diff --git a/.github/workflows/bsts_local.yml b/.github/workflows/bsts_local.yml
index 04720f36b5..229fc5fc13 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/bsts_local.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/bsts_local.yml
@@ -87,6 +87,21 @@ jobs:
           make -C builddir
           sudo make -C builddir install
 
+      - name: checkout vcell
+        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+
+      - name: configure biosimulations.json
+        working-directory: ${{ github.workspace }}
+        run: |
+          sed -i 's/_VC_VERSION_TAG_/${{github.event.inputs.biosimulators_vcell_tag}}/g' biosimulators.json
+
+      - name: save updated biosimulators.json
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
+        with:
+          name: biosimulators.json
+          path: ${{ github.workspace }}/biosimulators.json
+          overwrite: true
+
       - name: Checkout BioSimulators test suite
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
@@ -94,6 +109,12 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 1
           ref: depFixes
 
+      - name: retrieve updated biosimulators.json
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v2
+        with:
+          name: biosimulators.json
+          path: ${{ github.workspace }}
+
       - name: Install simulator validation utilities
         working-directory: ${{ github.workspace }}
         run: |
@@ -110,15 +131,6 @@ jobs:
           # VCell Docker registry (GHCR)
           echo ${{ secrets.ACTION_TOKEN }} | docker login ghcr.io -u ${{ secrets.ACTION_USER }} --password-stdin
 
-      - name: configure biosimulations.json
-        working-directory: ${{ github.workspace }}
-        run: |
-          sed -i 's/_VC_VERSION_TAG_/${{github.event.inputs.biosimulators_vcell_tag}}/g' biosimulators.json
-
-      - name: Get the VCell version from tags
-        id: version
-        run: echo ::set-output name=tag::$(echo ${GITHUB_REF:10})
-
       - id: validateCommitSimulator
         name: Validate and commit simulator
         uses: GabrielBB/xvfb-action@v1