diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 53da94f71569..16a7d578b0cb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -46,14 +46,14 @@ jobs:
       - name: Test, compile
         # Australia/Sydney  -because it is too easy for devs to forget about timezones
         run: |
-          java \
-          -Xmx6144M \
-          -XX:ReservedCodeCacheSize=128m \
+          sbt \
+          -J-Xmx6144M \
+          -J-XX:ReservedCodeCacheSize=128m \
           -Dsbt.log.noformat=true \
-          -XX:+UseParallelGC \
+          -J-XX:+UseParallelGC \
           -DAPP_SECRET="fake_secret" \
           -Duser.timezone=Australia/Sydney \
-          -jar ./bin/sbt-launch.jar clean compile assets scalafmtCheckAll test Universal/packageBin
+          clean compile assets scalafmtCheckAll test Universal/packageBin
 
       - uses: guardian/actions-riff-raff@v4
         with: