diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 80caa4cdea..22da11ef98 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
-# this is the sibling workflow to tests-skip.yml, it is required to work around
-# the skipped but required checks issue:
-#   https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/configuring-branches-and-merges-in-your-repository/defining-the-mergeability-of-pull-requests/troubleshooting-required-status-checks#handling-skipped-but-required-checks
 name: Tests
 
 on:
@@ -36,15 +33,17 @@ jobs:
   changes:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     permissions:
+      # necessary to detect changes
+      # https://github.com/dorny/paths-filter#supported-workflows
       pull-requests: read
     outputs:
       code: ${{ steps.filter.outputs.code }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         # dorny/paths-filter needs git clone for non-PR events
-        # https://github.com/marketplace/actions/paths-changes-filter#supported-workflows
+        # https://github.com/dorny/paths-filter#supported-workflows
         if: github.event_name != 'pull_request'
-      - uses: dorny/paths-filter@4512585405083f25c027a35db413c2b3b9006d50
+      - uses: dorny/paths-filter@v2.11.1
         id: filter
         with:
           filters: |
@@ -55,32 +54,21 @@ jobs:
               - 'recipe/**'
               - '.github/workflows/tests.yml'
 
-  # linux test suite
-  linux:
+  # windows test suite
+  windows:
     # only run test suite if there are code changes
     needs: changes
     if: github.event_name == 'schedule' || needs.changes.outputs.code == 'true'
 
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    defaults:
-      run:
-        shell: bash -el {0}
+    runs-on: windows-2019
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        # test all lower versions (w/ stable conda) and upper version (w/ canary conda)
-        python-version: ['3.9', '3.10']
+        # test lower version (w/ stable conda) and upper version (w/ canary conda)
+        python-version: ['3.8']
         conda-version: [release]
         test-type: [serial, parallel]
         include:
-          # minimum Python/conda combo
-          - python-version: '3.8'
-            conda-version: 22.11.0
-            test-type: serial
-          - python-version: '3.8'
-            conda-version: 22.11.0
-            test-type: parallel
-          # maximum Python/conda combo
           - python-version: '3.11'
             conda-version: canary
             test-type: serial
@@ -89,10 +77,9 @@ jobs:
             test-type: parallel
     env:
       CONDA_CHANNEL_LABEL: ${{ matrix.conda-version == 'canary' && 'conda-canary/label/dev' || 'defaults' }}
-      CONDA_VERSION: ${{ contains('canary,release', matrix.conda-version) && 'conda' || format('conda={0}', matrix.conda-version) }}
-      REPLAY_NAME: Linux-${{ matrix.conda-version }}-Py${{ matrix.python-version }}
-      REPLAY_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/pytest-replay
-      PYTEST_MARKER: ${{ matrix.test-type == 'serial' && 'serial' || 'not serial' }}
+      REPLAY_NAME: Win-${{ matrix.conda-version }}-Py${{ matrix.python-version }}
+      REPLAY_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}\pytest-replay
+      PYTEST_MARKER: ${{ matrix.test-type == 'serial' && 'serial' || 'not serial and not slow' }}
       PYTEST_NUMPROCESSES: ${{ matrix.test-type == 'serial' && 0 || 'auto' }}
 
     steps:
@@ -114,17 +101,20 @@ jobs:
       - name: Setup miniconda
         uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v2
         with:
-          condarc-file: ./ci/github/.condarc
+          condarc-file: .\ci\github\.condarc
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
           run-post: false  # skip post cleanup
 
       - name: Setup environment
+        shell: cmd /C CALL {0}
         run: |
-          conda install -q -y -c defaults \
-            --file ./tests/requirements.txt \
-            --file ./tests/requirements-linux.txt \
-            ${{ env.CONDA_CHANNEL_LABEL }}::${{ env.CONDA_VERSION }}
-          pip install -e . --no-deps
+          @echo on
+          CALL choco install visualstudio2017-workload-vctools || exit 1
+          CALL conda install -q -y -c defaults ^
+            --file .\tests\requirements.txt ^
+            --file .\tests\requirements-windows.txt ^
+            ${{ env.CONDA_CHANNEL_LABEL }}::conda || exit 1
+          CALL pip install -e . --no-deps || exit 1
 
