diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 4f169608b7f..a7a27383170 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -383,6 +383,9 @@ jobs:
   publish_npm_package:
     <<: *android_defaults
     steps:
+      # Checkout code so that we can work with `git` in publish.js
+      - checkout
+      
       - attach_workspace:
           at: ~/react-native
 
@@ -606,6 +609,7 @@ workflows:
       - approve_publish_npm_package:
           filters: *filter-only-stable
           type: approval
+
       - publish_npm_package:
           requires:
             - checkout_code