diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 9778c04d23..174eb4971e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -69,10 +69,18 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         # test all lower versions (w/ stable conda) and upper version (w/ canary conda)
-        python-version: ['3.8', '3.9', '3.10']
+        python-version: ['3.9', '3.10']
         conda-version: [release]
         test-type: [serial, parallel]
         include:
+          # minimum Python/conda combo
+          - python-version: '3.8'
+            conda-version: 22.11.0
+            test-type: serial
+          - python-version: '3.8'
+            conda-version: 22.11.0
+            test-type: parallel
+          # maximum Python/conda combo
           - python-version: '3.11'
             conda-version: canary
             test-type: serial
@@ -81,6 +89,7 @@ jobs:
             test-type: parallel
     env:
       CONDA_CHANNEL_LABEL: ${{ matrix.conda-version == 'canary' && 'conda-canary/label/dev' || 'defaults' }}
+      CONDA_VERSION: ${{ contains('canary,release', matrix.conda-version) && 'conda' || format('conda={0}', matrix.conda-version) }}
       REPLAY_NAME: Linux-${{ matrix.conda-version }}-Py${{ matrix.python-version }}
       REPLAY_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/pytest-replay
       ALLURE_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/allure-results
@@ -115,7 +124,7 @@ jobs:
           conda install -q -y -c defaults \
             --file ./tests/requirements.txt \
             --file ./tests/requirements-linux.txt \
-            ${{ env.CONDA_CHANNEL_LABEL }}::conda
+            ${{ env.CONDA_CHANNEL_LABEL }}::${{ env.CONDA_VERSION }}
           pip install -e .
 
       - name: Show info
diff --git a/tests/test_deprecations.py b/tests/test_deprecations.py
index 3df998fe1f..d0f97370fb 100644
--- a/tests/test_deprecations.py
+++ b/tests/test_deprecations.py
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
 import sys
 
 import pytest
-from conda.deprecations import DeprecatedError, DeprecationHandler
+
+from conda_build.deprecations import DeprecatedError, DeprecationHandler
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="module")
diff --git a/tests/test_metadata.py b/tests/test_metadata.py
index e122b45b4b..0fd89a22c3 100644
--- a/tests/test_metadata.py
+++ b/tests/test_metadata.py
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@
 import sys
 
 import pytest
+from conda import __version__ as conda_version
 from conda.base.context import context
+from packaging.version import Version
 from pytest import MonkeyPatch
 
 from conda_build import api
@@ -362,25 +364,20 @@ def test_yamlize_versions():
     assert yml == ["1.2.3", "1.2.3.4"]
 
 
-OS_ARCH = (
+OS_ARCH: tuple[str, ...] = (
     "aarch64",
     "arm",
     "arm64",
     "armv6l",
     "armv7l",
-    "emscripten",
-    "freebsd",
     "linux",
     "linux32",
     "linux64",
     "osx",
     "ppc64",
     "ppc64le",
-    "riscv64",
     "s390x",
     "unix",
-    "wasi",
-    "wasm32",
     "win",
     "win32",
     "win64",
@@ -390,6 +387,15 @@ def test_yamlize_versions():
     "zos",
 )
 
+if Version(conda_version) >= Version("23.3"):
+    OS_ARCH = (*OS_ARCH, "riscv64")
+
+if Version(conda_version) >= Version("23.7"):
+    OS_ARCH = (*OS_ARCH, "freebsd")
+
+if Version(conda_version) >= Version("23.9"):
+    OS_ARCH = (*OS_ARCH, "emscripten", "wasi", "wasm32")
+
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     (