diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index cc5f4924..652700f6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -217,15 +217,16 @@ jobs:
       - run: ./bin/test-gem-install gems -- --${{ matrix.syslib }}-system-libraries ${{ matrix.compile_flags }}
         shell: bash
 
-  cruby-native-package:
-    needs: ["native_setup"]
+  build_native_gem:
+    needs: native_setup
+    name: "build native"
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        plat:
+        platform:
           - "aarch64-linux"
           - "arm-linux"
-          - "arm64-darwin" # github actions does not support this runtime as of 2022-12, but let's build anyway
+          - "arm64-darwin"
           - "x64-mingw-ucrt"
           - "x64-mingw32"
           - "x86-linux"
@@ -237,162 +238,107 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/cache@v4
         with:
           path: ports/archives
-          key: ports-archives-tarball-${{hashFiles('ext/sqlite3/extconf.rb','dependencies.yml')}}
-      - env:
-          DOCKER_IMAGE: "ghcr.io/rake-compiler/rake-compiler-dock-image:${{needs.native_setup.outputs.rcd_image_version}}-mri-${{matrix.plat}}"
-        run: |
-          docker run --rm -v "$(pwd):/sqlite3" -w /sqlite3 ${DOCKER_IMAGE} \
-            ./bin/test-gem-build gems ${{matrix.plat}}
+          key: ports-archives-tarball-${{ hashFiles('ext/sqlite3/extconf.rb','dependencies.yml') }}
+      - run: |
+          docker run --rm -v $PWD:/work -w /work \
+            ghcr.io/rake-compiler/rake-compiler-dock-image:${{ needs.native_setup.outputs.rcd_image_version }}-mri-${{ matrix.platform }} \
+            ./bin/test-gem-build gems ${{ matrix.platform }}
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
         with:
-          name: "cruby-${{matrix.plat}}-gem"
+          name: "cruby-${{ matrix.platform }}-gem"
           path: gems
           retention-days: 1
 
-  cruby-aarch64-linux-install:
-    needs: ["cruby-native-package"]
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        ruby: ["3.0", "3.1", "3.2", "3.3"]
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: cruby-aarch64-linux-gem
-          path: gems
-      - run: |
-          docker run --rm --privileged multiarch/qemu-user-static --reset -p yes
-          docker run --rm -v "$(pwd):/sqlite3" -w /sqlite3 \
-            --platform=linux/arm64/v8 \
-            ruby:${{matrix.ruby}} \
-            ./bin/test-gem-install ./gems
-
-  cruby-arm-linux-install:
-    needs: ["cruby-native-package"]
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        ruby: ["3.0", "3.1", "3.2", "3.3"]
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: cruby-arm-linux-gem
-          path: gems
-      - run: |
-          docker run --rm --privileged multiarch/qemu-user-static --reset -p yes
-          docker run --rm -v "$(pwd):/sqlite3" -w /sqlite3 \
-            --platform=linux/arm/v7 \
-            ruby:${{matrix.ruby}} \
-            ./bin/test-gem-install ./gems
-
-## arm64-darwin installation testing is omitted until github actions supports it
-#  cruby-arm64-darwin-install:
-#    ...
-
-  cruby-x64-mingw-ucrt-install:
-    needs: ["cruby-native-package"]
+  test_architecture_matrix:
+    name: "${{ matrix.platform }} ${{ matrix.ruby }}"
+    needs: build_native_gem
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        ruby: ["3.1", "3.2", "3.3"]
-    runs-on: windows-2022
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
-        with:
-          ruby-version: "${{matrix.ruby}}"
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: cruby-x64-mingw-ucrt-gem
-          path: gems
-      - run: |
-          gem install --verbose --no-document gems/*.gem
-          gem list -d sqlite3
-          ruby -rsqlite3 -e 'puts SQLite3::SQLITE_LOADED_VERSION'
-
-  cruby-x64-mingw32-install:
-    needs: ["cruby-native-package"]
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        ruby: ["3.0"]
-    runs-on: windows-2019
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
-        with:
-          ruby-version: "${{matrix.ruby}}"
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: cruby-x64-mingw32-gem
-          path: gems
-      - run: |
-          gem install --verbose --no-document gems/*.gem
-          gem list -d sqlite3
-          ruby -rsqlite3 -e 'puts SQLite3::SQLITE_LOADED_VERSION'
-
-  cruby-x86-linux-install:
-    needs: ["cruby-native-package"]
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        ruby: ["3.0", "3.1", "3.2", "3.3"]
+        platform:
+          - aarch64-linux
+          # - aarch64-linux-gnu
+          # - aarch64-linux-musl
+          - arm-linux
+          # - arm-linux-gnu
+          # - arm-linux-musl
+          - x86-linux
+          # - x86-linux-gnu
+          # - x86-linux-musl
+          - x86_64-linux
+          # - x86_64-linux-gnu
+          # - x86_64-linux-musl
+        ruby: ["3.3", "3.2", "3.1", "3.0"]
+        include:
+          # # declare docker image for each platform
+          # - { platform: aarch64-linux-musl, docker_tag: "-alpine" }
+          # - { platform: arm-linux-musl, docker_tag: "-alpine" }
+          # - { platform: x86-linux-musl, docker_tag: "-alpine" }
+          # - { platform: x86_64-linux-musl, docker_tag: "-alpine" }
+          # declare docker platform for each platform
+          - { platform: aarch64-linux, docker_platform: "--platform=linux/arm64" }
+          # - { platform: aarch64-linux-gnu, docker_platform: "--platform=linux/arm64" }
+          # - { platform: aarch64-linux-musl, docker_platform: "--platform=linux/arm64" }
+          - { platform: arm-linux, docker_platform: "--platform=linux/arm/v7" }
+          # - { platform: arm-linux-gnu, docker_platform: "--platform=linux/arm/v7" }
+          # - { platform: arm-linux-musl, docker_platform: "--platform=linux/arm/v7" }
+          - { platform: x86-linux, docker_platform: "--platform=linux/386" }
+          # - { platform: x86-linux-gnu, docker_platform: "--platform=linux/386" }
+          # - { platform: x86-linux-musl, docker_platform: "--platform=linux/386" }
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
         with:
-          name: cruby-x86-linux-gem
+          name: cruby-${{ matrix.platform }}-gem
           path: gems
       - run: |
           docker run --rm --privileged multiarch/qemu-user-static --reset -p yes
-          docker run --rm -v "$(pwd):/sqlite3" -w /sqlite3 \
-            --platform=linux/386 \
-            ruby:${{matrix.ruby}} \
+          docker run --rm -v $PWD:/work -w /work \
+            ${{ matrix.docker_platform}} ruby:${{ matrix.ruby }} \
             ./bin/test-gem-install ./gems
 
-  cruby-x86_64-darwin-install:
-    needs: ["cruby-native-package"]
+  test_the_rest:
+    name: "${{ matrix.platform }} ${{ matrix.ruby }}"
+    needs: build_native_gem
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        ruby: ["3.0", "3.1", "3.2", "3.3"]
-    runs-on: macos-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
-        with:
-          ruby-version: "${{matrix.ruby}}"
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: cruby-x86_64-darwin-gem
-          path: gems
-      - run: ./bin/test-gem-install gems
-
-  cruby-x86_64-linux-install:
-    needs: ["cruby-native-package"]
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        ruby: ["3.0", "3.1", "3.2", "3.3"]
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+        os: [macos]
+        ruby: ["3.3", "3.2", "3.1", "3.0"]
+        include:
+          - os: macos
+            platform: x86_64-darwin
+          # # arm64-darwin installation testing is omitted until github actions supports it
+          # - os: macos
+          #   platform: arm64-darwin
+          - os: windows
+            ruby: "3.0"
+            platform: x64-mingw32
+          - os: windows
+            ruby: "3.1"
+            platform: x64-mingw-ucrt
+          - os: windows
+            ruby: "3.2"
+            platform: x64-mingw-ucrt
+          - os: windows
+            ruby: "3.3"
+            platform: x64-mingw-ucrt
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
         with:
-          ruby-version: "${{matrix.ruby}}"
+          ruby-version: "${{ matrix.ruby }}"
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
         with:
-          name: cruby-x86_64-linux-gem
+          name: cruby-${{ matrix.platform }}-gem
           path: gems
       - run: ./bin/test-gem-install gems
+        shell: bash
 
   cruby-x86_64-linux-musl-install:
-    needs: ["cruby-native-package"]
+    needs: build_native_gem
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix: