diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 55d2a0f05e..0e58832ec0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -94,6 +94,9 @@ jobs:
     env:
       MACHINE: ${{ matrix.machine }}
       EXTRAS: ${{ matrix.extras || '' }}
+      EXTRAS: ${{ matrix.run-unit-tests && matrix.run-unit-tests == true
+                  ? (matrix.extras || '') + ' ci'
+                  : (matrix.extras || '') }}
       CC: ${{ matrix.compiler }}
       CXX: ${{ matrix.compiler == 'gcc' && 'g++' || 'clang++' }}
     steps:
diff --git a/config/extra/with-ci.mk b/config/extra/with-ci.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..700c410740
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/extra/with-ci.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+CPPFLAGS+=-DFD_SOL_COMPAT_WKSP_INIT_USE_GIGANTIC=1
+CFLAGS+=-DFD_SOL_COMPAT_WKSP_INIT_USE_GIGANTIC=1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/flamenco/runtime/tests/fd_exec_sol_compat.c b/src/flamenco/runtime/tests/fd_exec_sol_compat.c
index 1e3860d362..1a69162c1a 100644
--- a/src/flamenco/runtime/tests/fd_exec_sol_compat.c
+++ b/src/flamenco/runtime/tests/fd_exec_sol_compat.c
@@ -63,7 +63,12 @@ void
 sol_compat_wksp_init( void ) {
   ulong cpu_idx = fd_tile_cpu_id( fd_tile_idx() );
   if( cpu_idx>=fd_shmem_cpu_cnt() ) cpu_idx = 0UL;
+#if FD_SOL_COMPAT_WKSP_INIT_USE_GIGANTIC
+  wksp = fd_wksp_new_anonymous( FD_SHMEM_GIGANTIC_PAGE_SZ, 5UL, fd_shmem_cpu_idx( fd_shmem_numa_idx( cpu_idx ) ), "wksp", 0UL );
+  FD_LOG_WARNING(("HAHAHAHAHAHA"));
+#else
   wksp = fd_wksp_new_anonymous( FD_SHMEM_NORMAL_PAGE_SZ, 65536UL * 18UL, fd_shmem_cpu_idx( fd_shmem_numa_idx( cpu_idx ) ), "wksp", 0UL );
+#endif
   assert( wksp );
 
   spad_mem = fd_wksp_alloc_laddr( wksp, FD_SPAD_ALIGN, FD_RUNTIME_TRANSACTION_EXECUTION_FOOTPRINT_FUZZ, 3 ); /* 4738713960 B */