       - name: Show info
         run: |
@@ -133,46 +123,57 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Run tests
         run: |
-          pytest \
-            --color=yes \
-            -v \
-            -n "${{ env.PYTEST_NUMPROCESSES }}" \
-            --basetemp "${{ runner.temp }}/${{ matrix.test-type }}" \
-            --cov conda_build \
-            --cov-append \
-            --cov-branch \
-            --cov-report xml \
-            --replay-record-dir="${{ env.REPLAY_DIR }}" \
-            --replay-base-name="${{ env.REPLAY_NAME }}" \
-            -m "${{ env.PYTEST_MARKER }}" \
-            ./tests
+          pytest `
+            --color=yes `
+            -v `
+            -n "${{ env.PYTEST_NUMPROCESSES }}" `
+            --basetemp "${{ runner.temp }}\${{ matrix.test-type}}" `
+            --cov conda_build `
+            --cov-append `
+            --cov-branch `
+            --cov-report xml `
+            --replay-record-dir="${{ env.REPLAY_DIR }}" `
+            --replay-base-name="${{ env.REPLAY_NAME }}" `
+            -m "${{ env.PYTEST_MARKER }}" `
+            .\tests
 
       - uses: codecov/codecov-action@v3
         with:
-          flags: ${{ matrix.test-type }},${{ matrix.python-version }},linux-64
+          flags: ${{ matrix.test-type }},${{ matrix.python-version }},win-64
 
       - name: Upload Pytest Replay
         if: '!cancelled()'
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
         with:
-          name: ${{ env.REPLAY_NAME }}-${{ matrix.test-type }}
           path: ${{ env.REPLAY_DIR }}
+          name: ${{ env.REPLAY_NAME }}-${{ matrix.test-type }}
 
-  # windows test suite
-  windows:
+  # linux test suite
+  linux:
     # only run test suite if there are code changes
     needs: changes
     if: github.event_name == 'schedule' || needs.changes.outputs.code == 'true'
 
-    runs-on: windows-2019
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash -el {0}
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        # test lower version (w/ stable conda) and upper version (w/ canary conda)
-        python-version: ['3.8']
+        # test all lower versions (w/ stable conda) and upper version (w/ canary conda)
+        python-version: ['3.9', '3.10']
         conda-version: [release]
         test-type: [serial, parallel]
         include:
+          # minimum Python/conda combo
+          - python-version: '3.8'
+            conda-version: 22.11.0
+            test-type: serial
+          - python-version: '3.8'
+            conda-version: 22.11.0
+            test-type: parallel
+          # maximum Python/conda combo
           - python-version: '3.11'
             conda-version: canary
             test-type: serial
@@ -181,9 +182,10 @@ jobs:
             test-type: parallel
     env:
       CONDA_CHANNEL_LABEL: ${{ matrix.conda-version == 'canary' && 'conda-canary/label/dev' || 'defaults' }}
-      REPLAY_NAME: Win-${{ matrix.conda-version }}-Py${{ matrix.python-version }}
-      REPLAY_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}\pytest-replay
-      PYTEST_MARKER: ${{ matrix.test-type == 'serial' && 'serial' || 'not serial and not slow' }}
+      CONDA_VERSION: ${{ contains('canary,release', matrix.conda-version) && 'conda' || format('conda={0}', matrix.conda-version) }}
+      REPLAY_NAME: Linux-${{ matrix.conda-version }}-Py${{ matrix.python-version }}
+      REPLAY_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/pytest-replay
+      PYTEST_MARKER: ${{ matrix.test-type == 'serial' && 'serial' || 'not serial' }}
       PYTEST_NUMPROCESSES: ${{ matrix.test-type == 'serial' && 0 || 'auto' }}
 
     steps:
@@ -205,20 +207,17 @@ jobs:
       - name: Setup miniconda
         uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v2
         with:
-          condarc-file: .\ci\github\.condarc
+          condarc-file: ./ci/github/.condarc
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
           run-post: false  # skip post cleanup
 
