diff --git a/.github/actions/nm-benchmark/action.yml b/.github/actions/nm-benchmark/action.yml
index 97606af72760d..17606e3995e6c 100644
--- a/.github/actions/nm-benchmark/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/nm-benchmark/action.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ inputs:
     required: true
   venv:
     description: 'name for python virtual environment'
-    required: true
+    required: false
+    default: ""
 runs:
   using: composite
   steps:
diff --git a/.github/actions/nm-install-whl/action.yml b/.github/actions/nm-install-whl/action.yml
index 95d6722bb658f..1e3ce48064cf1 100644
--- a/.github/actions/nm-install-whl/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/nm-install-whl/action.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ inputs:
     required: true
   venv:
     description: 'name for python virtual environment'
-    required: true
+    required: false
+    default: ""
 runs:
   using: composite
   steps:
diff --git a/.github/actions/nm-lm-eval/action.yml b/.github/actions/nm-lm-eval/action.yml
index f7f0b07fcf080..990290a017cec 100644
--- a/.github/actions/nm-lm-eval/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/nm-lm-eval/action.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ inputs:
     required: true
   venv:
     description: 'name for python virtual environment'
-    required: true
+    required: false
+    default: ""
   lm_eval_configuration:
     description: 'file containing test configuration'
     required: true
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ runs:
   steps:
   - id: lm-eval
     run: |
-      if [ -n "${{ inputs.venv }}" ]; then
+      if [ ! -z "${{ inputs.venv }}" ]; then
         COMMIT=${{ github.sha }}
         VENV="${{ inputs.venv }}-${COMMIT:0:7}"
         source $(pyenv root)/versions/${{ inputs.python }}/envs/${VENV}/bin/activate
diff --git a/.github/actions/nm-produce-gha-benchmark-json/action.yml b/.github/actions/nm-produce-gha-benchmark-json/action.yml
index 6792a98763b59..6ae61eda15e99 100644
--- a/.github/actions/nm-produce-gha-benchmark-json/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/nm-produce-gha-benchmark-json/action.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ inputs:
     required: true
   venv:
     description: 'name for python virtual environment'
-    required: true
+    required: false
+    default: ""
 runs:
   using: composite
   steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nm-benchmark.yml b/.github/workflows/nm-benchmark.yml
index 9ab70c84a357c..f64f91ee483ad 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nm-benchmark.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nm-benchmark.yml
@@ -122,7 +122,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/nm-install-whl/
         with:
             python: ${{ inputs.python }}
-            venv:
 
       - name: run benchmarks
         uses: ./.github/actions/nm-benchmark/
@@ -130,7 +129,6 @@ jobs:
           benchmark_config_list_file: ${{ inputs.benchmark_config_list_file }}
           output_directory: benchmark-results
           python: ${{ inputs.python }}
-          venv:
 
       - name: store benchmark result artifacts
         if: success()
@@ -171,7 +169,6 @@ jobs:
           # Metrics that we only want to observe are stored here
           observation_metrics_output_file_path: gh-action-benchmark-jsons/observation_metrics.json
           python: ${{ inputs.python }}
-          venv:
 
       - name: set gh action benchmark input artifact name
         id: set_gh_action_benchmark_input_artifact_name
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nm-lm-eval.yml b/.github/workflows/nm-lm-eval.yml
index 4ffeb76ef9f15..9935ec9bbafa1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nm-lm-eval.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nm-lm-eval.yml
@@ -107,11 +107,9 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/nm-install-whl/
         with:
             python: ${{ inputs.python }}
-            venv:
 
       - name: run lm-eval-accuracy
         uses: ./.github/actions/nm-lm-eval/
         with:
           python: ${{ inputs.python }}
-          venv:
           lm_eval_configuration: ${{ inputs.lm_eval_configuration }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/nm-test.yml b/.github/workflows/nm-test.yml
index 01d6fa96730d3..379111b345efa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nm-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nm-test.yml
@@ -124,7 +124,6 @@ jobs:
               uses: ./.github/actions/nm-install-whl/
               with:
                 python: ${{ inputs.python }}
-                venv:
 
             - name: run buildkite script
               run: |