diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index a09dd66..cde152c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -54,24 +54,26 @@ jobs:
 
           echo "Updating version from $CURRENT_VERSION to $VERSION"
 
-          # Update root package version
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version
+          # Update package versions without running npm version's implicit install
+          # per workspace. The implicit installs can create nested packages/*/node_modules
+          # entries that shadow local workspaces with already-published packages.
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION
 
           # Update all workspace package versions
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-common
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-sqlite
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-redis
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-server
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-client
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-base
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-solana
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-worldchain
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-polygon
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-express
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-cloudflare
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-x402
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-mpp
-          npm version $VERSION --no-git-tag-version -w packages/atxp-tempo
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-common
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-sqlite
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-redis
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-server
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-client
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-base
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-solana
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-worldchain
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-polygon
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-express
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-cloudflare
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-x402
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-mpp
+          npm pkg set version=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-tempo
 
           # Update cross-package dependencies to match new version
           npm pkg set dependencies."@atxp/common"=$VERSION -w packages/atxp-client
@@ -138,4 +140,4 @@ jobs:
           git add -A
           git diff --cached --quiet || git commit -m "bump version to $VERSION [skip ci]"
           git pull --rebase origin main || (git rebase --abort && echo "Rebase failed, but continuing")
-          git push origin main || echo "Push failed, but packages were published successfully"
\ No newline at end of file
+          git push origin main || echo "Push failed, but packages were published successfully"