diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 03fc29a..96ee0fe 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -1,29 +1,34 @@
 name: "BEC Plugin Repo Tests"
 description: "Install and test a BEC plugin repository"
 inputs:
-  BEC_CORE_BRANCH: # id of input
-    required: false
-    default: "main"
-    description: "Branch of BEC Core to install"
-  OPHYD_DEVICES_BRANCH: # id of input
-    required: false
-    default: "main"
-    description: "Branch of Ophyd Devices to install"
-  BEC_WIDGETS_BRANCH: # id of input
-    required: false
-    default: "main"
-    description: "Branch of BEC Widgets to install"
-  BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_URL: # id of input
+  BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_URL:
+    description: "URL of the BEC Plugin Repository to install"
     required: true
-    description: "URL of the BEC plugin repository to install"
-  BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_BRANCH: # id of input
+    default: ""
+  BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_BRANCH:
+    description: "Branch of the BEC Plugin Repository to install"
     required: false
     default: "main"
-    description: "Branch of the BEC plugin repository to install"
-  PYTHON_VERSION: # id of input
+  BEC_WIDGETS_BRANCH:
+    description: "Branch of BEC Widgets to install"
+    required: false
+    default: "main"
+  BEC_CORE_BRANCH:
+    description: "Branch of BEC Core to install"
+    required: false
+    default: "main"
+  OPHYD_DEVICES_BRANCH:
+    description: "Branch of Ophyd Devices to install"
+    required: false
+    default: "main"
+  PYTHON_VERSION:
+    description: "Python version to use"
     required: false
     default: "3.11"
-    description: "Python version to use"
+  APT_PACKAGES:
+    description: "List of system packages to install via apt-get"
+    required: false
+    default: ""
 
 runs:
   using: "composite"
@@ -33,8 +38,8 @@ runs:
       id: plugin_checkout
       run: |
         # Create a temporary directory for the plugin repository
-        mkdir -p ./_checkout_/
-        cd ./_checkout_/
+        mkdir -p ./_plugin_checkout_/
+        cd ./_plugin_checkout_/
 
         # Clone the repository with fallback for branch
         if git clone --depth 1 --branch "${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_BRANCH }}" "${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_URL }}"; then
@@ -47,14 +52,100 @@ runs:
         cd ../
         # get the plugin repository name from the installed directory
         PLUGIN_REPO_NAME=$(basename "${{ inputs.BEC_PLUGIN_REPO_URL }}" .git)
-        echo "PLUGIN_REPO_NAME=${PLUGIN_REPO_NAME}" >> $GITEA_ENV
+        echo "PLUGIN_REPO_NAME=${PLUGIN_REPO_NAME}" >> $GITHUB_ENV #$GITEA_ENV
         echo "Plugin repository name: $PLUGIN_REPO_NAME"
 
+    - name: Checkout BEC Core
+      shell: bash
+      id: bec_core_checkout
+      run: |
+        # Create a temporary directory for the plugin repository
+        mkdir -p ./_bec_checkout_/
+        cd ./_bec_checkout_/
+
+        # Clone the repository with fallback for branch
+        if git clone --depth 1 --branch "${{ inputs.BEC_CORE_BRANCH }}" https://github.com/bec-project/bec.git; then
+          echo "Successfully cloned with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_CORE_BRANCH }}"
+        else
+          echo "Failed to clone with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_CORE_BRANCH }}, trying without specific branch"
+          git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/bec-project/bec.git
+        fi
+
+        cd ../
+
+    - name: Install Ophyd Devices
+      shell: bash
+      id: ophyd_devices_checkout
+      run: |
+        # Create a temporary directory for the plugin repository
+        mkdir -p ./_ophyd_devices_checkout_/
+        cd ./_ophyd_devices_checkout_/
+
+        # Clone the repository with fallback for branch
+        if git clone --depth 1 --branch "${{ inputs.OPHYD_DEVICES_BRANCH }}" https://github.com/bec-project/ophyd_devices.git; then
+          echo "Successfully cloned with branch ${{ inputs.OPHYD_DEVICES_BRANCH }}"
+        else
+          echo "Failed to clone with branch ${{ inputs.OPHYD_DEVICES_BRANCH }}, trying without specific branch"
+          git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/bec-project/ophyd_devices.git
+        fi
+
+        cd ../
+
+    - name: Install BEC Widgets
+      shell: bash
+      id: bec_widgets_checkout
+      run: |
+        # Create a temporary directory for the plugin repository
+        mkdir -p ./_bec_widgets_checkout_/
+        cd ./_bec_widgets_checkout_/
+        # Clone the repository with fallback for branch
+        if git clone --depth 1 --branch "${{ inputs.BEC_WIDGETS_BRANCH }}" https://github.com/bec-project/bec_widgets.git; then
+          echo "Successfully cloned with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_WIDGETS_BRANCH }}"
+        else
+          echo "Failed to clone with branch ${{ inputs.BEC_WIDGETS_BRANCH }}, trying without specific branch"
+          git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/bec-project/bec_widgets.git
+        fi
+
+        cd ../
+
+    - name: Install APT_PACKAGES
+      if: ${{ inputs.APT_PACKAGES != '' }}
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
+        echo "Installing additional APT packages: ${{ inputs.APT_PACKAGES }}"
+        sudo apt-get update
+        sudo apt-get install -y ${{ inputs.APT_PACKAGES }}
+
     - name: Setup Python
       uses: actions/setup-python@v4
       with:
         python-version: ${{ inputs.PYTHON_VERSION }}
 
+    - name: Install Python dependencies
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
+        python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+
+        # Install Core dependencies
+        pip install uv
+        uv pip install --system -e ./_bec_checkout_/bec/bec_lib/[dev]
+        uv pip install --system -e ./_bec_checkout_/bec/bec_ipython_client
+        uv pip install --system -e ./_bec_checkout_/bec/bec_server[dev]
+        uv pip install --system -e ./_bec_widgets_checkout_/bec_widgets[dev,pyside6]
+        uv pip install --system -e ./_ophyd_devices_checkout_/ophyd_devices[dev]
+        
+        # plugin repo name was stored earlier
+        source $GITHUB_ENV
+        pip install -e "./_plugin_checkout_/${PLUGIN_REPO_NAME}[dev]"
+
+    - name: Run pytest for Plugin
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
+        source $GITHUB_ENV
+        cd "./_plugin_checkout_/${PLUGIN_REPO_NAME}"
+        pytest --random-order --cov=./"${PLUGIN_REPO_NAME}" --cov-config=./"${PLUGIN_REPO_NAME}"/pyproject.toml --cov-branch --cov-report=xml --no-cov-on-fail ./"${PLUGIN_REPO_NAME}"/tests/ || test $? -eq 5
+        
+
     # - name: Checkout BEC Core
     #   uses: actions/checkout@v4
     #   with: