diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yaml b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
index b21d6c53..8bed8dd9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
@@ -38,21 +38,17 @@ jobs:
 
           install: |
             apt-get update -q -y
-            apt-get install -q -y python3 automake libtool autotools-dev git make cmake pkg-config gcc wget libyajl-dev
+            apt-get install -q -y python3 automake libtool autotools-dev git make cmake pkg-config gcc wget xz-utils
 
           run: |
             find $(pwd) -name '.git' -exec bash -c 'git config --global --add safe.directory ${0%/.git}' {} \;
-            ./autogen.sh
-            ./configure CFLAGS='-Wall -Wextra -Werror'
-            make -j $(nproc) distcheck
-            # check that the working dir is clean
-            git describe --broken --dirty --all | grep -qv dirty
-
-            make clean
+            ./autogen.sh --enable-embedded-yajl
             ./configure --enable-embedded-yajl CFLAGS='-Wall -Wextra -Werror'
-            make -j $(nproc) distcheck
+            make -j $(nproc) distcheck DISTCHECK_CONFIGURE_FLAGS="--enable-embedded-yajl"
             # check that the working dir is clean
             git describe --broken --dirty --all | grep -qv dirty
+            make clean
+
   test_and_build_rust_bindings:
     name: test and build rust bindings
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest