diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index d9caf43..ed19a2b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        node-version: ['18', '20', '22']
+        # vitest 4's dependency chain (vite -> rolldown) requires Node
+        # ^20.19.0 || >=22.12.0 and crashes with a Startup Error before any
+        # test runs on Node 18 — see `npm test` failure on this leg.
+        node-version: ['20', '22']
     name: Node ${{ matrix.node-version }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4