diff --git a/.github/actions/tool-setup/action.yml b/.github/actions/tool-setup/action.yml
index 2f4e9774d91dd..3aca29c380e70 100644
--- a/.github/actions/tool-setup/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/tool-setup/action.yml
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ runs:
         # Read tool versions
         . .github/versions.sh
 
+        if [[ "${INPUT_PHP:-$PHP_VERSION}" == 5.6 || "${INPUT_PHP:-$PHP_VERSION}" == 7.[01] ]]; then
+          printf "Downgrading composer for PHP %s\n\n" "${INPUT_PHP:-$PHP_VERSION}"
+          COMPOSER_VERSION=2.2.12
+        fi
+
         printf "\n\e[1mSelected tool versions\e[0m\n"
         echo " PHP: ${INPUT_PHP:-$PHP_VERSION}"
         echo "::set-output name=php-version::${INPUT_PHP:-$PHP_VERSION}"
diff --git a/.github/versions.sh b/.github/versions.sh
index 56e6f029ec807..4e0f3fa3855f9 100644
--- a/.github/versions.sh
+++ b/.github/versions.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Versions of tools to use in CI.
 PHP_VERSION=8.0
-COMPOSER_VERSION=2.2.6
+COMPOSER_VERSION=2.3.5
 NODE_VERSION=16.13.2
 PNPM_VERSION=6.32.3
 
diff --git a/composer.lock b/composer.lock
index 78e93c699712c..ccb2b16c5d838 100644
--- a/composer.lock
+++ b/composer.lock
@@ -1090,5 +1090,5 @@
     "prefer-lowest": false,
     "platform": [],
     "platform-dev": [],
-    "plugin-api-version": "2.2.0"
+    "plugin-api-version": "2.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/docs/development-environment.md b/docs/development-environment.md
index ffb55c748b996..e364df86a36a9 100644
--- a/docs/development-environment.md
+++ b/docs/development-environment.md
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ You'll need all the tools below to work in the Jetpack monorepo.
 
 	Composer is a PHP package manager and it's used to install packages that are required to run development tools and build projects.
 
-	The monorepo requires version 2.2.x.
+	The monorepo requires version 2.3.x.
 
