diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_and_deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/test_and_deploy.yml
index 30a1d74..afa6983 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_and_deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_and_deploy.yml
@@ -26,9 +26,6 @@ jobs:
     needs: [linting, manifest]
     name: ${{ matrix.os }} py${{ matrix.python-version }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
-    env:
-      # pooch cache dir
-      BRAINGLOBE_TEST_DATA_DIR: "~/.pooch_cache"
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
@@ -45,18 +42,10 @@ jobs:
             python-version: "3.12"
 
     steps:
-      - name: Cache brainglobe directory
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: | # ensure we don't cache any interrupted atlas download and extraction, if e.g. we cancel the workflow manually
-            ~/.brainglobe
-            !~/.brainglobe/atlas.tar.gz
-            key: atlases
-
-      - name: Cache pooch data
+      - name: Cache data
         uses: actions/cache@v4
         with:
-          path: "~/.pooch_cache"
+          path: "~/.brainglobe"
           # hash on conftest in case url changes
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.python-version }}-${{ hashFiles('**/conftest.py') }}
 
@@ -80,8 +69,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     env:
       NUMBA_DISABLE_JIT: "1"
-      # pooch cache dir
-      BRAINGLOBE_TEST_DATA_DIR: "~/.pooch_cache"
+
 
     steps:
       - name: Cache pooch data
@@ -89,7 +77,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           path: "~/.pooch_cache"
           # hash on conftest in case url changes
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-3.11-${{ hashFiles('**/conftest.py') }}
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.python-version }}-${{ hashFiles('**/conftest.py') }}
 
       - name: Set up Python
         uses: actions/setup-python@v4
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index a6e60cf..485b4f8 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -129,5 +129,4 @@ passenv =
     DISPLAY
     XAUTHORITY
     PYVISTA_OFF_SCREEN
-    BRAINGLOBE_TEST_DATA_DIR
 """
diff --git a/tests/tests/conftest.py b/tests/tests/conftest.py
index f0a78cc..a554762 100644
--- a/tests/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/tests/conftest.py
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ def test_data_registry():
 
     """
     registry = pooch.create(
-        path=pooch.os_cache("brainglobe_test_data"),
+        path=Path.home() / ".brainglobe" / "test_data",
         base_url="https://gin.g-node.org/BrainGlobe/test-data/raw/master/",
         registry={
             "cellfinder/cells-z-1000-1050.xml": None,
             "cellfinder/other-cells-z-1000-1050.xml": None,
+            "brainglobe-utils/points_transform_brainreg_directory.zip": "a1997f61a5efa752584ea91b7c479506343215bb91f5be09a72349f24e21fc54",  # noqa: E501
         },
-        env="BRAINGLOBE_TEST_DATA_DIR",
     )
     return registry
diff --git a/tests/tests/test_brainmapper/test_transform_widget.py b/tests/tests/test_brainmapper/test_transform_widget.py
index 231fa06..89643e6 100644
--- a/tests/tests/test_brainmapper/test_transform_widget.py
+++ b/tests/tests/test_brainmapper/test_transform_widget.py
@@ -165,17 +165,19 @@ def transformation_widget_with_napari_layers(
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
-def brainreg_directory() -> Path:
-    download_path = Path.home() / ".brainglobe" / "test_data"
-    _ = pooch.retrieve(
-        url="https://gin.g-node.org/BrainGlobe/test-data/raw/master/"
+def brainreg_directory(test_data_registry) -> Path:
+    _ = test_data_registry.fetch(
         "brainglobe-utils/points_transform_brainreg_directory.zip",
-        known_hash="a1997f61a5efa752584ea91b7c479506343215bb91f5be09a72349f24e21fc54",
-        path=download_path,
         progressbar=True,
-        processor=pooch.Unzip(extract_dir="."),
+        processor=pooch.Unzip(extract_dir=""),
+    )
+    return (
+        Path.home()
+        / ".brainglobe"
+        / "test_data"
+        / "brainglobe-utils"
+        / "points_transform_brainreg_directory"
     )
-    return download_path / "points_transform_brainreg_directory"
 
 
 @pytest.fixture