diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_for_github_package.yml b/.github/workflows/build_for_github_package.yml
index 54c5395c..c0b3c130 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_for_github_package.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_for_github_package.yml
@@ -27,19 +27,23 @@ jobs:
           echo 'gem: --no-document' >> ~/.gemrc
           bundle install
 
-      - name: Grab current version
+      - name: Build gem
+        run: bundle exec rake build
+
+      - name: Extract version from built gem
         id: version
         run: |
-          echo "gem_version=`ruby -e 'require "./lib/solarwinds_apm/version"; puts SolarWindsAPM::Version::STRING'`" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          GEM_FILE=$(ls pkg/solarwinds_apm-*.gem | head -1)
+          VERSION=$(basename "$GEM_FILE" .gem | sed 's/solarwinds_apm-//')
+          echo "gem_version=$VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
-      - name: Build gem and publish to github package
+      - name: Publish to github package
         id: gemstep
         run:  |
-          mkdir ~/.gem
+          mkdir -p ~/.gem
           echo -e "---\n:github: Bearer $GITHUB_SECRET_TOKEN" >> ~/.gem/credentials
           chmod 0600 ~/.gem/credentials
-          bundle exec rake build_gem_for_github_package[${{ steps.version.outputs.gem_version }}]
-          bundle exec rake push_gem_to_github_package[${{ steps.version.outputs.gem_version }}]
+          gem push --key github --host https://rubygems.pkg.github.com/solarwinds pkg/solarwinds_apm-${{ steps.version.outputs.gem_version }}.gem
         env:
           GITHUB_SECRET_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
@@ -47,15 +51,13 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
         with:
           name: solarwinds_apm-${{ steps.version.outputs.gem_version }}.gem
-          path: builds/solarwinds_apm-${{ steps.version.outputs.gem_version }}.gem
+          path: pkg/solarwinds_apm-${{ steps.version.outputs.gem_version }}.gem
 
   # extract the built layer from artifacts, then scan it with reverselab
   reverselab_scan_gem:
     needs:
       - publish_to_github_package
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v7
         with:
           name: solarwinds_apm-${{ env.SOLARWINDS_APM_VERSION }}.gem
-          path: builds
+          path: pkg
         env:
           SOLARWINDS_APM_VERSION: ${{needs.publish_to_github_package.outputs.apm_ruby_version}}
 
@@ -72,7 +74,7 @@ jobs:
         id: rl-scan
         uses: reversinglabs/gh-action-rl-scanner-cloud-only@v1
         with:
-          artifact-to-scan: builds/solarwinds_apm-${{ env.SOLARWINDS_APM_VERSION }}.gem
+          artifact-to-scan: pkg/solarwinds_apm-${{ env.SOLARWINDS_APM_VERSION }}.gem
           rl-verbose: true
           rl-portal-server: solarwinds
           rl-portal-org: SolarWinds
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index a2eab29e..842dfeb9 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -142,38 +142,29 @@ See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md#code-quality) for details.
 For local testing:
 
 ```bash
-bundle exec rake build_gem
+bundle exec rake build
 ```
 
-Output: `builds/solarwinds_apm-X.Y.Z.gem`
-
-The script shows SHA256 checksum and lists the last 5 built gems.
-
-### Build for GitHub Packages
-
-```bash
-bundle exec rake build_gem_for_github_package[7.1.0]
-```
+Output: `pkg/solarwinds_apm-X.Y.Z.gem`
 
 ### Push to GitHub Packages
 
 Requires credentials in `~/.gem/credentials`:
 
 ```bash
-bundle exec rake push_gem_to_github_package[7.1.0]
+gem push --key github --host https://rubygems.pkg.github.com/solarwinds pkg/solarwinds_apm-{version}.gem
 ```
 
-### Build and Publish to RubyGems
+### Publish to RubyGems
 
 **For maintainers only:**
 
+Requires `GEM_HOST_API_KEY` environment variable and gem >= 3.0.5.
+
 ```bash
-gem build solarwinds_apm.gemspec
-gem push solarwinds_apm-{version}.gem
+gem push pkg/solarwinds_apm-{version}.gem
 ```
 
-Requires `GEM_HOST_API_KEY` environment variable and gem >= 3.0.5.
-
 ## Pull Request Guidelines
 
 For complete PR guidelines, see [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md).
diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 0e32df8d..a0a649fe 100755
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -113,69 +113,6 @@ def docker_cmd_execute(cmd)
   end
 end
 
-################ Build Gem Task ################
-desc 'Build gem locally for testing'
-task :build_gem do
-  puts "\n=== building for MRI ===\n"
-  FileUtils.mkdir_p('builds') if Dir['builds'].empty?
-  File.delete('Gemfile.lock') if Dir['Gemfile.lock'].size == 1
-
-  puts "\n=== install required dependencies ===\n"
-  system('bundle install --without development --without test')
-
-  puts "\n=== clean & compile & build ===\n"
-  system('gem build solarwinds_apm.gemspec')
-
-  gemname = Dir['solarwinds_apm*.gem'].first
-  FileUtils.mv(gemname, 'builds/')
-
-  built_gem = Dir['builds/solarwinds_apm*.gem']
-
-  puts "\n=== last 5 built gems ===\n"
-  puts built_gem
-
-  puts "\n=== SHA256 ===\n"
-  system("shasum -a256 #{built_gem.first}")
-
-  puts "\n=== Finished ===\n"
-end
-
-def find_or_build_gem(version)
-  abort('No version specified.') if version.to_s.empty?
-
-  gems = Dir["builds/solarwinds_apm-#{version}.gem"]
-  gem_to_push = nil
-  if gems.empty?
-    Rake::Task['build_gem'].execute
-    gem_to_push = Dir['builds/solarwinds_apm*.gem'].first
-  else
-    gem_to_push = gems.first
-  end
-
-  puts "\n=== Gem will be pushed #{gem_to_push} ==="
-  gem_to_push_version = gem_to_push&.match(/-\d*.\d*.\d*/).to_s.delete!('-')
-  gem_to_push_version = gem_to_push&.match(/-\d*.\d*.\d*.prev[0-9]*/).to_s.delete!('-') if version.include? 'prev'
-
-  abort('Could not find the required gem file.') if gem_to_push.nil? || gem_to_push_version != version
-
-  gem_to_push
-end
-
-# need set the credentials under ~/.gem/credentials
-# for download, easiest way is to set BUNDLE_RUBYGEMS__PKG__GITHUB__COM
-# but there are other auth methods. see more on https://docs.github.com/en/packages/working-with-a-github-packages-registry/working-with-the-rubygems-registry
-desc 'Push to github package. Run as bundle exec rake build_gem_push_to_github_package[<version>]'
-task :push_gem_to_github_package, [:version] do |_, args|
-  exit 1 unless system('gem', 'push', '--key', 'github', '--host', 'https://rubygems.pkg.github.com/solarwinds',
-                       "builds/solarwinds_apm-#{args[:version]}.gem")
-  puts "\n=== Finished ===\n"
-end
-
-desc 'Build gem for github package'
-task :build_gem_for_github_package, [:version] do |_, args|
-  find_or_build_gem(args[:version])
-end
-
 desc 'Run rubocop and generate result. Run as bundle exec rake rubocop
       If want to safely autocorrect enabled, just use bundle exec rake rubocop auto-safe
       If want to all autocorrect enabled, just use bundle exec rake rubocop auto-all