diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 4a577b4..be91e91 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ jobs:
 
   build-and-release:
     needs: test
-    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-26.04
     timeout-minutes: 5
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v7
         with:
           token: ${{ secrets.GH_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN }}
       - uses: aboutbits/github-actions-base/git-setup@v2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 96a3be2..d0fc9dc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -6,14 +6,14 @@ on:
 jobs:
   test:
     name: Tests (PostgreSQL ${{ matrix.postgres-version }})
-    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-26.04
     timeout-minutes: 10
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         postgres-version: [ 15, 16, 17, 18 ]
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v7
       - uses: aboutbits/github-actions-java/setup-with-gradle@v4
         with:
           java-version: 25
diff --git a/operator/src/test/java/it/aboutbits/postgresql/helm/HelmTest.java b/operator/src/test/java/it/aboutbits/postgresql/helm/HelmTest.java
index 79298a2..3a94ef1 100644
--- a/operator/src/test/java/it/aboutbits/postgresql/helm/HelmTest.java
+++ b/operator/src/test/java/it/aboutbits/postgresql/helm/HelmTest.java
@@ -190,9 +190,14 @@ void helmInstall_createsDeployment() throws IOException {
             };
             var installOutput = new StringBuilder();
 
+            // The test-mode operator already applied the CRDs with the field manager `fabric8-kubernetes-client`.
+            // Helm 4 installs CRDs with server-side apply, which conflicts with that field manager on `.spec.versions`.
+            // Helm 3 skipped a CRD that already existed, so `--skip-crds` keeps that behavior on both versions.
             ProcessBuilder.newBuilder(
                             "helm",
-                            "install", releaseName, chartPath.toAbsolutePath().toString(), "--set", rootValuesAlias + ".image=postgresql-operator:test"
+                            "install", releaseName, chartPath.toAbsolutePath().toString(),
+                            "--skip-crds",
+                            "--set", rootValuesAlias + ".image=postgresql-operator:test"
                     ).environment(Map.of(
                             ENV_VAR_KUBECONFIG,
                             kubeConfigPath.toAbsolutePath().toString()