 	 * ##### Installing Composer on macOS
 
diff --git a/projects/plugins/always-use-jetpack-open-graph/changelog/update-composer-2.3 b/projects/plugins/always-use-jetpack-open-graph/changelog/update-composer-2.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9aa70e3ec1f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/plugins/always-use-jetpack-open-graph/changelog/update-composer-2.3
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: changed
+Comment: Updated composer.lock.
+
+
diff --git a/projects/plugins/always-use-jetpack-open-graph/composer.lock b/projects/plugins/always-use-jetpack-open-graph/composer.lock
index 3ca1810113d74..baf8d7c0e5d93 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/always-use-jetpack-open-graph/composer.lock
+++ b/projects/plugins/always-use-jetpack-open-graph/composer.lock
@@ -1079,5 +1079,5 @@
     "prefer-lowest": false,
     "platform": [],
     "platform-dev": [],
-    "plugin-api-version": "2.2.0"
+    "plugin-api-version": "2.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/projects/plugins/backup/changelog/update-composer-2.3 b/projects/plugins/backup/changelog/update-composer-2.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9aa70e3ec1f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/plugins/backup/changelog/update-composer-2.3
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: changed
+Comment: Updated composer.lock.
+
+
diff --git a/projects/plugins/backup/composer.lock b/projects/plugins/backup/composer.lock
index 9cbf01386f0b5..900725c45b413 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/backup/composer.lock
+++ b/projects/plugins/backup/composer.lock
@@ -4390,5 +4390,5 @@
     "prefer-lowest": false,
     "platform": [],
     "platform-dev": [],
-    "plugin-api-version": "2.2.0"
+    "plugin-api-version": "2.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/projects/plugins/beta/changelog/update-composer-2.3 b/projects/plugins/beta/changelog/update-composer-2.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9aa70e3ec1f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/plugins/beta/changelog/update-composer-2.3
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: changed
+Comment: Updated composer.lock.
+
+
diff --git a/projects/plugins/beta/composer.lock b/projects/plugins/beta/composer.lock
index b62bf52e02157..2e0045e19e99b 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/beta/composer.lock
+++ b/projects/plugins/beta/composer.lock
@@ -1269,5 +1269,5 @@
     "prefer-lowest": false,
     "platform": [],
     "platform-dev": [],
-    "plugin-api-version": "2.2.0"
+    "plugin-api-version": "2.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/projects/plugins/boost/changelog/update-composer-2.3 b/projects/plugins/boost/changelog/update-composer-2.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9aa70e3ec1f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/plugins/boost/changelog/update-composer-2.3
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: changed
+Comment: Updated composer.lock.
+
+
diff --git a/projects/plugins/boost/composer.lock b/projects/plugins/boost/composer.lock
index 9f66811a9a587..9a90025fcd101 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/boost/composer.lock
+++ b/projects/plugins/boost/composer.lock
@@ -4558,5 +4558,5 @@
     "platform-overrides": {
         "ext-intl": "0.0.0"
     },
-    "plugin-api-version": "2.2.0"
+    "plugin-api-version": "2.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/projects/plugins/debug-helper/changelog/update-composer-2.3 b/projects/plugins/debug-helper/changelog/update-composer-2.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9aa70e3ec1f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/plugins/debug-helper/changelog/update-composer-2.3
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: changed
+Comment: Updated composer.lock.
+
+
diff --git a/projects/plugins/debug-helper/composer.lock b/projects/plugins/debug-helper/composer.lock
index 9a264bec05190..bd38c89f95ad5 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/debug-helper/composer.lock
+++ b/projects/plugins/debug-helper/composer.lock
@@ -1081,5 +1081,5 @@
     "prefer-lowest": false,
     "platform": [],
     "platform-dev": [],
-    "plugin-api-version": "2.2.0"
+    "plugin-api-version": "2.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/projects/plugins/jetpack/changelog/update-composer-2.3 b/projects/plugins/jetpack/changelog/update-composer-2.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..a1c1831fa1ef7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/plugins/jetpack/changelog/update-composer-2.3
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: other
+Comment: Updated composer.lock.
+
+
diff --git a/projects/plugins/jetpack/composer.lock b/projects/plugins/jetpack/composer.lock
index 5a254bfdbbef5..13fadcda6df74 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/jetpack/composer.lock
+++ b/projects/plugins/jetpack/composer.lock
@@ -5135,5 +5135,5 @@
     "platform-overrides": {
         "ext-intl": "0.0.0"
     },
-    "plugin-api-version": "2.2.0"
+    "plugin-api-version": "2.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/projects/plugins/protect/changelog/update-composer-2.3 b/projects/plugins/protect/changelog/update-composer-2.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9aa70e3ec1f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/plugins/protect/changelog/update-composer-2.3
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: changed
+Comment: Updated composer.lock.
+
+
diff --git a/projects/plugins/protect/composer.lock b/projects/plugins/protect/composer.lock
index 3e7f7682ee308..a0daea362bb6e 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/protect/composer.lock
+++ b/projects/plugins/protect/composer.lock
@@ -4383,5 +4383,5 @@
     "prefer-lowest": false,
     "platform": [],
     "platform-dev": [],
-    "plugin-api-version": "2.2.0"
+    "plugin-api-version": "2.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/projects/plugins/search/changelog/update-composer-2.3 b/projects/plugins/search/changelog/update-composer-2.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9aa70e3ec1f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/plugins/search/changelog/update-composer-2.3
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: changed
+Comment: Updated composer.lock.
+
+
diff --git a/projects/plugins/search/composer.lock b/projects/plugins/search/composer.lock
index 982ab3ca5d728..cf39395629315 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/search/composer.lock
+++ b/projects/plugins/search/composer.lock
@@ -4333,5 +4333,5 @@
     "prefer-lowest": false,
     "platform": [],
     "platform-dev": [],
-    "plugin-api-version": "2.2.0"
+    "plugin-api-version": "2.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/projects/plugins/social/changelog/update-composer-2.3 b/projects/plugins/social/changelog/update-composer-2.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9aa70e3ec1f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/plugins/social/changelog/update-composer-2.3
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: changed
+Comment: Updated composer.lock.
+
+
diff --git a/projects/plugins/social/composer.lock b/projects/plugins/social/composer.lock
index 2c83cd9ba65eb..6526eff76653e 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/social/composer.lock
+++ b/projects/plugins/social/composer.lock
@@ -4447,5 +4447,5 @@
     "prefer-lowest": false,
     "platform": [],
     "platform-dev": [],
-    "plugin-api-version": "2.2.0"
+    "plugin-api-version": "2.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/projects/plugins/starter-plugin/changelog/update-composer-2.3 b/projects/plugins/starter-plugin/changelog/update-composer-2.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9aa70e3ec1f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/plugins/starter-plugin/changelog/update-composer-2.3
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: changed
+Comment: Updated composer.lock.
+
+
diff --git a/projects/plugins/starter-plugin/composer.lock b/projects/plugins/starter-plugin/composer.lock
index 198ce1a7ace5e..76e0b417f0f3a 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/starter-plugin/composer.lock
+++ b/projects/plugins/starter-plugin/composer.lock
@@ -4382,5 +4382,5 @@
     "prefer-lowest": false,
     "platform": [],
     "platform-dev": [],
-    "plugin-api-version": "2.2.0"
+    "plugin-api-version": "2.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/projects/plugins/vaultpress/changelog/update-composer-2.3 b/projects/plugins/vaultpress/changelog/update-composer-2.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..9aa70e3ec1f75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/plugins/vaultpress/changelog/update-composer-2.3
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: changed
+Comment: Updated composer.lock.
+
+
diff --git a/projects/plugins/vaultpress/composer.lock b/projects/plugins/vaultpress/composer.lock
index 295b10938f4cc..0010357410368 100644
--- a/projects/plugins/vaultpress/composer.lock
+++ b/projects/plugins/vaultpress/composer.lock
@@ -3262,5 +3262,5 @@
     "prefer-lowest": false,
     "platform": [],
     "platform-dev": [],
-    "plugin-api-version": "2.2.0"
+    "plugin-api-version": "2.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/tools/cli/helpers/checkEnvironment.js b/tools/cli/helpers/checkEnvironment.js
index d3177d869121c..b3504940ab7ef 100644
--- a/tools/cli/helpers/checkEnvironment.js
+++ b/tools/cli/helpers/checkEnvironment.js
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ export async function compareComposerVersion() {
 	const currentComposerVersion = await getComposerVersion();
 	const monorepoComposerVersion = getVersions().COMPOSER_VERSION;
 	if (
+		! process.env.CI &&
 		currentComposerVersion &&
 		! semver.satisfies( currentComposerVersion, '~' + monorepoComposerVersion )
 	) {