diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index d719d2feeb..524678618c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ env:
   # Customize the CMake build type here (Release, Debug, RelWithDebInfo, etc.)
   BUILD_TYPE: RelWithDebInfo
   ROCM_DIR: /opt/rocm
-  # Use secrets for internal URLs
-  JOB_NAME: ${{ secrets.JOB_NAME }}
-  AMDGPU_REPO_DEB: ${{ secrets.AMDGPU_REPO_DEB }}
-  AMDGPU_REPO_URL: ${{ secrets.AMDGPU_REPO_URL }}
-  ROCM_CI_URL: ${{ secrets.ROCM_CI_URL }}
+  # Use vars for internal URLs
+  JOB_NAME: ${{ vars.JOB_NAME }}
+  AMDGPU_REPO_DEB: ${{ vars.AMDGPU_REPO_DEB }}
+  AMDGPU_REPO_URL: ${{ vars.AMDGPU_REPO_URL }}
+  ROCM_CI_URL: ${{ vars.ROCM_CI_URL }}
   # Set env vars to values of config vars
   env_var: ${{ vars.ENV_CONTEXT_VAR }}
 
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Set up apt repos
       run: |
+        test "$AMDGPU_REPO_URL" == "" && echo "Error! AMDGPU_REPO_URL is EMPTY!" && exit 1
         cat /etc/os-release
         apt update -y
         # provides add-apt-repository and support for caching actions
diff --git a/run_github_actions_locally.sh b/run_github_actions_locally.sh
index 396d29f891..ec5a927d90 100755
--- a/run_github_actions_locally.sh
+++ b/run_github_actions_locally.sh
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ set -o pipefail
 REMOTE_NAME="${REMOTE_NAME:-origin}"
 CONTAINER="${CONTAINER:-ubuntu}"
 
-# act will use this file if it exists for secrets
-SECRETS_FILE="${SECRETS_FILE:-act.secrets}"
+# act will use this file if it exists for vars
+VARS_FILE="${VARS_FILE:-act.secrets}"
 
 if ! git remote | grep -q "$REMOTE_NAME"; then
     echo "ERROR: Remote '$REMOTE_NAME' does not exist!"
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ args=(
     -P "self-hosted=$CONTAINER"
 )
 
-if test -e "${SECRETS_FILE}"; then
-    args+=(--secret-file "${SECRETS_FILE}")
+if test -e "${VARS_FILE}"; then
+    args+=(--var-file "${VARS_FILE}")
 fi
 
 # trace