diff --git a/src/questionnaire_data/build.py b/src/questionnaire_data/build.py
index 20ef068..9ebefdb 100644
--- a/src/questionnaire_data/build.py
+++ b/src/questionnaire_data/build.py
@@ -28,7 +28,11 @@ def _hash_properties(props: sp.SproutProperties) -> str:
     ).hexdigest()
 
 
-@mark.metadata
+@mark.skipif(
+    common.redcap.is_empty_env(),
+    reason="API key is not present in the environment, so skipping.",
+)
+@mark.raw
 def task_download_metadata(
     raw_metadata_path: Annotated[Path, Product] = RAW_METADATA_PATH,
 ) -> None:
diff --git a/src/questionnaire_data/common/redcap.py b/src/questionnaire_data/common/redcap.py
index 3e92f0e..ca66069 100644
--- a/src/questionnaire_data/common/redcap.py
+++ b/src/questionnaire_data/common/redcap.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import os
 from dataclasses import dataclass
-from typing import Any, Literal
+from typing import Any, Literal, Optional
 
 import requests
 
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ def get(
     api_config: APIConfig = API_CONFIG,
 ) -> requests.Response:
     """Send a request to the REDCap API."""
-    token = os.environ.get(api_config.env_key)
+    token = _get_env(api_config)
     if not token:
         raise RuntimeError(f"{api_config.env_key} environment variable is not set.")
 
@@ -46,3 +46,15 @@ def get_json(
     }
     response = get(request_data)
     return response.json()
+
+
+def is_empty_api_key() -> bool:
+    """Check if env is empty."""
+    return _get_env(API_CONFIG) is None
+
+
+def _get_api_key(api_config: APIConfig) -> Optional[str]:
+    env_var = os.environ.get(api_config.env_key)
+    if env_var == "":
+        env_var = None
+    return env_var