diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index bfca8a01..3200ca75 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "4.26.0"
+  ".": "4.26.1"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 12cad69a..c01906e1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [4.26.1](https://github.com/npm/template-oss/compare/v4.26.0...v4.26.1) (2025-10-20)
+### Bug Fixes
+* [`eeb4266`](https://github.com/npm/template-oss/commit/eeb426620b7145cfa54821332993f5d2ab98c59a) [#531](https://github.com/npm/template-oss/pull/531) uses ci-friendly startsWith instead of fromJSON (#531) (@owlstronaut)
+
 ## [4.26.0](https://github.com/npm/template-oss/compare/v4.25.1...v4.26.0) (2025-10-16)
 ### Features
 * [`f3f2f25`](https://github.com/npm/template-oss/commit/f3f2f25f51f2b01565fd1724d40873808f6ad0ca) [#529](https://github.com/npm/template-oss/pull/529) adds testRunner config to specify using node:test (@owlstronaut)
diff --git a/lib/content/_step-test-yml.hbs b/lib/content/_step-test-yml.hbs
index d860fbf3..a767fb9a 100644
--- a/lib/content/_step-test-yml.hbs
+++ b/lib/content/_step-test-yml.hbs
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@
 {{/unless}}
 {{#if isNodeTest}}
 - name: Test (with coverage on Node >= 24)
-  if: $\{{ fromJSON(matrix.node-version) >= 24 }}
+  if: $\{{ startsWith(matrix.node-version, '24') }}
   run: {{ rootNpmPath }} run test:cover --ignore-scripts {{~#if jobRunFlags}} {{ jobRunFlags }}{{/if}}
 - name: Test (without coverage on Node < 24)
-  if: $\{{ fromJSON(matrix.node-version) < 24 }}
+  if: $\{{ !startsWith(matrix.node-version, '24') }}
   run: {{ rootNpmPath }} test --ignore-scripts {{~#if jobRunFlags}} {{ jobRunFlags }}{{/if}}
 {{else}}
 - name: Test
diff --git a/lib/content/package-json.hbs b/lib/content/package-json.hbs
index 98bc7b8e..73f288b4 100644
--- a/lib/content/package-json.hbs
+++ b/lib/content/package-json.hbs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
     "template-oss-apply": "template-oss-apply --force",
     {{#if isNodeTest}}
     "snap": "node --test --test-update-snapshots",
-    "test": "node --test --test-timeout=3000",
+    "test": "node --test",
     "test:cover": "node --test --experimental-test-coverage --test-timeout=3000 --test-coverage-lines=100 --test-coverage-functions=100 --test-coverage-branches=100",
     {{else}}
     "snap": "{{#if typescript}}{{#if tap16}}c8 {{/if}}{{/if}}tap",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 413a3aab..2b256e35 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@npmcli/template-oss",
-  "version": "4.26.0",
+  "version": "4.26.1",
   "description": "templated files used in npm CLI team oss projects",
   "main": "lib/content/index.js",
   "bin": {
diff --git a/test/apply/node-test-ci.js b/test/apply/node-test-ci.js
index 6a1d6282..6963fe66 100644
--- a/test/apply/node-test-ci.js
+++ b/test/apply/node-test-ci.js
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ t.test('CI workflow with node:test does not include tap matcher', async t => {
   // Verify conditional test steps for coverage
   t.match(ciWorkflow, /Test \(with coverage on Node >= 24\)/, 'should have test with coverage step for Node >= 24')
   t.match(ciWorkflow, /Test \(without coverage on Node < 24\)/, 'should have test without coverage step for Node < 24')
-  t.match(ciWorkflow, 'fromJSON(matrix.node-version) >= 24', 'should check if Node version >= 24')
-  t.match(ciWorkflow, 'fromJSON(matrix.node-version) < 24', 'should check if Node version < 24')
+  t.match(ciWorkflow, "startsWith(matrix.node-version, '24')", 'should check if Node version starts with 24')
+  t.match(ciWorkflow, "!startsWith(matrix.node-version, '24')", 'should check if Node version does not start with 24')
   t.match(ciWorkflow, /test:cover/, 'should use test:cover script for Node >= 24')
 })
 
diff --git a/test/apply/node-test.js b/test/apply/node-test.js
index 42bd92f5..3cef036a 100644
--- a/test/apply/node-test.js
+++ b/test/apply/node-test.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ t.test('node:test runner', async t => {
   const pkg = await s.readJson('package.json')
 
   // Verify test scripts are for node:test
-  t.equal(pkg.scripts.test, 'node --test --test-timeout=3000')
+  t.equal(pkg.scripts.test, 'node --test')
   t.equal(
     pkg.scripts['test:cover'],
     'node --test --experimental-test-coverage --test-timeout=3000 --test-coverage-lines=100 --test-coverage-functions=100 --test-coverage-branches=100',