diff --git a/.github/workflows/selfdrive_tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/selfdrive_tests.yaml
index fc59d25684..01ffef8e7f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/selfdrive_tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/selfdrive_tests.yaml
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Test car models
       timeout-minutes: ${{ contains(runner.name, 'nsc') && 1 || 20 }}
       run: |
-        ${{ env.RUN }} "FILEREADER_CACHE=1 MAX_EXAMPLES=1 $PYTEST selfdrive/car/tests/test_models.py && \
+        ${{ env.RUN }} "MAX_EXAMPLES=1 $PYTEST selfdrive/car/tests/test_models.py && \
                         chmod -R 777 /tmp/comma_download_cache"
       env:
         NUM_JOBS: 4