diff --git a/.github/workflows/positron-python-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/positron-python-ci.yml
index 052ab0e3f9a..e537a181346 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/positron-python-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/positron-python-ci.yml
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ jobs:
             python: '3.12'
             older-versions: false
           - os: 'ubuntu-latest'
-            python: '3.8'
+            python: '3.9'
             older-versions: true
 
     steps:
@@ -220,10 +220,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install minimum supported versions
         if: ${{ matrix.older-versions }}
-        run: |
-          python -m pip config set global.index-url https://packagemanager.posit.co/pypi/${{ env.SNAPSHOT_DATE }}/simple
-          python -m pip config set global.trusted-host packagemanager.posit.co
-          python -m pip install --no-deps -r pythonFiles/positron/min-supported.txt
+        run: python -m pip install --no-deps -r pythonFiles/positron/min-supported.txt
 
       - name: Run Positron IPyKernel unit tests
         run: pytest pythonFiles/positron
diff --git a/extensions/positron-python/gulpfile.js b/extensions/positron-python/gulpfile.js
index 4950eeb0af9..f5b1f0a23be 100644
--- a/extensions/positron-python/gulpfile.js
+++ b/extensions/positron-python/gulpfile.js
@@ -386,6 +386,37 @@ function spawnAsync(command, args, env, rejectOnStdErr = false) {
         proc.on('error', (error) => reject(error));
     });
 }
+
+gulp.task('minSupportedPythonRequirements', async (done) => {
+    const pipArgs = [
+        '-m',
+        'pip',
+        'install',
+        '--no-deps',
+        '-r',
+        './pythonFiles/positron/min-supported.txt',
+    ];
+    const pytestArgs = [
+        '-m',
+        'pytest',
+        'pythonFiles/positron'
+    ]
+    // install requirements
+    await spawnAsync(pythonCommand, pipArgs)
+        .then(() => true)
+        .catch((ex) => {
+            const msg = "Failed to install requirements using 'pip'";
+            fancyLog.error(ansiColors.red(`error`), msg, ex);
+            done(new Error(msg));
+        });
+
+    // run the tests
+    await spawnAsync(pythonCommand, pytestArgs).catch((ex) => {
+        const msg = 'Tests failed for command python3 -m pytest pythonFiles/positron';
+        fancyLog.error(ansiColors.red(`error`), msg, ex);
+        done(new Error(msg));
+    });
+});
 // --- End Positron ---
 
 function hasNativeDependencies() {
diff --git a/extensions/positron-python/package.json b/extensions/positron-python/package.json
index 83845e7920e..8a68fe06e3f 100644
--- a/extensions/positron-python/package.json
+++ b/extensions/positron-python/package.json
@@ -1609,6 +1609,7 @@
         "testPerformance": "node ./out/test/testBootstrap.js ./out/test/performanceTest.js",
         "testSmoke": "cross-env INSTALL_JUPYTER_EXTENSION=true \"node ./out/test/smokeTest.js\"",
         "testInsiders": "cross-env VSC_PYTHON_CI_TEST_VSC_CHANNEL=insiders INSTALL_PYLANCE_EXTENSION=true TEST_FILES_SUFFIX=insiders.test CODE_TESTS_WORKSPACE=src/testMultiRootWkspc/smokeTests \"node ./out/test/standardTest.js\"",
+        "testMinimumPython": "gulp minSupportedPythonRequirements",
         "lint-staged": "node gulpfile.js",
         "lint": "eslint --ext .ts,.js src build pythonExtensionApi",
         "lint-fix": "eslint --fix --ext .ts,.js src build pythonExtensionApi gulpfile.js",
@@ -1737,4 +1738,4 @@
     "extensionDependencies": [
         "vscode.jupyter-adapter"
     ]
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}