diff --git a/.github/workflows/jdk21_vthread.yaml b/.github/workflows/jdk21_vthread.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f6a4a770b8f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/jdk21_vthread.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+name: Java 21 CI with Virtual Threads
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [ "main", "t_jdk21_gha" ]
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [ "main" ]
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - name: Set up JDK 21
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v3
+        with:
+          java-version: '21'
+          distribution: 'temurin'
+          cache: maven
+      - name: Build
+        run: ./mvnw install -pl core -am --settings maven-settings.xml --batch-mode -DskipTests
+      - name: Test
+        run: ./mvnw verify -pl core -am --settings maven-settings.xml --batch-mode --fail-at-end -Dmaven.test.failure.ignore=true -Pvthreads-tests
+        env:
+          MAVEN_OPTS: '-Xmx1500m -XX:+HeapDumpOnOutOfMemoryError'
+      - name: Publish Test Report
+        if: success() || failure()
+        uses: scacap/action-surefire-report@v1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 82aa3867f8af..19e12436648f 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -3251,6 +3251,7 @@
             <activeByDefault>false</activeByDefault>
          </activation>
          <properties>
+            <defaultTestNGGroups>smoke</defaultTestNGGroups>
             <org.infinispan.tests.threads.virtual>true</org.infinispan.tests.threads.virtual>
             <infinispan.test.parallel.threads>${system.numCores}</infinispan.test.parallel.threads>
          </properties>