diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md b/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md
index 02d02931592..3cbce5bed74 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 ## [UNRELEASED]
 
-- Add ability for users to download databases directly from GitHub. [#1466](https://github.com/github/vscode-codeql/pull/1466)
-
 ## 1.6.10 - 9 August 2022
 
 No user facing changes.
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/package.json b/extensions/ql-vscode/package.json
index 4342a85ac07..e356686ca03 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/package.json
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/package.json
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@
         },
         {
           "command": "codeQLDatabases.chooseDatabaseGithub",
-          "when": "view == codeQLDatabases",
+          "when": "config.codeQL.canary && view == codeQLDatabases",
           "group": "navigation"
         },
         {
@@ -878,6 +878,10 @@
         }
       ],
       "commandPalette": [
+        {
+          "command": "codeQL.authenticateToGitHub",
+          "when": "config.codeQL.canary"
+        },
         {
           "command": "codeQL.runQuery",
           "when": "resourceLangId == ql && resourceExtname == .ql"
@@ -922,6 +926,10 @@
           "command": "codeQL.viewCfg",
           "when": "resourceScheme == codeql-zip-archive && config.codeQL.canary"
         },
+        {
+          "command": "codeQL.chooseDatabaseGithub",
+          "when": "config.codeQL.canary"
+        },
         {
           "command": "codeQLDatabases.setCurrentDatabase",
           "when": "false"
@@ -1167,7 +1175,7 @@
       },
       {
         "view": "codeQLDatabases",
-        "contents": "Add a CodeQL database:\n[From a folder](command:codeQLDatabases.chooseDatabaseFolder)\n[From an archive](command:codeQLDatabases.chooseDatabaseArchive)\n[From a URL (as a zip file)](command:codeQLDatabases.chooseDatabaseInternet)\n[From GitHub](command:codeQLDatabases.chooseDatabaseGithub)\n[From LGTM](command:codeQLDatabases.chooseDatabaseLgtm)"
+        "contents": "Add a CodeQL database:\n[From a folder](command:codeQLDatabases.chooseDatabaseFolder)\n[From an archive](command:codeQLDatabases.chooseDatabaseArchive)\n[From a URL (as a zip file)](command:codeQLDatabases.chooseDatabaseInternet)\n[From LGTM](command:codeQLDatabases.chooseDatabaseLgtm)"
       },
       {
         "view": "codeQLEvalLogViewer",
diff --git a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/extension.ts b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/extension.ts
index 43109b93be2..4da5e8ab9e0 100644
--- a/extensions/ql-vscode/src/extension.ts
+++ b/extensions/ql-vscode/src/extension.ts
@@ -1018,16 +1018,19 @@ async function activateWithInstalledDistribution(
     }
   };
 
+  // The "authenticateToGitHub" command is internal-only.
   ctx.subscriptions.push(
     commandRunner('codeQL.authenticateToGitHub', async () => {
-      /**
-       * Credentials for authenticating to GitHub.
-       * These are used when making API calls.
-       */
-      const credentials = await Credentials.initialize(ctx);
-      const octokit = await credentials.getOctokit();
-      const userInfo = await octokit.users.getAuthenticated();
-      void showAndLogInformationMessage(`Authenticated to GitHub as user: ${userInfo.data.login}`);
+      if (isCanary()) {
+        /**
+         * Credentials for authenticating to GitHub.
+         * These are used when making API calls.
+         */
+        const credentials = await Credentials.initialize(ctx);
+        const octokit = await credentials.getOctokit();
+        const userInfo = await octokit.users.getAuthenticated();
+        void showAndLogInformationMessage(`Authenticated to GitHub as user: ${userInfo.data.login}`);
+      }
     }));
 
   ctx.subscriptions.push(