diff --git a/.github/actions/nss/action.yml b/.github/actions/nss/action.yml
index 68e222710c..b53104bb6d 100644
--- a/.github/actions/nss/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/nss/action.yml
@@ -23,11 +23,15 @@ runs:
           echo "BUILD_NSS=1" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
           exit 0
         fi
-        NSS_VERSION=$(pkg-config --modversion nss)
-        NSS_MAJOR=$(echo $NSS_VERSION | cut -d. -f1)
-        NSS_MINOR=$(echo $NSS_VERSION | cut -d. -f2)
+        NSS_VERSION=$(pkg-config --modversion nss &> /dev/null)
+        if [ "$?" -ne 0 ]; then
+          echo "BUILD_NSS=1" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+          exit 0
+        fi
+        NSS_MAJOR=$(echo "$NSS_VERSION" | cut -d. -f1)
+        NSS_MINOR=$(echo "$NSS_VERSION" | cut -d. -f2)
         # Keep this in sync with what the code requires
-        if [ $NSS_MAJOR -ne 3 ] || [ $NSS_MINOR -lt 98 ]; then
+        if [ "$NSS_MAJOR" -ne 3 ] || [ "$NSS_MINOR" -lt 98 ]; then
           echo "System NSS is too old: $NSS_VERSION"
           echo "BUILD_NSS=1" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
         else