diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-wheel-linux.yml b/.github/workflows/test-wheel-linux.yml
index 731553084d..204075f470 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-wheel-linux.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-wheel-linux.yml
@@ -149,11 +149,35 @@ jobs:
           SHA: ${{ github.sha }}
         run: ./ci/tools/env-vars test
 
-      - name: Download cuda-pathfinder build artifacts
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@d3f86a106a0bac45b974a628896c90dbdf5c8093  # v4.3.0
-        with:
-          name: cuda-pathfinder-wheel
-          path: ./cuda_pathfinder
+      - name: Install GitHub CLI
+        # gh is needed for artifact fetching in subsequent steps
+        run: |
+          # See https://github.com/cli/cli/blob/trunk/docs/install_linux.md#debian-ubuntu-linux-raspberry-pi-os-apt.
+          mkdir -p -m 755 /etc/apt/keyrings \
+                && out=$(mktemp) && wget -nv -O$out https://cli.github.com/packages/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg \
+                && cat $out | tee /etc/apt/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg > /dev/null \
+          && chmod go+r /etc/apt/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg \
+          && echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg] https://cli.github.com/packages stable main" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/github-cli.list > /dev/null \
+          && apt update \
+          && apt install gh -y
+
+      - name: Download cuda-pathfinder build artifacts from main branch
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          MAIN_BRANCH="main"
+          PATHFINDER_BASENAME="cuda-pathfinder-wheel"
+          LATEST_MAIN_RUN_ID=$(gh run list -b ${MAIN_BRANCH} -L 1 -w "CI" -s completed -R NVIDIA/cuda-python --json databaseId | jq '.[]| .databaseId')
+          if [[ "$LATEST_MAIN_RUN_ID" == "" ]]; then
+            echo "LATEST_MAIN_RUN_ID not found!"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          gh run download $LATEST_MAIN_RUN_ID -p ${PATHFINDER_BASENAME} -R NVIDIA/cuda-python
+          ls -al $PATHFINDER_BASENAME
+          mkdir -p ./cuda_pathfinder
+          mv $PATHFINDER_BASENAME/*.whl ./cuda_pathfinder/
+          rmdir $PATHFINDER_BASENAME
 
       - name: Download cuda-python build artifacts
         if: ${{ env.SKIP_CUDA_BINDINGS_TEST == '0'}}
@@ -174,16 +198,6 @@ jobs:
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          # See https://github.com/cli/cli/blob/trunk/docs/install_linux.md#debian-ubuntu-linux-raspberry-pi-os-apt.
-          # gh is needed for artifact fetching.
-          mkdir -p -m 755 /etc/apt/keyrings \
-                && out=$(mktemp) && wget -nv -O$out https://cli.github.com/packages/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg \
-                && cat $out | tee /etc/apt/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg > /dev/null \
-          && chmod go+r /etc/apt/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg \
-          && echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg] https://cli.github.com/packages stable main" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/github-cli.list > /dev/null \
-          && apt update \
-          && apt install gh -y
-
           OLD_BRANCH=$(cat .github/BACKPORT_BRANCH)
           OLD_BASENAME="cuda-bindings-python${PYTHON_VERSION_FORMATTED}-cuda*-${{ inputs.host-platform }}*"
           LATEST_PRIOR_RUN_ID=$(gh run list -b ${OLD_BRANCH} -L 1 -w "build-and-test.yml" -s completed -R NVIDIA/cuda-python --json databaseId | jq '.[]| .databaseId')
@@ -226,29 +240,7 @@ jobs:
           pwd
           ls -lahR $CUDA_BINDINGS_CYTHON_TESTS_DIR
 
-      - name: Download cuda.core build artifacts
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@d3f86a106a0bac45b974a628896c90dbdf5c8093  # v4.3.0
-        with:
-          name: ${{ env.CUDA_CORE_ARTIFACT_NAME }}
-          path: ${{ env.CUDA_CORE_ARTIFACTS_DIR }}
-
-      - name: Display structure of downloaded cuda.core build artifacts
-        run: |
-          pwd
-          ls -lahR $CUDA_CORE_ARTIFACTS_DIR
-
-      - name: Download cuda.core Cython tests
-        if: ${{ env.SKIP_CYTHON_TEST == '0' }}
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@d3f86a106a0bac45b974a628896c90dbdf5c8093  # v4.3.0
-        with:
-          name: ${{ env.CUDA_CORE_ARTIFACT_NAME }}-tests
-          path: ${{ env.CUDA_CORE_CYTHON_TESTS_DIR }}
 
