try that

.circleci/config.yml

@@ -59,13 +59,14 @@ commands:
         description: 'Set to true if you intend to any browser (for example with playwright).'
 
     steps:
-      - run:
-          name: Install pnpm package manager
-          # See https://stackoverflow.com/a/73411601
-          command: corepack enable --install-directory ~/bin
       - when:
           condition: << parameters.browsers >>
           steps:
+            - run:
+                name: Install pnpm package manager
+                command: |
+                  corepack enable
+                  corepack prepare pnpm@latest-8 --activate
             - run:
                 name: Prepare playwright hash
                 command: pnpm list --json --filter playwright > /tmp/playwright_info.json
@@ -76,6 +77,12 @@ commands:
                 name: Restore playwright cache
                 keys:
                   - v6-playwright-{{ arch }}-{{ checksum "/tmp/playwright_info.json" }}
+      - when:
+          condition:
+            not: << parameters.browsers >>
+          steps:
+            # See https://stackoverflow.com/a/73411601
+            - run: corepack enable --install-directory ~/bin
       - run:
           name: View install environment
           command: |