diff --git a/smoke-tests/test/npm-replace-global.js b/smoke-tests/test/npm-replace-global.js
index 3514549aa40cd..d3638158e2ca6 100644
--- a/smoke-tests/test/npm-replace-global.js
+++ b/smoke-tests/test/npm-replace-global.js
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ t.test('publish and replace global self', async t => {
     }
     return false
   }).reply(201, {})
-  await npmLocal('publish', { proxy: true, force: true })
+  await npmLocal('publish', '--tag=smoke-test', { proxy: true, force: true })
 
   t.comment(JSON.stringify(publishedPackument, null, 2))
 
diff --git a/test/lib/commands/publish.js b/test/lib/commands/publish.js
index d187ae5fec80a..5462b30cb7a79 100644
--- a/test/lib/commands/publish.js
+++ b/test/lib/commands/publish.js
@@ -962,6 +962,7 @@ t.test('manifest', async t => {
   const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
     config: {
       ...auth,
+      tag: 'latest',
       'foreground-scripts': false,
     },
     chdir: () => root,