diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index b844d8133..45a6738f7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -180,7 +180,9 @@ jobs:
     # This makes sure the setup_helpers module can build packages using
     # setuptools
     - name: Setuptools helpers test
-      run: pytest tests/extra_setuptools
+      run: |
+        pip install setuptools
+        pytest tests/extra_setuptools
       if: "!(matrix.runs-on == 'windows-2022')"
 
 
@@ -242,8 +244,6 @@ jobs:
         python -m pip install -r tests/requirements.txt
 
     - name: Configure
-      env:
-        SETUPTOOLS_USE_DISTUTILS: stdlib
       run: >
         cmake -S . -B build
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
diff --git a/.github/workflows/upstream.yml b/.github/workflows/upstream.yml
index 4acfbfce7..d4220be22 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/upstream.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/upstream.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
 name: Upstream
 
 on:
@@ -65,8 +64,8 @@ jobs:
     - name: Python tests C++11
       run: cmake --build build11 --target pytest -j 2
 
-    # - name: C++11 tests
-    #   run: cmake --build build11  --target cpptest -j 2
+    - name: C++11 tests
+      run: cmake --build build11  --target cpptest -j 2
 
     - name: Interface test C++11
       run: cmake --build build11 --target test_cmake_build
@@ -80,14 +79,14 @@ jobs:
         -DDOWNLOAD_EIGEN=ON
         -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=17
 
-    - name: Build
+    - name: Build C++17
       run: cmake --build build17 -j 2
 
-    - name: Python tests
+    - name: Python tests C++17
       run: cmake --build build17 --target pytest
 
-    # - name: C++ tests
-    #   run: cmake --build build17 --target cpptest
+    - name: C++17 tests
+      run: cmake --build build17 --target cpptest
 
     # Third build - C++17 mode with unstable ABI
     - name: Configure (unstable ABI)
@@ -105,10 +104,12 @@ jobs:
     - name: Python tests (unstable ABI)
       run: cmake --build build17max --target pytest
 
-    - name: Interface test
+    - name: Interface test (unstable ABI)
       run: cmake --build build17max --target test_cmake_build
 
     # This makes sure the setup_helpers module can build packages using
     # setuptools
     - name: Setuptools helpers test
-      run: pytest tests/extra_setuptools
+      run: |
+        pip install setuptools
+        pytest tests/extra_setuptools