diff --git a/.github/workflows/android-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/android-ci.yml
index 653f8ac3a..d10fbfec8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/android-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/android-ci.yml
@@ -18,11 +18,19 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       contents: read
 
+    env:
+      LOCAL_PROPERTIES_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.LOCAL_PROPERTIES_API_KEY }}
+
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
+      - name: Create local.properties
+        run: |
+          echo "LOCAL_PROPERTIES_API_KEY=\"$LOCAL_PROPERTIES_API_KEY\"" > local.properties
+        shell: bash
+
       - name: set up JDK 17
         uses: actions/setup-java@v3
         with:
@@ -44,9 +52,3 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Build with Gradle
         run: ./gradlew build
-
-      - name: Access LOCAL_PROPERTIES_API_KEY
-        run: echo LOCAL_PROPERTIES_API_KEY=\"$LOCAL_PROPERTIES_API_KEY\" > local.properties
-        shell: bash
-        env:
-          LOCAL_PROPERTIES_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.LOCAL_PROPERTIES_API_KEY }}