diff --git a/.github/workflows/testing.yml b/.github/workflows/testing.yml
index 3b330be45ac..742abb189f4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/testing.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/testing.yml
@@ -113,13 +113,13 @@ jobs:
           export CIME_REMOTE=https://github.com/${{ github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name || github.repository }}
           export CIME_BRANCH=${GITHUB_HEAD_REF:-${GITHUB_REF##*/}}
 
-          pip install -r test-requirements.txt
-
           source /entrypoint.sh
 
           # from 'entrypoint.sh', create and activate new environment
           create_environment ${{ matrix.python-version }}
 
+          pip install -r test-requirements.txt
+
           # GitHub runner home is different than container
           cp -rf /root/.cime /github/home/