diff --git a/.github/actions/install-client-for-release/action.yml b/.github/actions/install-llama-stack-client/action.yml
similarity index 50%
rename from .github/actions/install-client-for-release/action.yml
rename to .github/actions/install-llama-stack-client/action.yml
index aea4d6089..15d678f3f 100644
--- a/.github/actions/install-client-for-release/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/install-llama-stack-client/action.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
-name: Install Client for Release Branch
-description: Pre-install llama-stack-client from git on release branches to satisfy RC dependencies before uv sync
+name: Install llama-stack-client
+description: Install llama-stack-client based on branch context and client-version input
+
+inputs:
+  client-version:
+    description: 'Client version to install on non-release branches (latest or published). Ignored on release branches.'
+    required: false
+    default: ""
 
 runs:
   using: "composite"
   steps:
-    - name: Install client from release branch if needed
+    - name: Install llama-stack-client
       shell: bash
       run: |
         # Determine the branch we're working with
@@ -15,9 +21,8 @@ runs:
 
         echo "Working with branch: $BRANCH"
 
-        # If on a release branch, install from matching release branch BEFORE uv sync
-        # This allows uv sync to resolve dependencies that reference unreleased RC versions
-        # We always do this on release branches regardless of client-version to satisfy pyproject.toml
+        # On release branches: always install from matching git branch to satisfy RC dependencies
+        # On non-release branches: install based on client-version input
         if [[ "$BRANCH" =~ ^release-[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.x$ ]]; then
           echo "Detected release branch: $BRANCH"
           echo "Checking if matching branch exists in llama-stack-client-python..."
@@ -31,4 +36,16 @@ runs:
             echo "::error::Please create the matching release branch in llama-stack-client-python before testing"
             exit 1
           fi
+        elif [ -n "${{ inputs.client-version }}" ]; then
+          # Non-release branch with client-version specified
+          if [ "${{ inputs.client-version }}" = "latest" ]; then
+            echo "Installing latest llama-stack-client-python from main branch"
+            uv pip install git+https://github.com/llamastack/llama-stack-client-python.git@main
+          elif [ "${{ inputs.client-version }}" = "published" ]; then
+            echo "Installing published llama-stack-client-python from PyPI"
+            uv pip install llama-stack-client
+          else
+            echo "Invalid client-version: ${{ inputs.client-version }}"
+            exit 1
+          fi
         fi
diff --git a/.github/actions/setup-runner/action.yml b/.github/actions/setup-runner/action.yml
index 1ad6136dd..b039e7fa8 100644
--- a/.github/actions/setup-runner/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/setup-runner/action.yml
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@ runs:
         python-version: ${{ inputs.python-version }}
         version: 0.7.6
 
-    - name: Pre-install client for release branches
-      uses: ./.github/actions/install-client-for-release
+    - name: Install llama-stack-client
+      uses: ./.github/actions/install-llama-stack-client
+      with:
+        client-version: ${{ inputs.client-version }}
 
     - name: Install dependencies
       shell: bash
@@ -30,17 +32,5 @@ runs:
         echo "Installing ad-hoc dependencies"
         uv pip install faiss-cpu
 
-        # Install llama-stack-client-python based on the client-version input
-        if [ "${{ inputs.client-version }}" = "latest" ]; then
-          echo "Installing latest llama-stack-client-python from main branch"
-          uv pip install git+https://github.com/llamastack/llama-stack-client-python.git@main
-        elif [ "${{ inputs.client-version }}" = "published" ]; then
-          echo "Installing published llama-stack-client-python from PyPI"
-          uv pip install llama-stack-client
-        else
-          echo "Invalid client-version: ${{ inputs.client-version }}"
-          exit 1
-        fi
-
         echo "Installed llama packages"
         uv pip list | grep llama
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yml b/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yml
index 7fea208a2..b60adcfb0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yml
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
 
-      - name: Pre-install client for release branches
-        uses: ./.github/actions/install-client-for-release
+      - name: Install llama-stack-client
+        uses: ./.github/actions/install-llama-stack-client
 
       - name: Sync dev + type_checking dependencies
         run: uv sync --group dev --group type_checking