diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-publishing.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-publishing.yml
index ecb10236..9904e7b6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-publishing.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-publishing.yml
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ jobs:
           }
 
   test-publishing-overwrite:
-    name: Validate settings.xml is not overwritten if flag is false
+    name: settings.xml is overwritten if flag is true
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
@@ -63,7 +63,9 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v2
       - name: Create fake settings.xml
         run: |
-          $xmlPath = Join-Path $HOME ".m2" "settings.xml"
+          $xmlDirectory = Join-Path $HOME ".m2"
+          $xmlPath = Join-Path $xmlDirectory "settings.xml"
+          New-Item -Path $xmlDirectory -ItemType Directory
           Set-Content -Path $xmlPath -Value "Fake_XML"
       - name: setup-java
         uses: ./
@@ -86,7 +88,7 @@ jobs:
           }
   
   test-publishing-skip-overwrite:
-    name: Validate settings.xml is not overwritten if flag is false
+    name: settings.xml is not overwritten if flag is false
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
@@ -97,7 +99,9 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v2
       - name: Create fake settings.xml
         run: |
-          $xmlPath = Join-Path $HOME ".m2" "settings.xml"
+          $xmlDirectory = Join-Path $HOME ".m2"
+          $xmlPath = Join-Path $xmlDirectory "settings.xml"
+          New-Item -Path $xmlDirectory -ItemType Directory
           Set-Content -Path $xmlPath -Value "Fake_XML"
       - name: setup-java
         uses: ./
@@ -119,7 +123,7 @@ jobs:
           }
 
   test-publishing-custom-location:
-    name: Validate settings.xml in custom location
+    name: settings.xml in custom location
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false