diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 506f6e6..ff6ce56 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -124,7 +124,9 @@ jobs:
           MPLBACKEND: PDF
           # BIOSIMULATORS_API_ENDPOINT: https://api.biosimulators.dev/  # uncomment to execute tests with the dev deployment
         with:
-          run: poetry run python -m pytest tests/ --cov=./biosimulators_test_suite --cov-report=xml
+          run: |
+            poetry run python -m pip install --upgrade setuptools
+            poetry run python -m pytest tests/ --cov=./biosimulators_test_suite --cov-report=xml
 
       - name: Upload the coverage report to Codecov
         uses: codecov/codecov-action@v2