diff --git a/.github/workflows/package.yml b/.github/workflows/package.yml
index 836de4b..f20761e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/package.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/package.yml
@@ -18,10 +18,9 @@ jobs:
         with:
           auto-update-conda: true
           channels: conda-forge,defaults
-          mamba-version: "*"
+          use-mamba: true
           environment-file: environment.yml
-          cache-environment-key: ${{ runner.os }}-env-${{ hashFiles('**/environment.yml') }}
-          cache-downloads-key: ${{ runner.os }}-downloads-${{ hashFiles('**/environment.yml') }}
+          activate-environment: test
       - name: install additional dependencies
         run: |
           echo "installing additional dependencies from environment_development.yml"
@@ -61,10 +60,9 @@ jobs:
         with:
           auto-update-conda: true
           channels: conda-forge,defaults
-          mamba-version: "*"
+          use-mamba: true
           environment-file: environment.yml
-          cache-environment-key: ${{ runner.os }}-env-${{ hashFiles('**/environment.yml') }}
-          cache-downloads-key: ${{ runner.os }}-downloads-${{ hashFiles('**/environment.yml') }}
+          activate-environment: test
       - name: build pypi package
         run: |
           # build the package
diff --git a/.github/workflows/unittest.yml b/.github/workflows/unittest.yml
index 902fa68..cf00654 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/unittest.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/unittest.yml
@@ -19,10 +19,9 @@ jobs:
         with:
           auto-update-conda: true
           channels: conda-forge,defaults
-          mamba-version: "*"
+          use-mamba: true
           environment-file: environment.yml
-          cache-environment-key: ${{ runner.os }}-env-${{ hashFiles('**/environment.yml') }}
-          cache-downloads-key: ${{ runner.os }}-downloads-${{ hashFiles('**/environment.yml') }}
+          activate-environment: test
       - name: install additional dependencies
         run: |
           echo "installing additional dependencies if cannot be installed from conda"