diff --git a/scripts/validate-commits.ts b/scripts/validate-commits.ts
index aafd3e9788fb..f243d5ca46da 100644
--- a/scripts/validate-commits.ts
+++ b/scripts/validate-commits.ts
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ export default function (argv: ValidateCommitsOptions, logger: logging.Logger) {
     sha = argv.head || 'HEAD';
   } else {
     const parentRemote = process.env['GIT_REMOTE'] ? process.env['GIT_REMOTE'] + '/' : '';
-    const parentBranch = process.env['GIT_BRANCH'] || 'master';
+    const parentBranch = process.env['GIT_BRANCH'] || process.env['CIRCLE_BRANCH'] || 'master';
     baseSha = execSync(`git merge-base --fork-point "${parentRemote}${parentBranch}"`)
       .toString().trim();
     sha = 'HEAD';
diff --git a/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/misc/npm-7.ts b/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/misc/npm-7.ts
index 3d432324f9fc..38c3b4f8e76d 100644
--- a/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/misc/npm-7.ts
+++ b/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/misc/npm-7.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,9 @@
-import { getActivePackageManager } from '../../utils/packages';
 import { ng, npm } from '../../utils/process';
 import { expectToFail } from '../../utils/utils';
 
 const errorText = 'The Angular CLI currently requires npm version 6.';
 
 export default async function() {
-  // Only relevant with npm as a package manager
-  if (getActivePackageManager() !== 'npm') {
-    return;
-  }
-
   // Windows CI fails with permission errors when trying to replace npm
   if (process.platform.startsWith('win')) {
     return;