diff --git a/npm_and_yarn/lib/dependabot/npm_and_yarn/file_updater/yarn_lockfile_updater.rb b/npm_and_yarn/lib/dependabot/npm_and_yarn/file_updater/yarn_lockfile_updater.rb
index aee6883934c..dbfb183df0c 100644
--- a/npm_and_yarn/lib/dependabot/npm_and_yarn/file_updater/yarn_lockfile_updater.rb
+++ b/npm_and_yarn/lib/dependabot/npm_and_yarn/file_updater/yarn_lockfile_updater.rb
@@ -380,9 +380,10 @@ def clean_npmrc_in_path(yarn_lock)
           dirs.pop
           while dirs.any?
             npmrc = dirs.join("/") + "/.npmrc"
-            break unless File.exist?(npmrc)
-
-            File.write(npmrc, File.read(npmrc).gsub(/\$\{.*\}/, ""))
+            if File.exist?(npmrc)
+              # If the .npmrc file exists, clean it
+              File.write(npmrc, File.read(npmrc).gsub(/\$\{.*?\}/, ""))
+            end
             dirs.pop
           end
         end