diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-linux.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-linux.yml
index 94926cd6f..b70aa8f80 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-linux.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-linux.yml
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ jobs:
 
   test_linux:
     name: E2E Test linux
-    runs-on: amd7940hs
+    runs-on: nod-nuc-linux-2
     needs: build_and_ctest
     strategy:
       fail-fast: true
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ jobs:
           # sudo visudo -f /etc/sudoers.d/github
           # ```
           # on the guthub CI machine.
-          sudo prlimit -lunlimited --pid $$
+          # sudo prlimit -lunlimited --pid $$
 
           source /opt/xilinx/xrt/setup.sh
           bash build_tools/ci/run_matmul_test.sh \
diff --git a/build_tools/ci/run_matmul_test.sh b/build_tools/ci/run_matmul_test.sh
index 01fdff83b..dc46740cc 100755
--- a/build_tools/ci/run_matmul_test.sh
+++ b/build_tools/ci/run_matmul_test.sh
@@ -95,7 +95,9 @@ fi
 if [ -z "${3-}" ]; then
   PEANO=/opt/llvm-aie
 else
-  PEANO=`realpath "$3"`
+  if [ -d "$PEANO" ]; then
+    PEANO=`realpath "$3"`
+  fi
 fi
 if [ ! -d "${PEANO}" ]; then
   echo "No directory '${PEANO}' (argument 3) found."
@@ -106,7 +108,9 @@ fi
 if [ -z "${4-}" ]; then
   XRT_DIR=/opt/xilinx/xrt
 else
-  XRT_DIR=`realpath "$4"`
+  if [ -d "$XRT_DIR" ]; then
+    XRT_DIR=`realpath "$4"`
+  fi
 fi
 if [ -d "$XRT_DIR" ]; then
   source $XRT_DIR/setup.sh
@@ -116,7 +120,9 @@ fi
 if [ -z "${5-}" ]; then
   VITIS=/opt/Xilinx/Vitis/2024.2
 else
-  VITIS=`realpath "$5"`
+  if [ -d "$VITIS" ]; then
+    VITIS=`realpath "$5"`
+  fi
 fi
 
 THIS_DIR="$(cd $(dirname $0) && pwd)"