diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/categories/create.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/categories/create.test.ts
index 99a35450a..7429792f4 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/categories/create.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/categories/create.test.ts
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ describe('rdme categories:create', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(categoriesCreate.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(
       new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.')
     );
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should error if no title provided', () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/categories/index.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/categories/index.test.ts
index 0c9bf8956..ddcc0d658 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/categories/index.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/categories/index.test.ts
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ describe('rdme categories', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(categories.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(
       new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.')
     );
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should return all categories for a single page', async () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/changelogs/index.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/changelogs/index.test.ts
index b655ba02d..f7e65e87f 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/changelogs/index.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/changelogs/index.test.ts
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ describe('rdme changelogs', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(changelogs.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(
       new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.')
     );
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should error if no path provided', () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/changelogs/single.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/changelogs/single.test.ts
index 83f883f6c..032eedba0 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/changelogs/single.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/changelogs/single.test.ts
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ describe('rdme changelogs (single)', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(changelogs.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(
       new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.')
     );
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should error if no file path provided', () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/custompages/index.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/custompages/index.test.ts
index abdb5dc1a..461f19e0d 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/custompages/index.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/custompages/index.test.ts
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ describe('rdme custompages', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(custompages.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(
       new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.')
     );
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should error if no path provided', () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/custompages/single.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/custompages/single.test.ts
index 2456d70fa..15c0a7c02 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/custompages/single.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/custompages/single.test.ts
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ describe('rdme custompages (single)', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(custompages.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(
       new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.')
     );
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should error if no file path provided', () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/docs/edit.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/docs/edit.test.ts
index 02bf91f46..ebd3364da 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/docs/edit.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/docs/edit.test.ts
@@ -40,15 +40,15 @@ describe('rdme docs:edit', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(docsEdit.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.'));
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should log deprecation notice', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(docsEdit.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.'));
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
     expect(getWarningCommandOutput()).toMatch('is now deprecated');
   });
 
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/docs/index.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/docs/index.test.ts
index 0e46e33ed..6002fa3d5 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/docs/index.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/docs/index.test.ts
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ describe('rdme docs', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(docs.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.'));
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should error if no path provided', async () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/docs/prune.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/docs/prune.test.ts
index 055f389a7..ccbcd1398 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/docs/prune.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/docs/prune.test.ts
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ describe('rdme docs:prune', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(docsPrune.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(
       new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.')
     );
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should error if no folder provided', () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/docs/single.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/docs/single.test.ts
index 8e37368db..e030eb854 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/docs/single.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/docs/single.test.ts
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ describe('rdme docs (single)', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(docs.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.'));
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should error if no file path provided', async () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/openapi/index.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/openapi/index.test.ts
index 86eb35779..7d6cc1e8b 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/openapi/index.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/openapi/index.test.ts
@@ -405,11 +405,11 @@ describe('rdme openapi', () => {
 
     describe('CI spec selection', () => {
       beforeEach(() => {
-        process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+        process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
       });
 
       afterEach(() => {
-        delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+        delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
       });
 
       it('should error out if multiple possible spec matches were found', () => {
@@ -737,11 +737,11 @@ describe('rdme openapi', () => {
 
     describe('CI version handling', () => {
       beforeEach(() => {
-        process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+        process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
       });
 
       afterEach(() => {
-        delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+        delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
       });
 
       it('should omit version header in CI environment', async () => {
@@ -842,11 +842,11 @@ describe('rdme openapi', () => {
     });
 
     it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-      process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+      process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
       await expect(openapi.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(
         new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.')
       );
-      delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+      delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
     });
 
     it('should error if `--create` and `--update` flags are passed simultaneously', () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/openapi/validate.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/openapi/validate.test.ts
index dfa768296..4d31631b4 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/openapi/validate.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/openapi/validate.test.ts
@@ -115,18 +115,18 @@ describe('rdme openapi:validate', () => {
 
   describe('CI tests', () => {
     beforeEach(() => {
-      process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+      process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     });
 
     afterEach(() => {
-      delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+      delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
     });
 
     it('should successfully validate prompt and not run GHA onboarding', async () => {
-      process.env.TEST_CREATEGHA = 'true';
+      process.env.TEST_RDME_CREATEGHA = 'true';
       const spec = '__tests__/__fixtures__/petstore-simple-weird-version.json';
       await expect(validate.run({ spec })).resolves.toBe(chalk.green(`${spec} is a valid OpenAPI API definition!`));
-      delete process.env.TEST_CREATEGHA;
+      delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CREATEGHA;
     });
 
     it('should fail if user attempts to pass `--github` flag in CI environment', () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/versions/create.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/versions/create.test.ts
index 765c5336e..879c03a26 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/versions/create.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/versions/create.test.ts
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@ describe('rdme versions:create', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(createVersion.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(
       new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.')
     );
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should error if no version provided', () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/versions/delete.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/versions/delete.test.ts
index d27443335..0817d866a 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/versions/delete.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/versions/delete.test.ts
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@ describe('rdme versions:delete', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(deleteVersion.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(
       new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.')
     );
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should delete a specific version', async () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/versions/index.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/versions/index.test.ts
index 3c64ea5ff..c5893c071 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/versions/index.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/versions/index.test.ts
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ describe('rdme versions', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(versions.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.'));
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should make a request to get a list of existing versions', async () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/cmds/versions/update.test.ts b/__tests__/cmds/versions/update.test.ts
index a45c7d0b7..0848e9504 100644
--- a/__tests__/cmds/versions/update.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/cmds/versions/update.test.ts
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@ describe('rdme versions:update', () => {
   });
 
   it('should error in CI if no API key provided', async () => {
-    process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+    process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
     await expect(updateVersion.run({})).rejects.toStrictEqual(
       new Error('No project API key provided. Please use `--key`.')
     );
-    delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+    delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
   });
 
   it('should update a specific version object', async () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/helpers/get-gha-setup.ts b/__tests__/helpers/get-gha-setup.ts
index 031ac459a..e880d0fc9 100644
--- a/__tests__/helpers/get-gha-setup.ts
+++ b/__tests__/helpers/get-gha-setup.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export function before(writeFileSyncCb) {
   // no need to construct everything
   global.Date = jest.fn(() => DATE_TO_USE);
 
-  process.env.TEST_CREATEGHA = 'true';
+  process.env.TEST_RDME_CREATEGHA = 'true';
 
   const spy = jest.spyOn(getPkgVersion, 'getPkgVersion');
   spy.mockReturnValue(Promise.resolve('7.8.9'));
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export function before(writeFileSyncCb) {
  */
 export function after() {
   configstore.clear();
-  delete process.env.TEST_CREATEGHA;
+  delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CREATEGHA;
   jest.clearAllMocks();
   process.chdir(testWorkingDir);
 }
diff --git a/__tests__/lib/createGHA.test.ts b/__tests__/lib/createGHA.test.ts
index 86e15434d..13c17f34a 100644
--- a/__tests__/lib/createGHA.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/lib/createGHA.test.ts
@@ -175,11 +175,11 @@ describe('#createGHA', () => {
       });
 
       it('should not run if in a CI environment', async () => {
-        process.env.TEST_CI = 'true';
+        process.env.TEST_RDME_CI = 'true';
         await expect(createGHA('success!', cmd, command.args, opts)).resolves.toBe('success!');
         // asserts that git commands aren't run in CI
         expect(git.checkIsRepo).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-        delete process.env.TEST_CI;
+        delete process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
       });
 
       it('should not run if repo only contains non-GitHub remotes', () => {
diff --git a/__tests__/setup.js b/__tests__/setup.js
index 029058c1c..c46a875ec 100644
--- a/__tests__/setup.js
+++ b/__tests__/setup.js
@@ -2,3 +2,7 @@
 // colorization here for all tests.
 // https://github.com/chalk/supports-color/issues/106
 process.env.FORCE_COLOR = 0;
+
+// Sets our test NODE_ENV to a custom value in case of false positives
+// if someone is using this tool in a testing environment
+process.env.NODE_ENV = 'rdme-test';
diff --git a/config/test.json b/config/rdme-test.json
similarity index 100%
rename from config/test.json
rename to config/rdme-test.json
diff --git a/src/lib/createGHA/index.ts b/src/lib/createGHA/index.ts
index 48c850974..cee316ae1 100644
--- a/src/lib/createGHA/index.ts
+++ b/src/lib/createGHA/index.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import { transcludeString } from 'hercule/promises';
 import { checkFilePath, cleanFileName } from '../checkFile';
 import configstore from '../configstore';
 import { getPkgVersion } from '../getPkgVersion';
-import isCI from '../isCI';
+import isCI, { isTest } from '../isCI';
 import { debug, info } from '../logger';
 import promptTerminal from '../promptWrapper';
 
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ export default async function createGHA(
       // is a repo, but only contains non-GitHub remotes
       (isRepo && containsNonGitHubRemote && !containsGitHubRemote) ||
       // not testing this function
-      (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'test' && !process.env.TEST_CREATEGHA)
+      (isTest() && !process.env.TEST_RDME_CREATEGHA)
     ) {
       debug('not running GHA onboarding workflow, exiting');
       // We return the original command message and pretend this command flow never happened.
diff --git a/src/lib/isCI.ts b/src/lib/isCI.ts
index df2621c63..d33050bd8 100644
--- a/src/lib/isCI.ts
+++ b/src/lib/isCI.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@ export function isGHA() {
   return ciDetect() === 'github-actions';
 }
 
+/**
+ * Small env check to determine if we're running our testbed
+ */
+export function isTest() {
+  return process.env.NODE_ENV === 'rdme-test';
+}
+
 /**
  * Small check to ensure we're in a safe CI environment.
  *
@@ -17,5 +24,5 @@ export function isGHA() {
  */
 export default function isCI() {
   /* istanbul ignore next */
-  return (ciDetect() && process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'test') || process.env.TEST_CI;
+  return (ciDetect() && !isTest()) || !!process.env.TEST_RDME_CI;
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/logger.ts b/src/lib/logger.ts
index f3d1b9135..26caa8433 100644
--- a/src/lib/logger.ts
+++ b/src/lib/logger.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import chalk from 'chalk';
 import config from 'config';
 import debugModule from 'debug';
 
-import { isGHA } from './isCI';
+import { isGHA, isTest } from './isCI';
 
 const debugPackage = debugModule(config.get('cli'));
 
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ const debugPackage = debugModule(config.get('cli'));
  */
 function debug(input: string) {
   /* istanbul ignore next */
-  if (isGHA() && process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'test') core.debug(`rdme: ${input}`);
+  if (isGHA() && !isTest()) core.debug(`rdme: ${input}`);
   return debugPackage(input);
 }
 
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function debug(input: string) {
  */
 function warn(input: string) {
   /* istanbul ignore next */
-  if (isGHA() && process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'test') return core.warning(input);
+  if (isGHA() && !isTest()) return core.warning(input);
   // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
   return console.warn(chalk.yellow(`⚠️  Warning! ${input}`));
 }
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ function warn(input: string) {
  */
 function info(input: string, includeEmojiPrefix = true) {
   /* istanbul ignore next */
-  if (isGHA() && process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'test') return core.notice(input);
+  if (isGHA() && !isTest()) return core.notice(input);
   /* istanbul ignore next */
   if (!includeEmojiPrefix) return console.info(input); // eslint-disable-line no-console
   // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ function info(input: string, includeEmojiPrefix = true) {
 
 function oraOptions() {
   // Disables spinner in tests so it doesn't pollute test output
-  const opts: Writable<OraOptions> = { isSilent: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'test' };
+  const opts: Writable<OraOptions> = { isSilent: isTest() };
 
   // Cleans up ora output so it prints nicely alongside debug logs
   /* istanbul ignore next */
diff --git a/src/lib/promptWrapper.ts b/src/lib/promptWrapper.ts
index 644bea791..540160ff3 100644
--- a/src/lib/promptWrapper.ts
+++ b/src/lib/promptWrapper.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-import ciDetect from '@npmcli/ci-detect';
 import prompts from 'prompts';
 
+import isCI from './isCI';
+
 /**
  * The `prompts` library doesn't always interpret CTRL+C and release the terminal back to the user
  * so we need handle this ourselves. This function is just a simple overload of the main `prompts`
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ export default async function promptTerminal<T extends string = string>(
    * prompt is not being run in a CI environment.
    */
   function onRender() {
-    if (ciDetect() && process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'test') {
+    if (isCI()) {
       process.stdout.write('\n');
       process.stdout.write(
         'Yikes! Looks like we were about to prompt you for something in a CI environment. Are you missing an argument?'