diff --git a/.github/actions/build_cmake/action.yml b/.github/actions/build_cmake/action.yml
index fa20974af5..1a3a4bfd99 100644
--- a/.github/actions/build_cmake/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/build_cmake/action.yml
@@ -22,28 +22,39 @@ runs:
     - name: Setup miniconda
       uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3
       with:
+        channels: conda-forge
+        conda-remove-defaults: "true"
         python-version: '3.11'
         miniconda-version: latest
     - name: Configure build environment
       shell: bash
       run: |
         # initialize Conda
+        echo "*****1*****"
+        conda config --show channels
+        echo "*****2*****"
         conda config --set solver libmamba
         conda update -y -q conda
         echo "$CONDA/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
+        echo "*****3*****"
+        conda config --show channels
+        echo "*****4*****"
 
-        conda install -y -q python=3.11 cmake=3.26 make=4.2 swig=4.0 "numpy<2" scipy=1.14 pytest=7.4 gflags=2.2
+        conda install -c conda-forge -y -q python=3.11 cmake=3.26 make=4.2 swig=4.0 "numpy<2" scipy=1.14 pytest=7.4 gflags=2.2 --override-channels
 
+        echo "*****5*****"
+        conda config --show channels
+        echo "*****6*****"
         # install base packages for ARM64
         if [ "${{ runner.arch }}" = "ARM64" ]; then
-          conda install -y -q -c conda-forge openblas=0.3 gxx_linux-aarch64=14.2 sysroot_linux-aarch64=2.17
+          conda install -c conda-forge -y -q openblas=0.3 gxx_linux-aarch64=14.2 sysroot_linux-aarch64=2.17 --override-channels
         fi
 
         # install base packages for X86_64
         if [ "${{ runner.arch }}" = "X64" ]; then
           # TODO: merge this with ARM64
-          conda install -y -q -c conda-forge gxx_linux-64=14.2 sysroot_linux-64=2.17
-          conda install -y -q mkl=2023 mkl-devel=2023
+          conda install -c conda-forge -y -q gxx_linux-64=14.2 sysroot_linux-64=2.17 --override-channels
+          conda install -c conda-forge -y -q mkl=2023 mkl-devel=2023 --override-channels
         fi
 
         # no CUDA needed for ROCm so skip this
@@ -51,20 +62,22 @@ runs:
           :
         # regular CUDA for GPU builds
         elif [ "${{ inputs.gpu }}" = "ON" ] && [ "${{ inputs.cuvs }}" = "OFF" ]; then
-          conda install -y -q cuda-toolkit=12.4 -c "nvidia/label/cuda-12.4.0"
+          conda install -c conda-forge -y -q cuda-toolkit=12.4 -c "nvidia/label/cuda-12.4.0" --override-channels
         # and CUDA from cuVS channel for cuVS builds
         elif [ "${{ inputs.cuvs }}" = "ON" ]; then
-          conda install -y -q libcuvs=24.12 'cuda-version>=12.0,<=12.5' cuda-toolkit=12.4.1 gxx_linux-64=12.4 -c rapidsai -c conda-forge
+          conda install -y -q libcuvs=24.12 'cuda-version>=12.0,<=12.5' cuda-toolkit=12.4.1 gxx_linux-64=12.4 -c rapidsai -c conda-forge --override-channels
         fi
         # install test packages
         if [ "${{ inputs.rocm }}" = "ON" ]; then
           : # skip torch install via conda, we need to install via pip to get
             #  ROCm-enabled version until it's supported in conda by PyTorch
         elif [ "${{ inputs.gpu }}" = "ON" ]; then
-          conda install -y -q "pytorch<2.5" pytorch-cuda=12.4 -c pytorch -c "nvidia/label/cuda-12.4.0"
+          conda install -y -q "pytorch<2.5" pytorch-cuda=12.4 -c pytorch -c "nvidia/label/cuda-12.4.0" --override-channels
         else
-          conda install -y -q "pytorch<2.5" -c pytorch
+          conda install -y -q "pytorch<2.5" -c pytorch --override-channels
         fi
+        echo "*****7*****"
+        conda config --show channels
     - name: ROCm - Install dependencies
       if: inputs.rocm == 'ON'
       shell: bash
diff --git a/.github/actions/build_conda/action.yml b/.github/actions/build_conda/action.yml
index ff860007b2..eb1167086f 100644
--- a/.github/actions/build_conda/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/build_conda/action.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ runs:
       with:
         python-version: '3.11'
         miniconda-version:  latest
+        channels: conda-forge,nodefaults
+        conda-remove-defaults: "true"
     - name: Install conda build tools
       shell: ${{ steps.choose_shell.outputs.shell }}
       run: |