diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_and_deploy_conda.yml b/.github/workflows/build_and_deploy_conda.yml
index 90e75c1..65483c3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_and_deploy_conda.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_and_deploy_conda.yml
@@ -24,13 +24,13 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Get conda
-        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3.0.4
+        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+          environment-file: etc/dev-env.yml
+          miniforge-version: latest
           channels: conda-forge
-
-      - name: Prepare
-        run: conda install conda-build=24.9 conda-verify pytest anaconda-client
+          conda-remove-defaults: "true"
 
       - name: Enable upload
         run: conda config --set anaconda_upload yes
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_conda.yml b/.github/workflows/build_conda.yml
index 0b3e55c..3bd465e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_conda.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_conda.yml
@@ -24,14 +24,15 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Get conda
-        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3.0.4
+        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+          environment-file: etc/dev-env.yml
+          miniforge-version: latest
           channels: conda-forge
+          conda-remove-defaults: "true"
 
-      - name: Prepare
-        run: conda install conda-build=24.9 conda-verify pytest anaconda-client
-
+  
       - name: Disable upload
         run: conda config --set anaconda_upload no
 
diff --git a/conda-recipe/meta.yaml b/conda-recipe/meta.yaml
index 5b7eb48..bfa6323 100644
--- a/conda-recipe/meta.yaml
+++ b/conda-recipe/meta.yaml
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ test:
     - aare
   requires:
     - pytest
+    - boost-histogram 
   source_files:
     - python/tests
   commands:
diff --git a/etc/dev-env.yml b/etc/dev-env.yml
index 25038ee..e580c81 100644
--- a/etc/dev-env.yml
+++ b/etc/dev-env.yml
@@ -3,13 +3,11 @@ channels:
   - conda-forge
 dependencies:
   - anaconda-client
+  - conda-build
   - doxygen 
   - sphinx=7.1.2 
   - breathe 
-  - pybind11 
   - sphinx_rtd_theme 
   - furo 
-  - nlohmann_json 
   - zeromq 
-  - fmt 
-  - numpy
+