diff --git a/.azure-pipelines/compare-refdata.yml b/.azure-pipelines/compare-refdata.yml
index ba72dde3c29..d2f531f9678 100644
--- a/.azure-pipelines/compare-refdata.yml
+++ b/.azure-pipelines/compare-refdata.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ jobs:
       - template: templates/default.yml
         parameters:
           fetchRefdata: true
-          refdataRepo: 'github'
+          refdataRepo: 'azure'
           useMamba: false
 
       - bash: |
diff --git a/.ci-helpers/download_reference_data.sh b/.ci-helpers/download_reference_data.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6f3e8510e5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ci-helpers/download_reference_data.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -e
+
+REF_PATH="$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/tardis-refdata"
+REPO_URL="https://dev.azure.com/tardis-sn/TARDIS/_apis/git/repositories/tardis-refdata"
+
+FILES=('atom_data/kurucz_cd23_chianti_H_He.h5'
+       'atom_data/chianti_He.h5'
+       'montecarlo_1e5_compare_data.h5'
+       'packet_unittest.h5'
+       'sdec_ref.h5'
+       'unit_test_data.h5')
+
+mkdir -p $REF_PATH/atom_data
+
+for FILE in "${FILES[@]}"
+do
+    wget -q "$REPO_URL/items?path=$FILE&resolveLfs=true" -O $REF_PATH/$FILE
+done
+
+exit 0
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index edfe72e03a1..52283a8b61e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -38,12 +38,8 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
 
-      - name: Clone tardis-sn/tardis-refdata
-        uses: actions/checkout@v2
-        with:
-          repository: tardis-sn/tardis-refdata
-          path: tardis-refdata
-          lfs: true
+      - name: Download reference data
+        run: bash .ci-helpers/download_reference_data.sh
 
       - name: Setup environment
         uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v2