diff --git a/.github/workflows/maven-push.yml b/.github/workflows/maven-push.yml
index 2eaa30083d..5710cb4b2a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/maven-push.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/maven-push.yml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ on: [push]
 jobs:
   build:
     name: Build and push
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     env:
       MAVEN_OPTS: "-Xmx4096m -Xms2048m -XX:MaxMetaspaceSize=4096m -Xss8m"
       SKIP_NPM_CONFIG: false
diff --git a/.github/workflows/maven-verify.yml b/.github/workflows/maven-verify.yml
index e7f7f22ea9..a9c234b806 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/maven-verify.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/maven-verify.yml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ on: [pull_request]
 jobs:
   verify:
     name: verify with maven
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     if: ${{ github.event_name != 'push' }}
     env:
       MAVEN_OPTS: "-Xmx4096m -Xms2048m -XX:MaxMetaspaceSize=4096m -Xss8m"
diff --git a/ftests/core/src/main/java/org/commonjava/indy/jaxrs/ContentBrowseHeadRequestTest.java b/ftests/core/src/main/java/org/commonjava/indy/jaxrs/ContentBrowseHeadRequestTest.java
index d40cec5dde..1407eceb09 100644
--- a/ftests/core/src/main/java/org/commonjava/indy/jaxrs/ContentBrowseHeadRequestTest.java
+++ b/ftests/core/src/main/java/org/commonjava/indy/jaxrs/ContentBrowseHeadRequestTest.java
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ public void run() {
             HttpHead httpNpmHeadSubReq = new HttpHead(REMOTE_NPM_TEST_SUB_URL);
             HttpResources npmSubResponse = client.execute(httpNpmHeadSubReq);
             assertThat(200, is(npmSubResponse.getStatusCode()));
+            assertNotNull( npmSubResponse.getStatusCode() );