diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 9787a73a..e687d121 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ concurrency:
 
 jobs:
   linux-gcc:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
     # Branch on different OS and settings
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 0
           submodules: true
 
+      - name: Setup Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: 3.8
+
       - name: Checkout submodule
         run: |
           make checkout
diff --git a/.github/workflows/install_ubuntu_dependencies_build.sh b/.github/workflows/install_ubuntu_dependencies_build.sh
index f6dea53a..310d791e 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/install_ubuntu_dependencies_build.sh
+++ b/.github/workflows/install_ubuntu_dependencies_build.sh
@@ -39,5 +39,6 @@ apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
     valgrind \
     wget \
     zip \
+    zlib1g-dev zlib1g \
     libhwloc-dev \
     g++-11