diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
index 1dba87a..103bd06 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
@@ -151,10 +151,15 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install caikit-nlp-client
         run: |
+          python -m venv .venv
+          source .venv/bin/activate
+
           pip install caikit-nlp-client
 
       - name: Perform test inference (http)
         run: |
+          source .venv/bin/activate
+
           export ISVC_URL="$(oc get isvc ${ISVC_NAME} -o jsonpath='{.status.components.predictor.url}')"
           export ISVC_HOSTNAME=$(echo $ISVC_URL | cut -d/ -f3-)
           echo "Querying ISVC at: ${ISVC_URL}"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/kserve-test.yml b/.github/workflows/kserve-test.yml
index a5647c0..8b88086 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/kserve-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/kserve-test.yml
@@ -116,10 +116,15 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install caikit-nlp-client
         run: |
+          python -m venv .venv
+          source .venv/bin/activate
+
           pip install caikit-nlp-client
 
       - name: Perform test inference (http)
         run: |
+          source .venv/bin/activate
+
           export ISVC_URL="$(oc get isvc ${ISVC_NAME} -o jsonpath='{.status.components.predictor.url}')"
           export ISVC_HOSTNAME=$(echo $ISVC_URL | cut -d/ -f3-)
           echo "Querying ISVC at: ${ISVC_URL}"
diff --git a/test/compose/smoke-test.sh b/test/compose/smoke-test.sh
index 0227eb2..810394a 100755
--- a/test/compose/smoke-test.sh
+++ b/test/compose/smoke-test.sh
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ fi
 
 docker compose up -d
 
+python -m venv .env
+source .venv/bin/activate
+
 pip install caikit-nlp-client
 
 echo -e "\n=== Testing endpoints..."