diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 6c00205..b1bbc6c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         stack-name: [local]
         os: [windows-latest, ubuntu-latest, macos-latest]
-        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11"]
+        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
     env:
       ZENML_DEBUG: true
       ZENML_ANALYTICS_OPT_IN: false
@@ -57,5 +57,5 @@ jobs:
         with:
           stack-name: ${{ matrix.stack-name }}
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
-          ref-zenml: ${{ inputs.ref-zenml || 'develop' }}
+          ref-zenml: ${{ inputs.ref-zenml || 'feature/PRD-566-dependency-cleanup' }}
           ref-template: ${{ inputs.ref-template || github.ref }}
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 6234e9e..2b99d7f 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@
 #  permissions and limitations under the License.
 
 
+import contextlib 
 import os
+import sys
 import shutil
 from typing import Generator
 
@@ -99,6 +101,11 @@ def clean_zenml_client(
     GlobalConfiguration._reset_instance(original_config)
     Client._reset_instance(original_client)
 
+    # remove all traces, and change working directory back to base path
     # remove all traces, and change working directory back to base path
     os.chdir(orig_cwd)
-    shutil.rmtree(str(tmp_path))
+    if sys.platform == "win32":
+        with contextlib.suppress(Exception):  
+            shutil.rmtree(str(tmp_path))  
+    else:
+        shutil.rmtree(str(tmp_path))