diff --git a/.github/publish-maven.sh b/.github/publish-maven.sh
index c18f760cff..06a2a16544 100755
--- a/.github/publish-maven.sh
+++ b/.github/publish-maven.sh
@@ -35,21 +35,7 @@ MVN_SETTINGS_FILE="$HOME/.m2/settings.xml"
 mkdir -p "$(dirname "$MVN_SETTINGS_FILE")"
 
 if [ -f "$MVN_SETTINGS_FILE" ]; then
-    echo "⚙️ Settings file found. Merging publishing configuration..."
-    xmlstarlet ed -L \
-        -s /settings -t elem -n servers -v "" \
-        -s /settings/servers[1] -t elem -n server \
-        -i /settings/servers[1]/server[1] -t attr -n id -v central \
-        -s /settings/servers[1]/server[1] -t elem -n username -v '${SONATYPE_USERNAME}' \
-        -s /settings/servers[1]/server[1] -t elem -n password -v '${SONATYPE_PASSWORD}' \
-        "$MVN_SETTINGS_FILE"
-    xmlstarlet ed -L \
-        -s '/settings/profiles/profile[id="akka-repo"]' -t elem -n activation -v "" \
-        -s '/settings/profiles/profile[id="akka-repo"]/activation' -t elem -n activeByDefault -v "true" \
-        -s '/settings/profiles/profile[id="akka-repo"]' -t elem -n properties -v "" \
-        -s '/settings/profiles/profile[id="akka-repo"]/properties' -t elem -n gpg.passphrase -v '${PGP_PASSPHRASE}' \
-        "$MVN_SETTINGS_FILE"
-    echo "✅ Merge complete."
+    echo "✅ Settings file already exists. It is expected to be set up with Sonatype publishing details already, so doing nothing to the file."
 else
     echo "✨ Settings file not found. Creating a new one with publishing configuration."
     cat <<EOF >"$MVN_SETTINGS_FILE"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index cd318afce8..7bde8f6a2d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ jobs:
           path: scripts
 
       - name: Setup global resolver
+        env:
+          PGP_PASSPHRASE: ${{ secrets.PGP_PASSPHRASE }}
+          PUBLISH_USER: ${{ secrets.PUBLISH_USER }}
+          PUBLISH_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.PUBLISH_PASSWORD }}
         run: |
           chmod +x ./scripts/setup_global_resolver.sh
           ./scripts/setup_global_resolver.sh
@@ -66,11 +70,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: sbt publishM2
         run: sbt +publishM2
 
-      - name: Install xmlstarlet
-        run: |
-          sudo apt-get update
-          sudo apt-get install -y xmlstarlet
-
       - name: mvn deploy
         run: |-
           export SDK_VERSION="$(cat ~/kalix-sdk-version.txt)"