diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yml
index 023a71c..fb5c484 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci-cd.yml
@@ -46,8 +46,9 @@ jobs:
 
           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}"
-          PYTHON_BIN="$(uv python find --managed-python "${PYTHON_VERSION}")"
+          PROJECT_PYTHON_VERSION="$(cat .python-version 2>/dev/null || printf '%s' "${PYTHON_VERSION}")"
+          timeout 300s uv python install "${PROJECT_PYTHON_VERSION}"
+          PYTHON_BIN="$(uv python find --managed-python "${PROJECT_PYTHON_VERSION}")"
 
           printf 'PYTHON_BIN=%s\n' "${PYTHON_BIN}" > .ci-python-env
 
@@ -132,8 +133,9 @@ jobs:
 
           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}"
-          PYTHON_BIN="$(uv python find --managed-python "${PYTHON_VERSION}")"
+          PROJECT_PYTHON_VERSION="$(cat .python-version 2>/dev/null || printf '%s' "${PYTHON_VERSION}")"
+          timeout 300s uv python install "${PROJECT_PYTHON_VERSION}"
+          PYTHON_BIN="$(uv python find --managed-python "${PROJECT_PYTHON_VERSION}")"
 
           printf 'PYTHON_BIN=%s\n' "${PYTHON_BIN}" > .ci-python-env
 
@@ -222,6 +224,16 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: ci-test-workspace
 
+      - name: Extract prepared test workspace
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          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: Install Python and uv for artifact environment
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
@@ -236,17 +248,8 @@ jobs:
 
           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
-          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 "${ARCHIVE_PATH}"
+          PROJECT_PYTHON_VERSION="$(cat .python-version 2>/dev/null || printf '%s' "${PYTHON_VERSION}")"
+          timeout 300s uv python install "${PROJECT_PYTHON_VERSION}"
 
       - name: Run API inventory pytest suite
         env: