diff --git a/.github/workflows/cicd.yml b/.github/workflows/cicd.yml
index 3e9f5fd89..6d3d48a39 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cicd.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cicd.yml
@@ -131,63 +131,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: coverage
           path: ./tests/coverage/*
-          retention-days: 1
-
-  build-podman-v4:
-    env:
-      CGO_ENABLED: 1 # CGO is required for podman
-    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
-    needs: file-changes
-    if: needs.file-changes.outputs.code == 'true' || startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')
-    steps:
-      - name: Cache podman bin
-        id: cache-podman-bin
-        uses: actions/cache@v3
-        with:
-          path: |
-            ./bin
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-podman-${{ env.PODMAN_VER }}
-          restore-keys: |
-            ${{ runner.os }}-podman
-
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-        if: steps.cache-podman-bin.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        with:
-          repository: containers/podman
-          ref: ${{ env.PODMAN_VER }}
-
-      - uses: WillAbides/setup-go-faster@v1.10.1
-        if: steps.cache-podman-bin.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GOVER }}
-
-      - name: Cache go modules
-        if: steps.cache-podman-bin.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        uses: actions/cache@v3
-        with:
-          # In order:
-          # * Module download cache
-          # * Build cache (Linux)
-          path: |
-            ~/go/pkg/mod
-            ~/.cache/go-build
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-go-podman-${{ hashFiles('**/go.sum') }}
-          restore-keys: |
-            ${{ runner.os }}-go-podman
-
-      - name: Add build packages
-        if: steps.cache-podman-bin.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        run: sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y libsystemd-dev libseccomp-dev pkg-config golang-github-proglottis-gpgme-dev
-
-      - name: Build podman v4
-        if: steps.cache-podman-bin.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
-        run: make binaries
-
-      # store podman binary as artifact
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: podman-bins
-          path: bin
+          retention-days: 7
 
   smoke-tests:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
@@ -200,7 +144,6 @@ jobs:
       - unit-test
       - staticcheck
       - build-containerlab
-      - build-podman-v4
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -211,17 +154,15 @@ jobs:
           name: containerlab
       - name: Move containerlab to usr/bin
         run: sudo mv ./containerlab /usr/bin/containerlab && sudo chmod a+x /usr/bin/containerlab
-
-      - name: download podman bin artifact
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: podman-bins
-      - name: Move podman to /usr/bin
-        run: sudo mv ./podman /usr/bin && sudo chmod a+x /usr/bin/podman
-
-      - name: Enable Podman API service
-        run: sudo systemctl start podman
-
+      - name: Setup Podman
+        if: matrix.runtime == 'podman'
+        run: |
+          sudo apt purge -y podman
+          echo 'deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/devel:/kubic:/libcontainers:/unstable/xUbuntu_22.04/ /' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/devel:kubic:libcontainers:unstable.list
+          curl -fsSL https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/devel:kubic:libcontainers:unstable/xUbuntu_22.04/Release.key | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/devel_kubic_libcontainers_unstable.gpg > /dev/null
+          sudo apt update
+          sudo apt install -y podman=4:4.6.1-0ubuntu22.04+obs80.5
+          sudo systemctl start podman
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v4
         with:
           python-version: "3.8"
@@ -247,7 +188,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: coverage
           path: ./tests/coverage/*
-          retention-days: 1
+          retention-days: 7
 
   ext-container-tests:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
@@ -300,7 +241,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: coverage
           path: ./tests/coverage/*
-          retention-days: 1
+          retention-days: 7
 
   ceos-basic-tests:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
@@ -355,7 +296,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: coverage
           path: ./tests/coverage/*
-          retention-days: 1
+          retention-days: 7
 
   srlinux-basic-tests:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
@@ -379,15 +320,15 @@ jobs:
       - name: Move containerlab to usr/bin
         run: sudo mv ./containerlab /usr/bin/containerlab && sudo chmod a+x /usr/bin/containerlab
 
-      - name: download podman bin artifact
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: podman-bins
-      - name: Move podman to /usr/bin
-        run: sudo mv ./podman /usr/bin && sudo chmod a+x /usr/bin/podman
-
-      - name: Enable Podman API service
-        run: sudo systemctl start podman
+      - name: Setup Podman
+        if: matrix.runtime == 'podman'
+        run: |
+          sudo apt purge -y podman
+          echo 'deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/devel:/kubic:/libcontainers:/unstable/xUbuntu_22.04/ /' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/devel:kubic:libcontainers:unstable.list
+          curl -fsSL https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/devel:kubic:libcontainers:unstable/xUbuntu_22.04/Release.key | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/devel_kubic_libcontainers_unstable.gpg > /dev/null
+          sudo apt update
+          sudo apt install -y podman=4:4.6.1-0ubuntu22.04+obs80.5
+          sudo systemctl start podman
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v4
         with:
@@ -414,7 +355,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: coverage
           path: ./tests/coverage/*
-          retention-days: 1
+          retention-days: 7
 
   ixiac-one-basic-tests:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
@@ -461,7 +402,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: coverage
           path: ./tests/coverage/*
-          retention-days: 1
+          retention-days: 7
 
