diff --git a/.github/release.yml b/.github/release.yml
index 2df60e6e0..e3ebec9d7 100644
--- a/.github/release.yml
+++ b/.github/release.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-# .github/release.yml
-
 changelog:
   categories:
     - title: BREAKING CHANGES! 🚨
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 17da3b1dc..b0a61a94e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ permissions:
   contents: read
 
 jobs:
-  build-wheels:
-    name: Build wheels on ${{ matrix.os }}
+  build:
+    name: Build ${{ matrix.os }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ jobs:
           git fetch --depth=1 origin +refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*
 
       # TODO: add cbuildwheel cache
-      - name: Build wheels
+      - name: Build wheel
         uses: pypa/cibuildwheel@v2.22.0
         env:
           HATCH_BUILD_HOOKS_ENABLE: true
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ jobs:
 
   release:
     if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')
-    needs: build-wheels
+    needs: build
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     environment: release
     steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
index 0a3581718..e618300e6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/unit-tests.yml
@@ -20,17 +20,21 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 0
       - name: Setup backend
         uses: ./.github/actions/setup-backend
-      - name: Run ATS and Tests
-        uses: ./.github/actions/run_ats
-        timeout-minutes: 15
-        with:
-          default_tests: "tests/unit"
-          codecov_static_token: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_STATIC_TOKEN }}
-          codecov_token: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}
-          collect_args: "--timeout 15"
-          codecov_flags: unit-tests
+      - name: Test with pytest
+        timeout-minutes: 6
+        run: |
+          uv run pytest --cov \
+            -o junit_suite_name="${{github.job}}" \
+            -n auto \
+            -vv \
+            --cov \
+            --cov-append \
+            --timeout 50 \
+            --cov-report=xml \
+            tests/unit
   codemod-tests:
-    # changing the following value will significantly affect github's cost. Be careful and consult with the team before changing it.
+    # TODO: re-enable when this check is a develop required check
+    if: false
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest-32
     strategy:
       matrix:
@@ -93,7 +97,6 @@ jobs:
   #         GITHUB_WORKSPACE: $GITHUB_WORKSPACE
 
   parse-tests:
-    # changing the following value will significantly affect github's cost. Be careful and consult with the team before changing it.
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest-32
     if: contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'parse-tests') || github.event_name == 'push' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
     environment: parse-tests