diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yaml b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
index c36c729ae6..d1207e9182 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yaml
@@ -65,26 +65,22 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         python-version: ['3.9', '3.12']
-        full: [true]
-        minimal: [true, false]
+        full-test: [true, false]
+        minimal-dep: [true, false]
         os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-12, macos-14]
         exclude:
+          # only run full test suite on py=3.12
           - python-version: '3.12'
-            minimal: true
+            full-test: false
+          # no minimal dependency on 3.12
+          - python-version: '3.12'
+            minimal-dep: true
+          # minimal dependency on ARM does not make sense (wheels not present)
           - os: macos-14
-            minimal: true
-          - python-version: '3.9'
-            full: true
-            minimal: true
-        include:
-          - python-version: '3.9'
-            minimal: true
-            full: false
-            os: ubuntu-latest
-          - python-version: '3.9'
-            minimal: true
-            full: false
-            os: macos-12
+            minimal-dep: true
+          # don't run full test suite for minimal-dependency checks
+          - full-test: true
+            minimal-dep: true
 
     steps:
     - name: Checkout sisl
@@ -92,9 +88,9 @@ jobs:
       with:
         ref: '${{ github.event.inputs.branch }}'
         # The files submodule is required for tests purposes
-        submodules: ${{ matrix.full }}
+        submodules: ${{ matrix.full-test }}
         # the 'files' submodule uses lfs
-        lfs: ${{ matrix.full }}
+        lfs: ${{ matrix.full-test }}
 
     - name: Ensure fortran
       uses: fortran-lang/setup-fortran@v1
@@ -118,7 +114,7 @@ jobs:
         python -m pip install --progress-bar=off --upgrade pip
 
     - name: Python minimal versions
-      if: ${{ matrix.minimal }}
+      if: ${{ matrix.minimal-dep }}
       run: |
         python -m pip install --progress-bar=off -v \
         "numpy==1.21.*" "scipy==1.6.*" "xarray==0.21.*"