diff --git a/.github/workflows/cli.yml b/.github/workflows/cli.yml
index d7cb262088..dea02ea206 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cli.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cli.yml
@@ -41,19 +41,14 @@ jobs:
       - name: yarn install
         run: yarn install --frozen-lockfile
       - run: yarn build
-      # generate temp directory
-      - name: generate tempdir
-        id: generate_tempdir
-        run: echo "::set-output name=tempdir::$(node scripts/generateTempDir.js)"
-        # This creates a new app and plugin which pollutes the workspace, so it should be run last.
       - name: verify app and plugin creation on Windows
-        working-directory: ${{ steps.generate_tempdir.outputs.tempdir }}
+        working-directory: ${{ runner.temp }}
         if: runner.os == 'Windows'
         run: node ${{ github.workspace }}/scripts/cli-e2e-test.js
         env:
           BACKSTAGE_E2E_CLI_TEST: true
       - name: verify app and plugin creation on Linux
-        working-directory: ${{ steps.generate_tempdir.outputs.tempdir }}
+        working-directory: ${{ runner.temp }}
         if: runner.os == 'Linux'
         run: |
           sudo sysctl fs.inotify.max_user_watches=524288
@@ -62,11 +57,11 @@ jobs:
           BACKSTAGE_E2E_CLI_TEST: true
       - name: lint newly created app and plugin
         run: yarn lint:all
-        working-directory: ${{ steps.generate_tempdir.outputs.tempdir }}/test-app
+        working-directory: ${{ runner.temp }}/test-app
         env:
           BACKSTAGE_E2E_CLI_TEST: true
       - name: test newly created app and plugin
         run: yarn test:all
-        working-directory: ${{ steps.generate_tempdir.outputs.tempdir }}/test-app
+        working-directory: ${{ runner.temp }}/test-app
         env:
           BACKSTAGE_E2E_CLI_TEST: true
diff --git a/scripts/cli-e2e-test.js b/scripts/cli-e2e-test.js
index c73e812985..c8374af0eb 100644
--- a/scripts/cli-e2e-test.js
+++ b/scripts/cli-e2e-test.js
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
+const os = require('os');
+const fs = require('fs-extra');
 const { resolve: resolvePath } = require('path');
 const Browser = require('zombie');
 
@@ -27,22 +29,25 @@ const {
 
 const createTestApp = require('./createTestApp');
 const createTestPlugin = require('./createTestPlugin');
-const generateTempDir = require('./generateTempDir.js');
 
 Browser.localhost('localhost', 3000);
 
+async function createTempDir() {
+  return fs.mkdtemp(resolvePath(os.tmpdir(), 'backstage-e2e-'));
+}
+
 async function main() {
   process.env.BACKSTAGE_E2E_CLI_TEST = 'true';
 
-  const tempDir = process.env.CI ? process.cwd() : await generateTempDir();
+  const workDir = process.env.CI ? process.cwd() : await createTempDir();
 
   process.stdout.write(`Initial directory: ${process.cwd()}\n`);
-  process.chdir(tempDir);
-  process.stdout.write(`Temp directory: ${process.cwd()}\n`);
+  process.chdir(workDir);
+  process.stdout.write(`Working directory: ${process.cwd()}\n`);
 
   await createTestApp();
 
-  const appDir = resolvePath(tempDir, 'test-app');
+  const appDir = resolvePath(workDir, 'test-app');
   process.chdir(appDir);
   process.stdout.write(`App directory: ${appDir}\n`);
 
diff --git a/scripts/generateTempDir.js b/scripts/generateTempDir.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 593c6eb74a..0000000000
--- a/scripts/generateTempDir.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright 2020 Spotify AB
- *
- * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
- * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
- * You may obtain a copy of the License at
- *
- *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- *
- * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
- * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
- * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
- * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
- * limitations under the License.
- */
-
-const fs = require('fs-extra');
-const os = require('os');
-const { resolve: resolvePath } = require('path');
-const { handleError } = require('./helpers');
-
-async function generateTempDir() {
-  const tempDir = await fs.mkdtemp(resolvePath(os.tmpdir(), 'backstage-e2e-'));
-  process.stdout.write(tempDir);
-  return tempDir;
-}
-
-module.exports = generateTempDir;
-
-process.on('unhandledRejection', handleError);
-generateTempDir().catch(handleError);