository_owner == 'runelite') && github.event_name != 'pull_request'
     needs: build
     concurrency: upload
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
@@ -101,7 +104,7 @@ jobs:
         persist-credentials: false
     - name: fetch packager
       env:
-        PACKAGER_URL: ${{ vars.PACKAGER_URL }}
+        PACKAGER_URL: "https://github.com/runelite/plugin-hub-tooling/releases/download/v0/bundle.tar.zst"
       run: |
         set -exu
         curl --location --output bundle.tar.zst "$PACKAGER_URL"