diff --git a/src/tasks/tidy.ts b/src/tasks/tidy.ts
index efa12036..b5a66a5a 100644
--- a/src/tasks/tidy.ts
+++ b/src/tasks/tidy.ts
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ export async function tidyProtectedBranches(api: Api, projects: Project[]): Prom
 export async function tidyProtectedTags(api: Api, projects: Project[]): Promise<void> {
   await asyncPool(CONCURRENCY, projects, async (project) => {
     // TODO: move this to GitLab API
-    const protectedTags: Array<{
+    const protectedTags = await api.makeGitLabAPIRequest(`projects/${project.id}/protected_tags`) as Array<{
       /**
        * List of access levels to create a tag
        */
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ export async function tidyProtectedTags(api: Api, projects: Project[]): Promise<
        * Name of the tag
        */
       name: string;
-    }> = await api.makeGitLabAPIRequest(`projects/${project.id}/protected_tags`);
+    }>;
 
     if (protectedTags.findIndex((protectedTag) => {
       return protectedTag.name === 'v*';