diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/test.yml b/.gitea/workflows/test.yml
index d302e68..c06fc12 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/test.yml
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ on:
 
 env:
   SO_VERSION: v1.1.0-87fffca-202404110321
+  FIXTURENET_ETH_STACKS_VERSION: plugeth-stack
 
 jobs:
   unit-tests:
@@ -31,34 +32,42 @@ jobs:
     name: Run integration tests
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           path: ./plugeth-statediff
+          progress: false
       - name: Build docker image
         run: |
           docker build ./plugeth-statediff -t cerc/plugeth-statediff:local
 
+      - name: Install Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: 3.11
       - name: Install stack-orchestrator
         run: |
           curl -L -O https://github.com/cerc-io/stack-orchestrator/releases/download/$SO_VERSION/laconic-so
           chmod +x laconic-so
+          echo PATH="$PATH:$(pwd)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Clone system-tests
-        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           repository: cerc-io/system-tests
           ref: v0.1.0-20240411
           path: ./system-tests
           token: ${{ secrets.CICD_REPO_TOKEN }}
+          progress: false
+      - name: Clone fixturenet stack repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          repository: cerc-io/fixturenet-eth-stacks
+          ref: ${{ env.FIXTURENET_ETH_STACKS_VERSION }}
+          path: ./fixturenet-eth-stacks
+          progress: false
       - name: Run testnet stack
         working-directory: ./plugeth-statediff
-        env:
-          LACONIC_SO: ../laconic-so
-        run: ./scripts/integration-setup.sh
-      - name: Install Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
-        with:
-          python-version: 3.11
-
+        run: |
+          ./scripts/run-test-stack.sh ../fixturenet-eth-stacks/stack-orchestrator/stacks/fixturenet-plugeth
       - name: Run tests
         working-directory: ./system-tests
         run: |
diff --git a/scripts/integration-setup.sh b/scripts/run-test-stack.sh
similarity index 56%
rename from scripts/integration-setup.sh
rename to scripts/run-test-stack.sh
index f370a6e..f67ef16 100755
--- a/scripts/integration-setup.sh
+++ b/scripts/run-test-stack.sh
@@ -1,26 +1,21 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-# Builds and deploys a stack with only what we need.
-# This script assumes we are running in the project root.
 
-set -e
+set -ex
 
-STACK_URL="git.vdb.to/cerc-io/fixturenet-eth-stacks"
+[[ -d "$1" ]]
 
 CONFIG_DIR=$(readlink -f "${CONFIG_DIR:-$(mktemp -d)}")
+# By default assume we are running in the project root.
 export CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR="${CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR:-$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)/..}"
 
-laconic-so --verbose fetch-stack "$STACK_URL"
-stack_dir=$CERC_REPO_BASE_DIR/fixturenet-eth-stacks/stack-orchestrator/stacks/fixturenet-plugeth
-git -C $stack_dir checkout origin/plugeth-stack
-
 # Note: stack path should be absolute, otherwise SO looks for it in packaged stacks
-laconic_so="laconic-so --stack $stack_dir --verbose"
+stack_dir=$(readlink -f "$1")
 
-echo CERC_STATEDIFF_DB_GOOSE_MIN_VER=21 >> $CONFIG_DIR/stack.env
-# don't run plugeth in the debugger
+laconic_so="laconic-so --verbose --stack $stack_dir"
+
+# Don't run geth/plugeth in the debugger, it will swallow error backtraces
 echo CERC_REMOTE_DEBUG=false >> $CONFIG_DIR/stack.env
 
-set -x
 
 if [[ -z $SKIP_BUILD ]]; then
   $laconic_so setup-repositories \