diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 25c8d674..19d0c023 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ jobs:
           echo "JAVA11_HOME=${{ steps.z11.outputs.path }}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
           echo "JAVA17_HOME=${{ steps.z17.outputs.path }}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
           echo "JAVA_HOME=${{ steps.z8.outputs.path }}"    >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+          echo "CCM_UPDATE_PID_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT=120"        >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
       - name: Generate SSL certificates
         run: |
@@ -175,6 +176,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Print environment
         run: printenv | sort
 
+      - name: Pre-download Cassandra distribution
+        run: |
+          ccm create predownload -v $CCM_VERSION
+          ccm remove
+
       - name: Run tests
         run: |
           npm ci