diff --git a/.github/workflows/security-audit.yml b/.github/workflows/security-audit.yml
index 235fde5253..a1e7b2efa6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/security-audit.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/security-audit.yml
@@ -137,8 +137,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@29eef336d9b2848a0b548edc03f92a220660cdb8  # stable @ 2026-03-27
 
@@ -1066,8 +1064,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-api-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-api-smoke.yml
index 29f056eca4..8bc2acc3b0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-api-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-api-smoke.yml
@@ -63,8 +63,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-frontend-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-frontend-ci.yml
index a93cdb8661..3632125ca2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-frontend-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-frontend-ci.yml
@@ -57,8 +57,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       # Run the structural lockfile scan BEFORE npm ci. A compromised
       # tarball runs its `prepare` / `postinstall` during `npm ci`,
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-inference-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-inference-smoke.yml
index ea14e4f5d5..0f2320824c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-inference-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-inference-smoke.yml
@@ -79,8 +79,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
@@ -329,8 +327,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
@@ -648,8 +644,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-mac-api-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-mac-api-smoke.yml
index aa7a616413..9e57b097ab 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-mac-api-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-mac-api-smoke.yml
@@ -50,8 +50,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-mac-inference-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-mac-inference-smoke.yml
index 54d66d84b8..77cf5047c7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-mac-inference-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-mac-inference-smoke.yml
@@ -73,8 +73,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
@@ -325,8 +323,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
@@ -692,8 +688,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-mac-ui-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-mac-ui-smoke.yml
index 28a9fc6d1d..c9742c543a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-mac-ui-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-mac-ui-smoke.yml
@@ -50,8 +50,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-mac-update-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-mac-update-smoke.yml
index dd2333251a..07d26b9ab3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-mac-update-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-mac-update-smoke.yml
@@ -52,8 +52,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-tauri-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-tauri-smoke.yml
index 159d5dbbe6..1156c264ae 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-tauri-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-tauri-smoke.yml
@@ -53,8 +53,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '24'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@29eef336d9b2848a0b548edc03f92a220660cdb8  # stable @ 2026-03-27
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-ui-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-ui-smoke.yml
index 1f3a5a8594..cd0765a1e3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-ui-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-ui-smoke.yml
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-update-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-update-smoke.yml
index 624001142a..1c353e933a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-update-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-update-smoke.yml
@@ -52,8 +52,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-windows-api-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-windows-api-smoke.yml
index 86a07b41e5..d5eaa75c35 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-windows-api-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-windows-api-smoke.yml
@@ -58,8 +58,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-windows-inference-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-windows-inference-smoke.yml
index 188cdf5a19..146b49d4f6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-windows-inference-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-windows-inference-smoke.yml
@@ -68,8 +68,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
@@ -400,8 +398,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
@@ -814,8 +810,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-windows-ui-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-windows-ui-smoke.yml
index 90fce0558b..da8bff80b7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-windows-ui-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-windows-ui-smoke.yml
@@ -63,8 +63,13 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
+          # No `cache: 'npm'`. setup-node's npm cache restore silently
+          # aborts the entire job on Windows runners when the npm cache
+          # path (`C:\npm\cache` per `npm config get cache`) doesn't yet
+          # exist on a fresh runner -- the step exits without an error
+          # message and every following step gets skipped. See
+          # npm/cli#7308. The frontend `npm ci` is fast enough without
+          # the cache that the reliability gain is worth the ~30s.
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/studio-windows-update-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/studio-windows-update-smoke.yml
index 0303bc746d..157874d404 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/studio-windows-update-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/studio-windows-update-smoke.yml
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wheel-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/wheel-smoke.yml
index 464a8e324a..3de3c33ca2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wheel-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wheel-smoke.yml
@@ -48,8 +48,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e  # v6.4.0
         with:
           node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-          cache-dependency-path: studio/frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405  # v6.2.0
         with: