diff --git a/.github/workflows/hardware-metadata-validation.yml b/.github/workflows/hardware-metadata-validation.yml
index 716cd976277..547567b3890 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/hardware-metadata-validation.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/hardware-metadata-validation.yml
@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ jobs:
       image: docker.io/zmkfirmware/zmk-dev-arm:3.5
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Setup Python virtual environment
+        run: |
+          python3 -m venv /tmp/venv
+          source /tmp/venv/bin/activate
+          echo VIRTUAL_ENV="$VIRTUAL_ENV" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo PATH="$PATH" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: pip install -r app/scripts/requirements.txt
       - name: West init