-      - name: Display structure of downloaded cuda.core Cython tests
-        if: ${{ env.SKIP_CYTHON_TEST == '0' }}
-        run: |
-          pwd
-          ls -lahR $CUDA_CORE_CYTHON_TESTS_DIR
 
       - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.PY_VER }}
         uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065  # v5.6.0
@@ -278,11 +270,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Set up compute-sanitizer
         run: setup-sanitizer
 
-      - name: Run cuda.pathfinder tests with see_what_works
-        env:
-          CUDA_PATHFINDER_TEST_LOAD_NVIDIA_DYNAMIC_LIB_STRICTNESS: see_what_works
-        run: run-tests pathfinder
-
       - name: Run cuda.bindings tests
         if: ${{ env.SKIP_CUDA_BINDINGS_TEST == '0' }}
         env:
@@ -290,11 +277,7 @@ jobs:
           LOCAL_CTK: ${{ matrix.LOCAL_CTK }}
         run: run-tests bindings
 
-      - name: Run cuda.core tests
-        env:
-          CUDA_VER: ${{ matrix.CUDA_VER }}
-          LOCAL_CTK: ${{ matrix.LOCAL_CTK }}
-        run: run-tests core
+
 
       - name: Ensure cuda-python installable
         run: |
@@ -303,17 +286,3 @@ jobs:
           else
             pip install $(ls cuda_python*.whl)[all]
           fi
-
-      - name: Install cuda.pathfinder nvidia_wheels_cu12
-        if: startsWith(matrix.CUDA_VER, '12.')
-        run: |
-          pushd cuda_pathfinder
-          pip install -v .[nvidia_wheels_cu12]
-          pip freeze
-          popd
-
-      - name: Run cuda.pathfinder tests with all_must_work
-        if: startsWith(matrix.CUDA_VER, '12.')
-        env:
-          CUDA_PATHFINDER_TEST_LOAD_NVIDIA_DYNAMIC_LIB_STRICTNESS: all_must_work
-        run: run-tests pathfinder
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-wheel-windows.yml b/.github/workflows/test-wheel-windows.yml
index 04667bee15..2dd5e63b15 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-wheel-windows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-wheel-windows.yml
@@ -117,12 +117,6 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash --noprofile --norc -xeuo pipefail {0}
         run: ./ci/tools/env-vars test
 
-      - name: Download cuda-pathfinder build artifacts
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@d3f86a106a0bac45b974a628896c90dbdf5c8093  # v4.3.0
-        with:
-          name: cuda-pathfinder-wheel
-          path: ./cuda_pathfinder
-
       - name: Download cuda-python build artifacts
         if: ${{ env.SKIP_CUDA_BINDINGS_TEST == '0'}}
         uses: actions/download-artifact@d3f86a106a0bac45b974a628896c90dbdf5c8093  # v4.3.0
@@ -152,6 +146,25 @@ jobs:
           }
           gh --version
 
+      - name: Download cuda-pathfinder build artifacts from main branch
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          $MAIN_BRANCH = "main"
+          $PATHFINDER_BASENAME = "cuda-pathfinder-wheel"
+          $runData = gh run list -b $MAIN_BRANCH -L 1 -w "CI" -s completed -R NVIDIA/cuda-python --json databaseId | ConvertFrom-Json
+          if (-not $runData -or $runData.Length -eq 0 -or -not $runData[0].databaseId -or [string]::IsNullOrEmpty($runData[0].databaseId)) {
+              Write-Host "LATEST_MAIN_RUN_ID not found!"
+              exit 1
+          }
+          $LATEST_MAIN_RUN_ID = $runData[0].databaseId
+
+          gh run download $LATEST_MAIN_RUN_ID -p $PATHFINDER_BASENAME -R NVIDIA/cuda-python
+          Get-ChildItem -Path $PATHFINDER_BASENAME
+          New-Item -Path "./cuda_pathfinder" -ItemType Directory -Force
+          Move-Item -Path "$PATHFINDER_BASENAME/*.whl" -Destination "./cuda_pathfinder/"
+          Remove-Item -Path $PATHFINDER_BASENAME -Force
+
       - name: Install zstd
         # the GPU runner image does not have zstd pre-installed... and it's needed by actions/cache
         if: ${{ matrix.LOCAL_CTK == '1' }}
@@ -215,29 +228,7 @@ jobs:
           Get-Location
           Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Force $env:CUDA_BINDINGS_CYTHON_TESTS_DIR | Select-Object Mode, LastWriteTime, Length, FullName
 
-      - name: Download cuda.core build artifacts
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@d3f86a106a0bac45b974a628896c90dbdf5c8093  # v4.3.0
-        with:
-          name: ${{ env.CUDA_CORE_ARTIFACT_NAME }}
-          path: ${{ env.CUDA_CORE_ARTIFACTS_DIR }}
-
-      - name: Display structure of downloaded cuda.core build artifacts
-        run: |
-          Get-Location
-          Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Force $env:CUDA_CORE_ARTIFACTS_DIR | Select-Object Mode, LastWriteTime, Length, FullName
-
-      - name: Download cuda.core Cython tests
-        if: ${{ env.SKIP_CYTHON_TEST == '0' }}
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@d3f86a106a0bac45b974a628896c90dbdf5c8093  # v4.3.0
-        with:
-          name: ${{ env.CUDA_CORE_ARTIFACT_NAME }}-tests
-          path: ${{ env.CUDA_CORE_CYTHON_TESTS_DIR }}
 
-      - name: Display structure of downloaded cuda.core Cython tests
-        if: ${{ env.SKIP_CYTHON_TEST == '0' }}
-        run: |
-          Get-Location
-          Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Force $env:CUDA_CORE_CYTHON_TESTS_DIR | Select-Object Mode, LastWriteTime, Length, FullName
 
       - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.PY_VER }}
         uses: actions/setup-python@a26af69be951a213d495a4c3e4e4022e16d87065  # v5.6.0
@@ -252,12 +243,6 @@ jobs:
           host-platform: ${{ inputs.host-platform }}
           cuda-version: ${{ matrix.CUDA_VER }}
 
-      - name: Run cuda.pathfinder tests with see_what_works
-        env:
-          CUDA_PATHFINDER_TEST_LOAD_NVIDIA_DYNAMIC_LIB_STRICTNESS: see_what_works
-        shell: bash --noprofile --norc -xeuo pipefail {0}
-        run: run-tests pathfinder
-
       - name: Run cuda.bindings tests
         if: ${{ env.SKIP_CUDA_BINDINGS_TEST == '0' }}
         env:
@@ -266,12 +251,7 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash --noprofile --norc -xeuo pipefail {0}
         run: run-tests bindings
 
-      - name: Run cuda.core tests
-        env:
-          CUDA_VER: ${{ matrix.CUDA_VER }}
-          LOCAL_CTK: ${{ matrix.LOCAL_CTK }}
-        shell: bash --noprofile --norc -xeuo pipefail {0}
-        run: run-tests core
+
 
       - name: Ensure cuda-python installable
         run: |
@@ -281,18 +261,3 @@ jobs:
             pip install "$((Get-ChildItem -Filter cuda_python*.whl).FullName)[all]"
           }
 
-      - name: Install cuda.pathfinder nvidia_wheels_cu12
-        if: startsWith(matrix.CUDA_VER, '12.')
-        shell: bash --noprofile --norc -xeuo pipefail {0}
-        run: |
-          pushd cuda_pathfinder
-          pip install -v .[nvidia_wheels_cu12]
-          pip freeze
-          popd
-
-      - name: Run cuda.pathfinder tests with all_must_work
-        if: startsWith(matrix.CUDA_VER, '12.')
-        env:
-          CUDA_PATHFINDER_TEST_LOAD_NVIDIA_DYNAMIC_LIB_STRICTNESS: all_must_work
-        shell: bash --noprofile --norc -xeuo pipefail {0}
-        run: run-tests pathfinder