diff --git a/plugins/techdocs-node/api-report.md b/plugins/techdocs-node/api-report.md
index 2aff8e82bb..314a46a405 100644
--- a/plugins/techdocs-node/api-report.md
+++ b/plugins/techdocs-node/api-report.md
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ export const getMkdocsYml: (
 ) => Promise<{
   path: string;
   content: string;
-  configExists: boolean;
+  configIsTemporary: boolean;
 }>;
 
 // @public
diff --git a/plugins/techdocs-node/src/stages/generate/helpers.test.ts b/plugins/techdocs-node/src/stages/generate/helpers.test.ts
index 186a685a90..aad7706ab1 100644
--- a/plugins/techdocs-node/src/stages/generate/helpers.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/techdocs-node/src/stages/generate/helpers.test.ts
@@ -529,12 +529,12 @@ describe('helpers', () => {
       const {
         path: mkdocsPath,
         content,
-        configExists,
+        configIsTemporary,
       } = await getMkdocsYml(inputDir, siteOptions);
 
       expect(mkdocsPath).toBe(key);
       expect(content).toBe(mkdocsYml.toString());
-      expect(configExists).toBe(true);
+      expect(configIsTemporary).toBe(false);
     });
 
     it('returns expected contents when .yaml file is present', async () => {
@@ -543,11 +543,11 @@ describe('helpers', () => {
       const {
         path: mkdocsPath,
         content,
-        configExists,
+        configIsTemporary,
       } = await getMkdocsYml(inputDir, siteOptions);
       expect(mkdocsPath).toBe(key);
       expect(content).toBe(mkdocsYml.toString());
-      expect(configExists).toBe(true);
+      expect(configIsTemporary).toBe(false);
     });
 
     it('returns expected contents when default file is present', async () => {
@@ -561,12 +561,12 @@ describe('helpers', () => {
       const {
         path: mkdocsPath,
         content,
-        configExists,
+        configIsTemporary,
       } = await getMkdocsYml(inputDir, defaultSiteOptions);
 
       expect(mkdocsPath).toBe(key);
       expect(content).toBe(mkdocsDefaultYml.toString());
-      expect(configExists).toBe(false);
+      expect(configIsTemporary).toBe(true);
     });
 
     it('throws when neither .yml nor .yaml nor default file is present', async () => {
diff --git a/plugins/techdocs-node/src/stages/generate/helpers.ts b/plugins/techdocs-node/src/stages/generate/helpers.ts
index c0a82da510..e16293f906 100644
--- a/plugins/techdocs-node/src/stages/generate/helpers.ts
+++ b/plugins/techdocs-node/src/stages/generate/helpers.ts
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ export const generateMkdocsYml = async (
 export const getMkdocsYml = async (
   inputDir: string,
   siteOptions?: { name?: string },
-): Promise<{ path: string; content: string; configExists: boolean }> => {
+): Promise<{ path: string; content: string; configIsTemporary: boolean }> => {
   let mkdocsYmlPath: string;
   let mkdocsYmlFileString: string;
   try {
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ export const getMkdocsYml = async (
       return {
         path: mkdocsYmlPath,
         content: mkdocsYmlFileString,
-        configExists: true,
+        configIsTemporary: false,
       };
     }
 
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ export const getMkdocsYml = async (
       return {
         path: mkdocsYmlPath,
         content: mkdocsYmlFileString,
-        configExists: true,
+        configIsTemporary: false,
       };
     }
 
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ export const getMkdocsYml = async (
   return {
     path: mkdocsYmlPath,
     content: mkdocsYmlFileString,
-    configExists: false,
+    configIsTemporary: true,
   };
 };