diff --git a/.github/workflows/roman_ci.yml b/.github/workflows/roman_ci.yml
index da7be6d99..2305f78a5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/roman_ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/roman_ci.yml
@@ -93,10 +93,12 @@ jobs:
       - run: pip freeze
       - run: echo "CRDS_CONTEXT=$(crds list --operational-context)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - uses: actions/cache@v3.0.5
+        if: env.CRDS_CONTEXT != ''
         with:
           path: ${{ env.CRDS_PATH }}
           key: crds-${{ env.CRDS_CONTEXT }}
       - run: crds sync --contexts ${{ env.CRDS_CONTEXT }}
+        if: env.CRDS_CONTEXT != ''
       - run: pytest -n auto
   test_alldeps:
     name: test optional dependencies (${{ matrix.os }}, Python ${{ matrix.python }})
@@ -121,10 +123,12 @@ jobs:
       - run: pip freeze
       - run: echo "CRDS_CONTEXT=$(crds list --operational-context)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - uses: actions/cache@v3.0.5
+        if: env.CRDS_CONTEXT != ''
         with:
           path: ${{ env.CRDS_PATH }}
           key: crds-${{ env.CRDS_CONTEXT }}
       - run: crds sync --contexts ${{ env.CRDS_CONTEXT }}
+        if: env.CRDS_CONTEXT != ''
       - run: pytest -n auto
   test_devdeps:
     name: test developer versions (${{ matrix.os }}, Python ${{ matrix.python }})
@@ -150,10 +154,12 @@ jobs:
       - run: pip freeze
       - run: echo "CRDS_CONTEXT=$(crds list --operational-context)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - uses: actions/cache@v3.0.5
+        if: env.CRDS_CONTEXT != ''
         with:
           path: ${{ env.CRDS_PATH }}
           key: crds-${{ env.CRDS_CONTEXT }}
       - run: crds sync --contexts ${{ env.CRDS_CONTEXT }}
+        if: env.CRDS_CONTEXT != ''
       - run: pytest -n auto
   test_pyargs:
     name: test --pyargs (${{ matrix.os }}, Python ${{ matrix.python }})
@@ -181,10 +187,12 @@ jobs:
       - run: pip freeze
       - run: echo "CRDS_CONTEXT=$(crds list --operational-context)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - uses: actions/cache@v3.0.5
+        if: env.CRDS_CONTEXT != ''
         with:
           path: ${{ env.CRDS_PATH }}
           key: crds-${{ env.CRDS_CONTEXT }}
       - run: crds sync --contexts ${{ env.CRDS_CONTEXT }}
+        if: env.CRDS_CONTEXT != ''
       - run: pytest -n auto --pyargs romancal
   test_older_numpy:
     name: test Numpy ${{ matrix.numpy }} (${{ matrix.os }}, Python ${{ matrix.python }})
@@ -219,10 +227,12 @@ jobs:
       - run: pip freeze
       - run: echo "CRDS_CONTEXT=$(crds list --operational-context)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - uses: actions/cache@v3.0.5
+        if: env.CRDS_CONTEXT != ''
         with:
           path: ${{ env.CRDS_PATH }}
           key: crds-${{ env.CRDS_CONTEXT }}
       - run: crds sync --contexts ${{ env.CRDS_CONTEXT }}
+        if: env.CRDS_CONTEXT != ''
       - run: pytest -n auto
   test_with_coverage:
     name: test with coverage
@@ -242,10 +252,12 @@ jobs:
       - run: pip freeze
       - run: echo "CRDS_CONTEXT=$(crds list --operational-context)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - uses: actions/cache@v3.0.5
+        if: env.CRDS_CONTEXT != ''
         with:
           path: ${{ env.CRDS_PATH }}
           key: crds-${{ env.CRDS_CONTEXT }}
       - run: crds sync --contexts ${{ env.CRDS_CONTEXT }}
+        if: env.CRDS_CONTEXT != ''
       - run: pytest -n auto --pyargs romancal --cov-report xml --cov
       - run: coverage report -m
       - uses: codecov/codecov-action@master