diff --git a/lib/datasource/npm/get.ts b/lib/datasource/npm/get.ts
index 36a5a23b8cf4a1995aedd4672b8537944c11095f..b7b36c8e7e5fdd1a3010b50946bce5d499cd8748 100644
--- a/lib/datasource/npm/get.ts
+++ b/lib/datasource/npm/get.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import getRegistryUrl from 'registry-auth-token/registry-url';
 import { logger } from '../../logger';
 import { ExternalHostError } from '../../types/errors/external-host-error';
 import * as packageCache from '../../util/cache/package';
-import { find } from '../../util/host-rules';
 import { Http, HttpOptions } from '../../util/http';
 import { maskToken } from '../../util/mask';
 import type { Release, ReleaseResult } from '../types';
@@ -125,18 +124,6 @@ export async function getDependency(
       'Using auth (via process.env.NPM_TOKEN) for npm lookup'
     );
     headers.authorization = `Bearer ${process.env.NPM_TOKEN}`;
-  } else {
-    const opts = find({
-      hostType: 'npm',
-      url: regUrl,
-    });
-    if (opts.token) {
-      logger.trace(
-        { token: maskToken(opts.token), npmName: packageName },
-        'Using auth (via hostRules) for npm lookup'
-      );
-      headers.authorization = `Bearer ${opts.token}`;
-    }
   }
 
   const uri = url.parse(pkgUrl);