diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 6ea62949..e0003d81 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           create-symlink: true
           key: ${{ matrix.os }}-${{ matrix.build-type }}
-      - name: set env
+      - name: set env and prepare dir structure
         run: |
           sst_deps_user_dir="${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/../${GITHUB_RUN_ID}_${GITHUB_RUN_NUMBER}_${GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT}"
           mkdir -p "${sst_deps_user_dir}"
@@ -92,17 +92,18 @@ jobs:
           wget https://github.com/umd-memsys/DRAMSim2/archive/refs/tags/v2.2.2.tar.gz
       - name: run bamboo
         run: |
-          export SST_DEPS_USER_MODE=1
-          ln -sv "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}" "${SST_DEPS_USER_DIR}/../sqe"
+          # needed for ncurses part of interactive sst-info
           export TERM=dumb
           MAKEFLAGS="-j$(nproc)"
           export MAKEFLAGS
           if [[ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ]]; then
               export PMIX_MCA_gds=hash
           fi
+          export SST_DEPS_USER_MODE=1
           mkdir -p "${SST_DEPS_USER_DIR}/devel/trunk"
+          mv "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}" "${SST_DEPS_USER_DIR}/devel/sqe"
           cd "${SST_DEPS_USER_DIR}/devel/trunk"
-          "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}"/buildsys/bamboo.sh ${{ matrix.build-type }} none none none none none
+          ../sqe/buildsys/bamboo.sh ${{ matrix.build-type }} none none none none none
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: test-output-${{ matrix.os }}-${{ matrix.build-type }}