       - name: Setup environment
-        shell: cmd /C CALL {0}
         run: |
-          @echo on
-          CALL choco install visualstudio2017-workload-vctools || exit 1
-          CALL conda install -q -y -c defaults ^
-            --file .\tests\requirements.txt ^
-            --file .\tests\requirements-windows.txt ^
-            ${{ env.CONDA_CHANNEL_LABEL }}::conda || exit 1
-          CALL pip install -e . --no-deps || exit 1
+          conda install -q -y -c defaults \
+            --file ./tests/requirements.txt \
+            --file ./tests/requirements-linux.txt \
+            ${{ env.CONDA_CHANNEL_LABEL }}::${{ env.CONDA_VERSION }}
+          pip install -e . --no-deps
 
       - name: Show info
         run: |
@@ -227,30 +226,30 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Run tests
         run: |
-          pytest `
-            --color=yes `
-            -v `
-            -n "${{ env.PYTEST_NUMPROCESSES }}" `
-            --basetemp "${{ runner.temp }}\${{ matrix.test-type}}" `
-            --cov conda_build `
-            --cov-append `
-            --cov-branch `
-            --cov-report xml `
-            --replay-record-dir="${{ env.REPLAY_DIR }}" `
-            --replay-base-name="${{ env.REPLAY_NAME }}" `
-            -m "${{ env.PYTEST_MARKER }}" `
-            .\tests
+          pytest \
+            --color=yes \
+            -v \
+            -n "${{ env.PYTEST_NUMPROCESSES }}" \
+            --basetemp "${{ runner.temp }}/${{ matrix.test-type }}" \
+            --cov conda_build \
+            --cov-append \
+            --cov-branch \
+            --cov-report xml \
+            --replay-record-dir="${{ env.REPLAY_DIR }}" \
+            --replay-base-name="${{ env.REPLAY_NAME }}" \
+            -m "${{ env.PYTEST_MARKER }}" \
+            ./tests
 
       - uses: codecov/codecov-action@v3
         with:
-          flags: ${{ matrix.test-type }},${{ matrix.python-version }},win-64
+          flags: ${{ matrix.test-type }},${{ matrix.python-version }},linux-64
 
       - name: Upload Pytest Replay
         if: '!cancelled()'
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
         with:
-          path: ${{ env.REPLAY_DIR }}
           name: ${{ env.REPLAY_NAME }}-${{ matrix.test-type }}
+          path: ${{ env.REPLAY_DIR }}
 
   # macos test suite
   macos:
@@ -350,7 +349,7 @@ jobs:
   # aggregate and upload
   aggregate:
     # only aggregate test suite if there are code changes
-    needs: [changes, linux, windows, macos]
+    needs: [changes, windows, linux, macos]
     if: >-
       !cancelled()
       && (
@@ -365,7 +364,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Upload combined test results
         # provides one downloadable archive of all .coverage/test-report.xml files
-        # of all matrix runs for further analysis.
+        # of all matrix runs for further analysis
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
         with:
           name: test-results-${{ github.sha }}-all
@@ -380,13 +379,13 @@ jobs:
   # required check
   analyze:
     name: Analyze results
-    needs: [linux, windows, macos, aggregate]
+    needs: [windows, linux, macos, aggregate]
     if: '!cancelled()'
 
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Decide whether the needed jobs succeeded or failed
-        uses: re-actors/alls-green@05ac9388f0aebcb5727afa17fcccfecd6f8ec5fe
+        uses: re-actors/alls-green@v1.2.2
         with:
           allowed-skips: ${{ toJSON(needs) }}
           jobs: ${{ toJSON(needs) }}