diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -23,32 +23,31 @@ jobs:
           path: .
           fetch-depth: 0  # avoid shallow clone with no tags
 
-      - name: initialize miniconda
-        # this uses a marketplace action that sets up miniconda in a way that makes
-        # it easier to use.  I tried setting it up without this and it was a pain
-        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v2
-        with:
-          activate-environment: test
-          # environment.yml file is needed by this action.  Because I don't want
-          # maintain this but rather maintain the requirements files it just has
-          # basic things in it like conda and pip
-          environment-file: ./environment.yml
-          python-version: 3
-          auto-activate-base: false
+      - name: Install Mamba
+        run: |
+          wget "https://github.com/conda-forge/miniforge/releases/latest/download/Mambaforge-Linux-x86_64.sh" -O mambaforge.sh
+          bash mambaforge.sh -b -p $HOME/mambaforge
+          echo "$HOME/mambaforge/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
+          source $HOME/mambaforge/etc/profile.d/conda.sh
+          conda init bash
 
-      - name: install diffpy.pdfgui requirements
-        shell: bash -l {0}
+      - name: Create conda environment
         run: |
-          conda config --set always_yes yes --set changeps1 no
-          conda config --add channels conda-forge
-          conda activate test
-          conda install --file requirements/run.txt
-          conda install --file requirements/test.txt
-          pip install .
-      - name: Validate diffpy.pdfgui
-        shell: bash -l {0}
+          source $HOME/mambaforge/etc/profile.d/conda.sh
+          conda create -n test_env python=3.12 xonsh regolith -c conda-forge -y
+          conda activate test_env
+          pip install case_insensitive_dict
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
         run: |
-          conda activate test
-          coverage run -m pytest -vv -s
-          coverage report -m
-          codecov
+          source $HOME/mambaforge/etc/profile.d/conda.sh
+          conda activate test_env
+          mamba install --file requirements/run.txt
+          mamba install --file requirements/test.txt
+          pip install -e .
+
+      - name: Use Xvfb Action
+        uses: GabrielBB/xvfb-action@v1
+        with:
+          run: |
+            bash -c "source $HOME/mambaforge/etc/profile.d/conda.sh && conda activate test_env && python -m run_tests.py"
diff --git a/conda-recipe/run_test.py → conda-recipe/dont_run.py b/conda-recipe/run_test.py → conda-recipe/dont_run.py
diff --git a/conda-recipe/meta.yaml → conda-recipe/meta.suppress_yaml b/conda-recipe/meta.yaml → conda-recipe/meta.suppress_yaml
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ test:
     # entry points work.
 
 
-  # You can also put a file called run_test.py in the recipe that will be run
+  # You can also put a file called dont_run.py in the recipe that will be run
   # at test time.
 
   # requires:

diff --git a/environment.yml b/environment.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+name: diffpy.pdfgui
+channels:
+  - conda-forge
+dependencies:
+  - python=3
+  - pip
diff --git a/requirements/run.txt b/requirements/run.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-numpy
+numpy==1.26
 wxpython
 diffpy.pdffit2
 diffpy.utils

diff --git a/requirements/test.txt b/requirements/test.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 pytest
 freezegun
+coverage
+codecov
diff --git a/run_tests.py b/run_tests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+import diffpy.pdfgui.tests
+
+assert diffpy.pdfgui.tests.testdeps().wasSuccessful()
diff --git a/src/diffpy/pdfgui/gui/aboutdialog.py b/src/diffpy/pdfgui/gui/aboutdialog.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 # PDFgui            by DANSE Diffraction group
 #                   Simon J. L. Billinge
 #                   (c) 2006 trustees of the Michigan State University.
+#                   (c) 2024 trustees of the Columbia University in the City
+#                   of New York
 #                   All rights reserved.
 #
 # File coded by:    Dmitriy Bryndin
@@ -233,7 +235,7 @@ def onColumbiaLogo(self, event):  # wxGlade: DialogAbout.<event_handler>
 
 # end of class DialogAbout
 
-##### testing code ###########################################################
+# #### testing code ###########################################################
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     app = wx.App()

diff --git a/src/diffpy/pdfgui/gui/adddatapanel.py b/src/diffpy/pdfgui/gui/adddatapanel.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 # PDFgui            by DANSE Diffraction group
 #                   Simon J. L. Billinge
 #                   (c) 2006 trustees of the Michigan State University.
+#                   (c) 2024 trustees of the Columbia University in the City
 #                   All rights reserved.
 #
 # File coded by:    Chris Farrow