diff --git a/.github/actions/create-conda-env/action.yml b/.github/actions/create-conda-env/action.yml
index 1fbca431..dc477aec 100644
--- a/.github/actions/create-conda-env/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/create-conda-env/action.yml
@@ -10,8 +10,10 @@ runs:
           echo "Using pre-existing conda environments with prefix ${{ env.conda-env-name-no-time }}"
         else
           echo "Creating a conda environment for each toolchain with the toolchain installed"
+          conda activate base
           conda-lock install -n ${{ env.conda-env-name-no-time }}-$(date --date "${{ env.workflow-timestamp }}" +%Y%m%d)-riscv-tools ./conda-requirements-riscv-tools-linux-64.conda-lock.yml
           conda-lock install -n ${{ env.conda-env-name-no-time }}-$(date --date "${{ env.workflow-timestamp }}" +%Y%m%d)-esp-tools ./conda-requirements-esp-tools-linux-64.conda-lock.yml
+          conda deactivate
 
           echo "Add extra toolchain collateral to RISC-V install area"
           conda activate ${{ env.conda-env-name-no-time }}-$(date --date "${{ env.workflow-timestamp }}" +%Y%m%d)-riscv-tools
diff --git a/dockerfiles/Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/Dockerfile
index 0da5444c..a9a9af34 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/Dockerfile
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ SHELL ["/bin/bash", "-cl"]
 # Initialize repo
 RUN cd chipyard && \
         export MAKEFLAGS=-"j $(nproc)" && \
+        conda activate base && \
         ./setup.sh --env-name chipyard --skip-validate
 
 SHELL ["/opt/conda/bin/conda", "run", "-n", "chipyard", "/bin/bash", "-cl"]
diff --git a/docs/Chipyard-Basics/Initial-Repo-Setup.rst b/docs/Chipyard-Basics/Initial-Repo-Setup.rst
index 145d51cc..be9134b2 100644
--- a/docs/Chipyard-Basics/Initial-Repo-Setup.rst
+++ b/docs/Chipyard-Basics/Initial-Repo-Setup.rst
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ This is done by the following:
 .. code-block:: shell
 
     conda install -n base conda-lock
+    conda activate base
 
 Setting up the Chipyard Repo
 -------------------------------------------