diff --git a/java-workflows/.kokoro/build.sh b/java-workflows/.kokoro/build.sh
index 190b53823028..e80268477974 100755
--- a/java-workflows/.kokoro/build.sh
+++ b/java-workflows/.kokoro/build.sh
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ samples)
 
     if [[ -f ${SAMPLES_DIR}/pom.xml ]]
     then
-        pushd {SAMPLES_DIR}
+        pushd ${SAMPLES_DIR}
         mvn -B \
           -Penable-samples \
           -DtrimStackTrace=false \
diff --git a/java-workflows/synth.metadata b/java-workflows/synth.metadata
index 6e5c56fc73f0..51b47ac502a9 100644
--- a/java-workflows/synth.metadata
+++ b/java-workflows/synth.metadata
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
       "git": {
         "name": ".",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/java-workflows.git",
-        "sha": "ea1a6ecce011f6294b13a904afc8c9805e704f3c"
+        "sha": "4e0cb07d18243e332989c111aa21ab54deef2bc4"
       }
     },
     {
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
       "git": {
         "name": "synthtool",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/synthtool.git",
-        "sha": "5f6ef0ec5501d33c4667885b37a7685a30d41a76"
+        "sha": "f68649c5f26bcff6817c6d21e90dac0fc71fef8e"
       }
     }
   ],