diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 22c59e57..2c0e7bad 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -12,21 +12,18 @@ jobs:
     steps:
 
       - name: check out repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: set up miniconda and env
         uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v2
         with:
-          auto-update-conda: true
+          python-version: "3.9"
           mamba-version: "*"
-          channels: conda-forge,defaults
-          environment-file: environment.yml
+          auto-update-conda: true
           activate-environment: htsinfer
+          environment-file: environment-dev.yml
           auto-activate-base: false
 
-      - name: update env with dev packages
-        run: mamba env update --file environment-dev.yml
-
       - name: display env info
         run: |
           conda info -a
@@ -63,16 +60,12 @@ jobs:
         uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v2
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-          auto-update-conda: true
           mamba-version: "*"
-          channels: conda-forge,defaults
-          environment-file: environment.yml
+          auto-update-conda: true
           activate-environment: htsinfer
+          environment-file: environment-dev.yml
           auto-activate-base: false
 
-      - name: update env with dev packages
-        run: mamba env update --file environment-dev.yml
-
       - name: display env info
         run: |
           conda info -a
@@ -107,22 +100,18 @@ jobs:
     steps:
 
       - name: check out repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: set up miniconda and env
         uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v2
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-          auto-update-conda: true
           mamba-version: "*"
-          channels: conda-forge,defaults
-          environment-file: environment.yml
+          auto-update-conda: true
           activate-environment: htsinfer
+          environment-file: environment-dev.yml
           auto-activate-base: false
 
-      - name: update env with dev packages
-        run: mamba env update --file environment-dev.yml
-
       - name: display env info
         run: |
           conda info -a
@@ -171,4 +160,4 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           echo "Push indicator: ${{ steps.docker.outputs.push-indicator }}"
           echo "# Set to 'true' if image was pushed, empty string otherwise"
-          test "${{ steps.docker.outputs.push-indicator }}" == "true"
\ No newline at end of file
+          test "${{ steps.docker.outputs.push-indicator }}" == "true"