     # create a job that downloads coverage artifact and uses codecov to upload it
   coverage:
diff --git a/tests/01-smoke/01-basic-flow.robot b/tests/01-smoke/01-basic-flow.robot
index fbfccddfb..baddbc813 100644
--- a/tests/01-smoke/01-basic-flow.robot
+++ b/tests/01-smoke/01-basic-flow.robot
@@ -227,12 +227,8 @@ Verify Hosts entries exist
 
     Should Be Equal As Integers    ${rc}    0
 
-    IF    '${runtime}' == 'podman'
-        Should Contain    ${output}    6
-    END
-    IF    '${runtime}' == 'docker'
-        Should Contain    ${output}    6
-    END
+    IF    '${runtime}' == 'podman'    Should Contain    ${output}    6
+    IF    '${runtime}' == 'docker'    Should Contain    ${output}    6
 
 Verify Mem and CPU limits are set
     [Documentation]    Checking if cpu and memory limits set for a node has been reflected in the host config
diff --git a/tests/01-smoke/07-keep-mgmt-net.robot b/tests/01-smoke/07-keep-mgmt-net.robot
index ffa026e38..ef0ab89bb 100644
--- a/tests/01-smoke/07-keep-mgmt-net.robot
+++ b/tests/01-smoke/07-keep-mgmt-net.robot
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ Library             OperatingSystem
 Library             String
 Resource            ../common.robot
 
+Suite Setup         Setup
 Suite Teardown      Run    sudo -E ${CLAB_BIN} --runtime ${runtime} destroy -t ${topo} --cleanup
 
 
@@ -56,3 +57,9 @@ Check ${lab-name} mgmt network is gone
     ...    sudo ip l show dev ${mgmt-bridge}
     Log    ${output}
     Should Not Be Equal As Integers    ${rc}    0
+
+
+*** Keywords ***
+Setup
+    # skipping this test suite for podman as keep-mgmt-net fails with podman for now
+    Skip If    '${runtime}' == 'podman'
diff --git a/tests/common.robot b/tests/common.robot
index b879ddaee..a4b9e348d 100644
--- a/tests/common.robot
+++ b/tests/common.robot
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 *** Variables ***
-${CLAB_BIN}    containerlab
\ No newline at end of file
+${CLAB_BIN}     containerlab
diff --git a/tests/requirements.txt b/tests/requirements.txt
index d54e72836..80fc5c297 100644
--- a/tests/requirements.txt
+++ b/tests/requirements.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
-robotframework==4.1.0
+robotframework==6.1.1
 robotframework-sshlibrary==3.8.0
-rpaframework==14.1.0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/ssh.robot b/tests/ssh.robot
index 01a9c85f6..dae549785 100644
--- a/tests/ssh.robot
+++ b/tests/ssh.robot
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 *** Settings ***
-Library           SSHLibrary
+Library     SSHLibrary
+
 
 *** Keywords ***
 Login via SSH with username and password
@@ -14,10 +15,12 @@ Login via SSH with username and password
     FOR    ${i}    IN RANGE    ${try_for}
         SSHLibrary.Open Connection    ${address}    timeout=${conn_timeout}
         ${status}=    Run Keyword And Return Status    SSHLibrary.Login    ${username}    ${password}
-        Exit For Loop If    ${status}
+        IF    ${status}    BREAK
         Sleep    1s
     END
-    Run Keyword If    $status!=True    Fail    Unable to connect to ${address} via SSH in ${try_for} attempts
+    IF    $status!=True
+        Fail    Unable to connect to ${address} via SSH in ${try_for} attempts
+    END
     Log    Exited the loop.
 
 Login via SSH with public key
@@ -33,8 +36,10 @@ Login via SSH with public key
     FOR    ${i}    IN RANGE    ${try_for}
         SSHLibrary.Open Connection    ${address}    timeout=${conn_timeout}
         ${status}=    Run Keyword And Return Status    SSHLibrary.Login With Public Key    ${username}    ${keyfile}
-        Exit For Loop If    ${status}
+        IF    ${status}    BREAK
         Sleep    1s
     END
-    Run Keyword If    $status!=True    Fail    Unable to connect to ${address} via SSH in ${try_for} attempts
+    IF    $status!=True
+        Fail    Unable to connect to ${address} via SSH in ${try_for} attempts
+    END
     Log    Exited the loop.