diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-unit-vizro-core.yml b/.github/workflows/test-unit-vizro-core.yml
index 5b55b8228..fc71452a8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-unit-vizro-core.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-unit-vizro-core.yml
@@ -17,31 +17,51 @@ env:
 
 jobs:
   test-unit-vizro-core:
-    name: test-unit-vizro-core on Py${{ matrix.python-version }} ${{ matrix.label }}
+    name: test-unit-vizro-core on Py${{ matrix.python-env.py }} ${{ matrix.python-env.label }}
 
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        python-version: [{py: "3.9", hatch-env: all.py3.9}, {py: "3.10", hatch-env: all.py3.10},
-                         {py: "3.11", hatch-env: all.py3.11}, {py: "3.12", hatch-env: all.py3.12},
-                         {py: "3.13", hatch-env: all.py3.13}, py: "3.9", hatch-env: lower-bounds]
-        os: ["ubuntu-latest", "windows-latest"]
-        #hatch-env: [${{ format("all.py{0}", matrix.python-version) }}]
-        is_pr:
-          - ${{ github.event_name == "pull_request" }}
+        python-env:
+          - py: "3.9"
+            hatch-env: all.py3.9
+            os: ubuntu-latest
+          - py: "3.10"
+            hatch-env: all.py3.10
+            os: ubuntu-latest
+          - py: "3.11"
+            hatch-env: all.py3.11
+            os: ubuntu-latest
+          - py: "3.12"
+            hatch-env: all.py3.12
+            os: ubuntu-latest
+          - py: "3.13"
+            hatch-env: all.py3.13
+            os: ubuntu-latest
+          - py: "3.9"
+            hatch-env: lower-bounds
+            label: lower bounds
+            os: ubuntu-latest
+          - py: "3.12"
+            hatch-env: all.py3.12
+            label: Windows
+            os: windows-latest
+        is_pr: [${{ github.event_name == "pull_request" }}]
         exclude:
           - is_pr: true
-            os: windows-latest
-          - is_pr: false
-            os: windows-latest
-            python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.13"]
+            python-version:
+              py: "3.12"
+              hatch-env: all.py3.12
+              label: Windows
+              os: windows-latest
         # just use below for labelling and hatch-env so not needed?
         # will still need windows and lower bounds job though
-        include:
-          - python-version: "3.9"
-            hatch-env: lower-bounds
-            label: lower bounds
+#        include:
+#          - python-env:
+#            - py: "3.9"
+#            - hatch-env: lower-bounds
+#            label: lower bounds
 #          - python-version: "3.12"
 #            hatch-env: all.py3.12
 #            is_pr: false