diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 26e5b3f..af121a1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           persist-credentials: false
+          submodules: ${{ github.ref_type != 'tag' && github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' }}
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python }}
@@ -58,7 +59,17 @@ jobs:
           repository: OrchardLinux/cli
           run-id: ${{ inputs.cli_run_id }}
           github-token: ${{ github.token }}
-      - run: bash ci/dependencies --wheels-only
+      # Releases test the published wheel pair they ship with. Pushes and pull requests test
+      # the hardware and cli commits this branch pins, which may be newer than any release.
+      - name: Install the published wheel pair
+        if: github.ref_type == 'tag' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+        run: bash ci/dependencies --wheels-only
+      - name: Install the pinned hardware and cli submodules
+        if: github.ref_type != 'tag' && github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch'
+        run: |
+          python -m venv .venv
+          .venv/bin/python -m pip install ./hardware ./cli
+          .venv/bin/python -m pip check
       - run: .venv/bin/python -m unittest discover -s tests -v
   pongo:
     if: github.ref_type == 'tag' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'