diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index bf68b2b7611..1f546e7ffc3 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -114,10 +114,10 @@ deploy-dev-storageInitializer: docker-push-storageInitializer
 	kustomize build config/overlays/dev-image-config | kubectl apply -f -
 
 deploy-ci: manifests
-	kustomize build config/overlays/test | kubectl apply -f -
+	kubectl apply -k config/overlays/test
 	# TODO: Add runtimes as part of default deployment
 	kubectl wait --for=condition=ready pod -l control-plane=kserve-controller-manager -n kserve --timeout=300s
-	kustomize build config/overlays/test/runtimes | kubectl apply -f -
+	kubectl apply -k config/overlays/test/runtimes
 
 deploy-helm: manifests
 	helm install kserve-crd charts/kserve-crd/ --wait --timeout 180s
diff --git a/python/kserve/requirements.txt b/python/kserve/requirements.txt
index 083729fea39..145f15d9af6 100644
--- a/python/kserve/requirements.txt
+++ b/python/kserve/requirements.txt
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ protobuf~=3.19.0
 prometheus-client>=0.13.1
 orjson>=3.8.0
 httpx>=0.23.0
-fastapi>=0.85.0
+fastapi>=0.85.0,<=0.88.0
 uvicorn>=0.16.0
diff --git a/test/scripts/gh-actions/setup-deps.sh b/test/scripts/gh-actions/setup-deps.sh
index be1d7824606..bce763bcfa8 100755
--- a/test/scripts/gh-actions/setup-deps.sh
+++ b/test/scripts/gh-actions/setup-deps.sh
@@ -26,14 +26,8 @@ SCRIPT_DIR="$( cd -- "$( dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]:-$0}"; )" &> /dev/null &&
 ISTIO_VERSION="1.12.0"
 KNATIVE_VERSION="knative-v1.4.0"
 CERT_MANAGER_VERSION="v1.5.0"
-KUSTOMIZE_VERSION="4.2.0"
 YQ_VERSION="v4.28.1"
 
-echo "Installing/Updating kustomize ..."
-KUSTOMIZE_PATH=$(which kustomize)
-rm -rf ${KUSTOMIZE_PATH}
-curl -s "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kubernetes-sigs/kustomize/master/hack/install_kustomize.sh" | bash -s -- ${KUSTOMIZE_VERSION} ${KUSTOMIZE_PATH::-10}
-
 echo "Installing yq ..."
 wget https://github.com/mikefarah/yq/releases/download/${YQ_VERSION}/yq_linux_amd64 -O /usr/local/bin/yq && chmod +x /usr/local/bin/yq
 
@@ -47,7 +41,7 @@ pushd istio_tmp >/dev/null
 popd
 
 kubectl create ns istio-system
-for i in 1 2 3 ; do kustomize build test/overlays/istio | kubectl apply -f - && break || sleep 15; done
+for i in 1 2 3 ; do kubectl apply -k test/overlays/istio && break || sleep 15; done
 
 echo "Waiting for Istio to be ready ..."
 kubectl wait --for=condition=Ready pods --all --timeout=240s -n istio-system
@@ -72,7 +66,7 @@ pushd ${SCRIPT_DIR}/../../overlays/knative >/dev/null
   sed -i 's/8443:/"8443":/g' release.yaml
 popd
 
-for i in 1 2 3 ; do kustomize build test/overlays/knative | kubectl apply -f - && break || sleep 15; done
+for i in 1 2 3 ; do kubectl apply -k test/overlays/knative && break || sleep 15; done
 
 echo "Waiting for Knative to be ready ..."
 kubectl wait --for=condition=Ready pods --all --timeout=300s -n knative-serving -l 'app in (webhook, activator,autoscaler,autoscaler-hpa,controller,net-istio-controller,net-istio-webhook)'