diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yml
index 1df71e6..40b11ad 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yml
@@ -232,10 +232,31 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: ci-test-workspace
 
+      - name: Install Python and uv for artifact environment
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          if command -v python3.11 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            BOOTSTRAP_PYTHON=python3.11
+          elif command -v python3 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            BOOTSTRAP_PYTHON=python3
+          else
+            echo "python3 is not available on the runner" >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          timeout 180s "${BOOTSTRAP_PYTHON}" -m pip install --user --break-system-packages --upgrade pip uv
+          export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
+          timeout 300s uv python install "${PYTHON_VERSION}"
+
       - name: Extract prepared test workspace
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
-          tar -xzf ci-test-workspace.tar.gz
+          ARCHIVE_PATH="$(find . -maxdepth 2 -name 'ci-test-workspace.tar.gz' -print -quit)"
+          if [ -z "${ARCHIVE_PATH}" ]; then
+            echo "ci-test-workspace.tar.gz not found after artifact download" >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          tar -xzf "${ARCHIVE_PATH}"
 
       - name: Run API inventory pytest suite
         env: