diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 7270edfa346e..271900a2c62e 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -325,9 +325,9 @@ jobs:
             - run:
                 command: |
                     corepack enable
-                    cp /tmp/storybook-sandboxes /tmp/storybook/sandbox -r --remove-destination
                     TEMPLATE=$(yarn get-template --cadence << pipeline.parameters.workflow >> --task chromatic)
-                    cd $(STORYBOOK_SANDBOX_ROOT=./sandbox yarn get-sandbox-dir --template $TEMPLATE) && yarn
+                    cd $(yarn get-sandbox-dir --template $TEMPLATE) && yarn
+                    cp /tmp/storybook-sandboxes /tmp/storybook/sandbox -r --remove-destination
                 name: Install sandbox dependencies
             - run:
                 command: STORYBOOK_SANDBOX_ROOT=./sandbox yarn task --task chromatic --template $(yarn get-template --cadence << pipeline.parameters.workflow >> --task chromatic) --no-link --start-from=never --junit
@@ -775,7 +775,7 @@ jobs:
         steps:
             - checkout
             - attach_workspace:
-                at: /tmp
+                at: C:\Users\circleci
             - run:
                 command: |
                     choco install nodejs-lts --version=22.11.0 -y
@@ -924,6 +924,7 @@ jobs:
                             STORYBOOK_INIT_EMPTY_TYPE: << parameters.template >>
                         name: Storybook init from empty directory (Windows --skip-install)
                         shell: bash.exe
+        working_directory: C:\Users\circleci\storybook
     test-init-features:
         executor:
             class: small
diff --git a/.circleci/src/jobs/chromatic-sandboxes.yml b/.circleci/src/jobs/chromatic-sandboxes.yml
index a21408938aa7..ef0bd31c8567 100644
--- a/.circleci/src/jobs/chromatic-sandboxes.yml
+++ b/.circleci/src/jobs/chromatic-sandboxes.yml
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ steps:
       # chromatic can only run in a git directory
       command: |
         corepack enable
-        cp /tmp/storybook-sandboxes /tmp/storybook/sandbox -r --remove-destination
         TEMPLATE=$(yarn get-template --cadence << pipeline.parameters.workflow >> --task chromatic)
-        cd $(STORYBOOK_SANDBOX_ROOT=./sandbox yarn get-sandbox-dir --template $TEMPLATE) && yarn
+        cd $(yarn get-sandbox-dir --template $TEMPLATE) && yarn
+        cp /tmp/storybook-sandboxes /tmp/storybook/sandbox -r --remove-destination
   - run:
       name: Running Chromatic
       command: STORYBOOK_SANDBOX_ROOT=./sandbox yarn task --task chromatic --template $(yarn get-template --cadence << pipeline.parameters.workflow >> --task chromatic) --no-link --start-from=never --junit
diff --git a/.circleci/src/jobs/test-init-empty-windows.yml b/.circleci/src/jobs/test-init-empty-windows.yml
index 671ba21c41cb..29896855b782 100644
--- a/.circleci/src/jobs/test-init-empty-windows.yml
+++ b/.circleci/src/jobs/test-init-empty-windows.yml
@@ -6,10 +6,12 @@ parameters:
   template:
     type: string
 
+working_directory: 'C:\Users\circleci\storybook'
+
 steps:
   - checkout
   - attach_workspace:
-      at: /tmp
+      at: 'C:\Users\circleci'
   - run:
       name: Setup Node & Yarn on Windows
       shell: bash.exe
diff --git a/code/lib/cli-storybook/src/sandbox-templates.ts b/code/lib/cli-storybook/src/sandbox-templates.ts
index 6eea4a15ed4c..82b5d94d6939 100644
--- a/code/lib/cli-storybook/src/sandbox-templates.ts
+++ b/code/lib/cli-storybook/src/sandbox-templates.ts
@@ -629,9 +629,7 @@ export const baseTemplates = {
     script:
       'npx -p @angular/cli@next ng new angular-v16 --directory {{beforeDir}} --routing=true --minimal=true --style=scss --strict --skip-git --skip-install --package-manager=yarn --ssr',
     modifications: {
-      // Angular 21 has introduced a peer dependency requirement on standard-schema via @angular/forms`
-      // TODO: use @angular/forms@next as soon as @angular/cli@next points to the same version
-      extraDependencies: ['@standard-schema/spec@^1', '@angular/forms@^21.0.0'],
+      extraDependencies: ['@standard-schema/spec@^1', '@angular/forms@next'],
     },
     expected: {
       framework: '@storybook/angular',
diff --git a/scripts/sandbox/generate.ts b/scripts/sandbox/generate.ts
index f5a6cb18b785..81d906001238 100755
--- a/scripts/sandbox/generate.ts
+++ b/scripts/sandbox/generate.ts
@@ -64,13 +64,13 @@ const withLocalRegistry = async ({ action, cwd, env, debug }: LocalRegistryProps
     console.log(`📦 Configuring local registry: ${LOCAL_REGISTRY_URL}`);
     // NOTE: for some reason yarn prefers the npm registry in
     // local development, so always use npm
-    await runCommand(`npm config set registry ${LOCAL_REGISTRY_URL}`, { cwd, env }, debug);
+    await runCommand(`npm config set registry ${LOCAL_REGISTRY_URL} -g`, { cwd, env }, debug);
     await action();
   } catch (e) {
     error = e;
   } finally {
     console.log(`📦 Restoring registry: ${prevUrl}`);
-    await runCommand(`npm config set registry ${prevUrl}`, { cwd, env }, debug);
+    await runCommand(`npm config set registry ${prevUrl} -g`, { cwd, env }, debug);
 
     if (error) {
       throw error;