diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c147f4074..8035bb78c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,40 +1,41 @@
-dev:
-	python3 -m venv .venv
 ifeq ($(OS), Windows_NT)
-	.venv\Scripts\activate
+	VENV_BIN = .venv/Scripts
 else
-	. .venv/bin/activate
+	VENV_BIN = .venv/bin
 endif
-	pip install '.[dev]'
+
+dev:
+	python3 -m venv .venv
+	$(VENV_BIN)/pip install '.[dev]'
 
 install:
-	pip install .
+	$(VENV_BIN)/pip install .
 
 fmt:
-	black databricks tests
-	autoflake -ri databricks tests
-	isort databricks tests
+	$(VENV_BIN)/black databricks tests
+	$(VENV_BIN)/autoflake -ri databricks tests
+	$(VENV_BIN)/isort databricks tests
 
 fmte:
-	black examples
-	autoflake -ri examples
-	isort examples
+	$(VENV_BIN)/black examples
+	$(VENV_BIN)/autoflake -ri examples
+	$(VENV_BIN)/isort examples
 
 lint:
-	pycodestyle databricks
-	autoflake --check-diff --quiet --recursive databricks
+	$(VENV_BIN)/pycodestyle databricks
+	$(VENV_BIN)/autoflake --check-diff --quiet --recursive databricks
 
 test:
-	pytest -m 'not integration and not benchmark' --cov=databricks --cov-report html tests
+	$(VENV_BIN)/pytest -m 'not integration and not benchmark' --cov=databricks --cov-report html tests
 
 integration:
-	pytest -n auto -m 'integration and not benchmark' --reruns 2 --dist loadgroup --cov=databricks --cov-report html tests
+	$(VENV_BIN)/pytest -n auto -m 'integration and not benchmark' --reruns 2 --dist loadgroup --cov=databricks --cov-report html tests
 
 benchmark:
-	pytest -m 'benchmark' tests
+	$(VENV_BIN)/pytest -m 'benchmark' tests
 
 coverage: test
 	open htmlcov/index.html
 
 clean:
-	rm -fr dist *.egg-info .pytest_cache build htmlcov
+	rm -fr dist *.egg-info .pytest_cache build htmlcov .venv
diff --git a/tests/test_venv_usage.py b/tests/test_venv_usage.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6720d0b2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_venv_usage.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+"""Test to verify that tests are running from within the project's virtual environment.
+
+This test exists to catch Makefile issues where the venv is created but not actually used.
+If this test fails in CI, it means `make test` is using system Python instead of .venv/bin/python.
+"""
+
+import sys
+
+
+def test_running_in_venv():
+    """Verify pytest is running from the project's .venv, not system Python."""
+    # Log the Python paths being used for visibility in CI output
+    print(f"\n=== Python Environment Info ===")
+    print(f"sys.executable: {sys.executable}")
+    print(f"sys.prefix:     {sys.prefix}")
+    print(f"sys.base_prefix: {sys.base_prefix}")
+    print(f"================================\n")
+
+    # sys.prefix points to the Python installation being used
+    # If we're in the venv, it should contain '.venv'
+    assert ".venv" in sys.prefix, (
+        f"Tests are NOT running from the project venv!\n"
+        f"sys.prefix = {sys.prefix}\n"
+        f"sys.executable = {sys.executable}\n"
+        f"This likely means the Makefile is not correctly using the venv it creates."
+    )