diff --git a/.ci/batch-byte-compile.sh b/.ci/batch-byte-compile.sh
index 8d268db2..8ef8eb80 100755
--- a/.ci/batch-byte-compile.sh
+++ b/.ci/batch-byte-compile.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 set -x
 set -e
 
-EMACS_DIR="$(cd "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE:-${HOME}}/${1:-.emacs.d}" && pwd -P)"
+EMACS_DIR="$(cd "${HOME}/${1:-.emacs.d}" && pwd -P)"
 EMACS=${EMACS:=emacs}
 
 exit_code=0
diff --git a/.ci/batch-checkdoc.sh b/.ci/batch-checkdoc.sh
index 9356b6f4..08ef8f50 100755
--- a/.ci/batch-checkdoc.sh
+++ b/.ci/batch-checkdoc.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 set -x
 set -e
 
-EMACS_DIR="$(cd "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE:-${HOME}}/${1:-.emacs.d}" && pwd -P)"
+EMACS_DIR="$(cd "${HOME}/${1:-.emacs.d}" && pwd -P)"
 EMACS=${EMACS:=emacs}
 
 for pattern in "modules/*.el" "init.el" "themes/*.el" ".ci/*.el"; do
diff --git a/.ci/batch-flycheck.sh b/.ci/batch-flycheck.sh
index 966f5268..f2414ff2 100755
--- a/.ci/batch-flycheck.sh
+++ b/.ci/batch-flycheck.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 set -x
 set -e
 
-EMACS_DIR="$(cd "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE:-${HOME}}/${1:-.emacs.d}" && pwd -P)"
+EMACS_DIR="$(cd "${HOME}/${1:-.emacs.d}" && pwd -P)"
 EMACS=${EMACS:=emacs}
 
 for pattern in "modules/*.el" "init.el" "themes/*.el" ".ci/*.el"; do
diff --git a/.ci/first-start.sh b/.ci/first-start.sh
index 8669cebd..9eaefe47 100755
--- a/.ci/first-start.sh
+++ b/.ci/first-start.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 set -x
 set -e
 
-EMACS_DIR="$(cd "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE:-${HOME}}/${1:-.emacs.d}" && pwd -P)"
+EMACS_DIR="$(cd "${HOME}/${1:-.emacs.d}" && pwd -P)"
 EMACS=${EMACS:=emacs}
 
 # Redefine ask-user-about-lock as the melpa seems to stumble on it
diff --git a/.ci/unit-test-cl.sh b/.ci/unit-test-cl.sh
index e3cfb5ed..b8496824 100755
--- a/.ci/unit-test-cl.sh
+++ b/.ci/unit-test-cl.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 set -x
 set -e
-EMACS_DIR="$(cd "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE:-${HOME}}/${1:-.emacs.d}" && pwd -P)"
+EMACS_DIR="$(cd "${HOME}/${1:-.emacs.d}" && pwd -P)"
 EMACS=${EMACS:=emacs}
 
 ${EMACS} -Q --batch \
diff --git a/.ci/unit-tests.sh b/.ci/unit-tests.sh
index 4834ea87..9b8a01b7 100755
--- a/.ci/unit-tests.sh
+++ b/.ci/unit-tests.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 set -x
 set -e
 
-EMACS_DIR="$(cd "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE:-${HOME}}/${1:-.emacs.d}" && pwd -P)"
+EMACS_DIR="$(cd "${HOME}/${1:-.emacs.d}" && pwd -P)"
 EMACS=${EMACS:=emacs}
 
 # Run all tests form *.t.el
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index d9d52816..3a438429 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -38,7 +38,10 @@ jobs:
 
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
-          path: '.emacs.d'
+          path: exordium
+
+      - name: Link exordium to $HOME/.emacs.d
+        run: ln -s "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/exordium" "${HOME}/.emacs.d"
 
       - name: Install bash # Needed for mapfile on macOS,
                            # Installing early so all scripts run in
@@ -47,10 +50,10 @@ jobs:
         run: brew install bash
 
       - name: First start # So most modules are pulled in from melpa and gnu
-        run: .emacs.d/.ci/first-start.sh
+        run: '"${HOME}/.emacs.d/.ci/first-start.sh"'
 
       - name: Unit tests
-        run: .emacs.d/.ci/unit-tests.sh
+        run: '"${HOME}/.emacs.d/.ci/unit-tests.sh"'
 
       - name: Publish test report
         uses: mikepenz/action-junit-report@v5
@@ -59,25 +62,20 @@ jobs:
           report_paths: '.emacs.d/modules/*.t.xml'
 
       - name: Verify no obsolete cl- functions
-        run: .emacs.d/.ci/unit-test-cl.sh
+        run: '"${HOME}/.emacs.d/.ci/unit-test-cl.sh"'
 
       - name: 'Lint: checkdoc'
         if: contains(fromJSON('["29.4", "snapshot"]'), matrix.emacs_version)
-        run: .emacs.d/.ci/batch-checkdoc.sh
+        run: '"${HOME}/.emacs.d/.ci/batch-checkdoc.sh"'
 
       - name: 'Lint: compilation' # Close to the end, to let other builds escape errors
                                   # caused by compilation shenanigans
         if: contains(fromJSON('["29.4", "snapshot"]'), matrix.emacs_version)
-        run: .emacs.d/.ci/batch-byte-compile.sh
-
-      - name: Link .emacs.d to $HOME # batch-flycheck expects Exordium
-                                     # to be installed in ${HOME}/.emacs.d
-        if: contains(fromJSON('["29.4", "snapshot"]'), matrix.emacs_version)
-        run: ln -s "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/.emacs.d" "${HOME}/.emacs.d"
+        run: '"${HOME}/.emacs.d/.ci/batch-byte-compile.sh"'
 
       - name: 'Lint: flycheck' # After compilation that should install all packages
         if: contains(fromJSON('["29.4", "snapshot"]'), matrix.emacs_version)
-        run: .emacs.d/.ci/batch-flycheck.sh
+        run: '"${HOME}/.emacs.d/.ci/batch-flycheck.sh"'
 
   pkryger-taps:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}