diff --git a/packages/artifact/__tests__/retention.test.ts b/packages/artifact/__tests__/retention.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..898c52a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/artifact/__tests__/retention.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import {Timestamp} from '../src/generated'
+import * as retention from '../src/internal/upload/retention'
+
+describe('retention', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    delete process.env['GITHUB_RETENTION_DAYS']
+  })
+  it('should return the inputted retention days if it is less than the max retention days', () => {
+    // setup
+    const mockDate = new Date('2020-01-01')
+    jest.useFakeTimers().setSystemTime(mockDate)
+    process.env['GITHUB_RETENTION_DAYS'] = '90'
+
+    const exp = retention.getExpiration(30)
+
+    expect(exp).toBeDefined()
+    const expDate = Timestamp.toDate(exp!) // we check whether exp is defined above
+    const expected = new Date()
+    expected.setDate(expected.getDate() + 30)
+
+    expect(expDate).toEqual(expected)
+  })
+
+  it('should return the max retention days if the inputted retention days is greater than the max retention days', () => {
+    // setup
+    const mockDate = new Date('2020-01-01')
+    jest.useFakeTimers().setSystemTime(mockDate)
+    process.env['GITHUB_RETENTION_DAYS'] = '90'
+
+    const exp = retention.getExpiration(120)
+
+    expect(exp).toBeDefined()
+    const expDate = Timestamp.toDate(exp!) // we check whether exp is defined above
+    const expected = new Date()
+    expected.setDate(expected.getDate() + 90)
+
+    expect(expDate).toEqual(expected)
+  })
+
+  it('should return undefined if the inputted retention days is undefined', () => {
+    const exp = retention.getExpiration()
+    expect(exp).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('should return the inputted retention days if there is no max retention days', () => {
+    // setup
+    const mockDate = new Date('2020-01-01')
+    jest.useFakeTimers().setSystemTime(mockDate)
+
+    const exp = retention.getExpiration(30)
+
+    expect(exp).toBeDefined()
+    const expDate = Timestamp.toDate(exp!) // we check whether exp is defined above
+    const expected = new Date()
+    expected.setDate(expected.getDate() + 30)
+
+    expect(expDate).toEqual(expected)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/artifact/src/internal/client.ts b/packages/artifact/src/internal/client.ts
index 26546430..f827d882 100644
--- a/packages/artifact/src/internal/client.ts
+++ b/packages/artifact/src/internal/client.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import {UploadOptions} from './upload/upload-options'
 import {UploadResponse} from './upload/upload-response'
 import {uploadArtifact} from './upload/upload-artifact'
 import {warning} from '@actions/core'
+import {isGhes} from './shared/config'
 
 export interface ArtifactClient {
   /**
@@ -40,10 +41,25 @@ export class Client implements ArtifactClient {
     rootDirectory: string,
     options?: UploadOptions | undefined
   ): Promise<UploadResponse> {
+    if (isGhes()) {
+      warning(
+        `@actions/artifact v2 and upload-artifact v4 are not currently supported on GHES.`
+      )
+      return {
+        success: false
+      }
+    }
+
     try {
       return uploadArtifact(name, files, rootDirectory, options)
     } catch (error) {
-      warning(`Failed to upload artifact: ${error}`)
+      warning(
+        `Artifact upload failed with error: ${error}.
+
+Errors can be temporary, so please try again and optionally run the action with debug enabled for more information.
+
+If the error persists, please check whether Actions is running normally at [https://githubstatus.com](https://www.githubstatus.com).`
+      )
       return {
         success: false
       }
diff --git a/packages/artifact/src/internal/shared/config.ts b/packages/artifact/src/internal/shared/config.ts
index 23949f20..d1946e96 100644
--- a/packages/artifact/src/internal/shared/config.ts
+++ b/packages/artifact/src/internal/shared/config.ts
@@ -13,3 +13,10 @@ export function getResultsServiceUrl(): string {
   }
   return resultsUrl
 }
+
+export function isGhes(): boolean {
+  const ghUrl = new URL(
+    process.env['GITHUB_SERVER_URL'] || 'https://github.com'
+  )
+  return ghUrl.hostname.toUpperCase() !== 'GITHUB.COM'
+}
diff --git a/packages/artifact/src/internal/upload/retention.ts b/packages/artifact/src/internal/upload/retention.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aa16ba1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/artifact/src/internal/upload/retention.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import {Timestamp} from '../../generated'
+import * as core from '@actions/core'
+
+export function getExpiration(retentionDays?: number): Timestamp | undefined {
+  if (!retentionDays) {
+    return undefined
+  }
+
+  const maxRetentionDays = getRetentionDays()
+  if (maxRetentionDays && maxRetentionDays < retentionDays) {
+    core.warning(
+      `Retention days cannot be greater than the maximum allowed retention set within the repository. Using ${maxRetentionDays} instead.`
+    )
+    retentionDays = maxRetentionDays
+  }
+
+  const expirationDate = new Date()
+  expirationDate.setDate(expirationDate.getDate() + retentionDays)
+
+  return Timestamp.fromDate(expirationDate)
+}
+
+function getRetentionDays(): number | undefined {
+  const retentionDays = process.env['GITHUB_RETENTION_DAYS']
+  if (!retentionDays) {
+    return undefined
+  }
+  const days = parseInt(retentionDays)
+  if (isNaN(days)) {
+    return undefined
+  }
+
+  return days
+}
diff --git a/packages/artifact/src/internal/upload/upload-artifact.ts b/packages/artifact/src/internal/upload/upload-artifact.ts
index 087493a3..84a2e90e 100644
--- a/packages/artifact/src/internal/upload/upload-artifact.ts
+++ b/packages/artifact/src/internal/upload/upload-artifact.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as core from '@actions/core'
 import {UploadOptions} from './upload-options'
 import {UploadResponse} from './upload-response'
+import {getExpiration} from './util'
 import {validateArtifactName} from './path-and-artifact-name-validation'
 import {createArtifactTwirpClient} from '../shared/artifact-twirp-client'
 import {
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ import {
   validateRootDirectory
 } from './upload-zip-specification'
 import {getBackendIdsFromToken} from '../shared/util'
-import {CreateArtifactRequest, Timestamp} from 'src/generated'
+import {CreateArtifactRequest} from 'src/generated'
 
 export async function uploadArtifact(
   name: string,
@@ -39,6 +40,10 @@ export async function uploadArtifact(
       success: false
     }
   }
+  core.debug(`Workflow Run Backend ID: ${backendIds.workflowRunBackendId}`)
+  core.debug(
+    `Workflow Job Run Backend ID: ${backendIds.workflowJobRunBackendId}`
+  )
 
   // create the artifact client
   const artifactClient = createArtifactTwirpClient('upload')
@@ -91,14 +96,3 @@ export async function uploadArtifact(
 
   return uploadResponse
 }
-
-function getExpiration(retentionDays?: number): Timestamp | undefined {
-  if (!retentionDays) {
-    return undefined
-  }
-
-  const expirationDate = new Date()
-  expirationDate.setDate(expirationDate.getDate() + retentionDays)
-
-  return Timestamp.fromDate(expirationDate)
-}