diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index b2793ba2..4fcde2ba 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ jobs:
   core:
     name: "Core Validators & Database Setup"
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
     env:
       QE_WBS_PG_DSN: "host=postgres port=5432 dbname=quantenginedb user=quantengine_ci password=quantengine_ci options='-c search_path=quantengine'"
       PGPASSWORD: quantengine_ci
@@ -46,6 +49,12 @@ jobs:
       with:
         fetch-depth: 0
 
+    - name: Setup Python (Official)
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v4
+      with:
+        python-version: '3.12'
+        cache: 'pip'
+
     - name: Configure Runtime Paths
       run: |
         export PATH=/usr/local/bin:$PATH
@@ -61,17 +70,10 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Setup Python Environment
       run: |
-        # Create virtual environment (PEP 668 compliant)
-        /usr/bin/python3 -m venv $HOME/venv
-        source $HOME/venv/bin/activate
-
-        # Upgrade pip and install packages
+        # setup-python already provides Python 3.12 in PATH
+        # Just install required packages
         pip install --disable-pip-version-check --quiet --upgrade pip setuptools wheel
-        pip install --disable-pip-version-check --quiet requests pyyaml openpyxl pytest psycopg
-
-        # Add venv to PATH and PYTHONPATH
-        echo "$HOME/venv/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
-        echo "PYTHONPATH=$HOME/venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages:${PYTHONPATH:-}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+        pip install --disable-pip-version-check --quiet requests pyyaml openpyxl pytest psycopg psycopg2-binary
 
         # Verify installation
         python3 -c 'import requests, yaml, openpyxl, pytest, psycopg; print("✓ Python dependencies installed")'
@@ -445,27 +447,19 @@ jobs:
   workflow-lint:
     name: "CI Workflow Lint"
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    env:
-      PYTHONPATH: "$HOME/python_deps/lint:."
 
     steps:
     - name: Checkout Code
       uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
+    - name: Setup Python (Official)
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v4
+      with:
+        python-version: '3.12'
+
     - name: Setup Python Environment
       run: |
-        # Create virtual environment (PEP 668 compliant)
-        /usr/bin/python3 -m venv $HOME/venv_lint
-        source $HOME/venv_lint/bin/activate
-
-        # Install YAML parser
         pip install --disable-pip-version-check --quiet pyyaml
-
-        # Add venv to PATH
-        echo "$HOME/venv_lint/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
-        echo "PYTHONPATH=$HOME/venv_lint/lib/python3.12/site-packages:${PYTHONPATH:-}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-
-        # Verify
         python3 -c 'import yaml; print("✓ PyYAML installed")'
 
     - name: Lint CI Workflow