diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yaml b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
index 89e28b9..dd8c1a3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ on:
 jobs:
   checks:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    env:
-      NVD_API_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NVD_API_TOKEN }}
 
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -37,7 +35,16 @@ jobs:
     - name: Install NVD clojure
       run: bin/clojure -Ttools install nvd-clojure/nvd-clojure '{:mvn/version "RELEASE"}' :as nvd;
 
+    - name: Check NVD Secret is configured
+      env:
+        NVD_API_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NVD_API_TOKEN }}
+      if: ${{ env.NVD_API_TOKEN == '' }}
+      run: echo "NVD_API_TOKEN secret is empty"; exit 1
+
     - name: Check NVD
+      env:
+        NVD_API_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NVD_API_TOKEN }}
+      if: ${{ env.NVD_API_TOKEN != '' }}
       run: bin/clojure -J-Dclojure.main.report=stderr -Tnvd nvd.task/check :classpath \""$(bin/clojure -Spath)\""
 
   create_release: