diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index d6ed44db..bec62534 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 name: CI
 
+
 on:
   # Triggers the workflow on push or pull request events but only for the master branch
   push:
@@ -10,41 +11,21 @@ on:
   # Allows you to run this workflow manually from the Actions tab
   workflow_dispatch:
 
+
 jobs:
 
-  basic_install:
-    name: 'pip install'
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v2
-        with:
-          ref: master
-
-      - name: Setup python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v2
-        with:
-          python-version: '3.9'
-
-      - name: Install dependencies
-        run: pip install -e . --upgrade-strategy eager -r requirements.txt
-
-      - name: Run piker cli
-        run: piker 
-
   testing:
-    name: 'test suite'
+    name: 'install + test-suite'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
 
       - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v2
+        uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
       - name: Setup python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v2
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v3
         with:
-          python-version: '3.9'
+          python-version: '3.10'
 
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: pip install -U . -r requirements-test.txt -r requirements.txt --upgrade-strategy eager
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 680360b0..e64267b9 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 # we require a pinned dev branch to get some edge features that
 # are often untested in tractor's CI and/or being tested by us
 # first before committing as core features in tractor's base.
--e git+git://github.com/goodboy/tractor.git@master#egg=tractor
+-e git+https://github.com/goodboy/tractor.git@master#egg=tractor
 
 # `pyqtgraph` peeps keep breaking, fixing, improving so might as well
 # pin this to a dev branch that we have more control over especially
 # as more graphics stuff gets hashed out.
--e git+git://github.com/pikers/pyqtgraph.git@piker_pin#egg=pyqtgraph
+-e git+https://github.com/pikers/pyqtgraph.git@piker_pin#egg=pyqtgraph