diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index f8413309b1..0da4570790 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -44,62 +44,27 @@ jobs:
           pandoc-version: "2.9.2"
       - name: Install tox
         run: python -m pip install -U pip tox
-      - name: Set up virtualenv
-        # our tasks.py wants a virtualenv, so make one
-        # unfortunately, every step that uses it has to be split by
-        # platform, because activating it is different on unix and windows
-        if: runner.os != 'Windows'
-        run: python -m venv venv
-      - name: Set up virtualenv (windows)
-        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
+      - name: Set up dependencies with invoke
         run: |
-          python -m venv venv
-          if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-              Write-Host "Virtual environment creation failed: $LASTEXITCODE"
-              exit $LASTEXITCODE
-          }
-          $pwd
-          # dir venv\Scripts
-      - name: Set up dependencies with invoke (not windows)
-        if: runner.os != 'Windows'
-        run: |
-          source venv/bin/activate
-          python -m pip install invoke
-          python -m invoke setup
-      - name: Set up dependencies with invoke (windows)
-        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
-        run: |
-          $pwd
-          . venv\Scripts\activate
-          Import-Module venv
           python -m pip install invoke
           python -m invoke setup
+          echo "== PYTHON after setup =="
+          python --version
+          python -c "import pytest"
       - name: Info
         run: |
           echo "=====  PYTHON  ====="
           python --version
           echo "=====  PANDOC  ====="
           pandoc --version | head -2
-      - name: Run tests with coverage (not windows)
-        if: runner.os != 'Windows'
+      - name: Run tests with coverage
         run: |
-          source venv/bin/activate
           python -m pytest --cov=pelican
           ls -l .coverage.*
         env:
           # control the filename to avoid issues with uploading
           # see also https://github.com/actions/upload-artifact/issues/478#issuecomment-2096976037
           COVERAGE_FILE: .coverage.${{ matrix.os }}.${{ matrix.python }}.${{ github.event_name }}
-      - name: Run tests with coverage (windows)
-        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
-        run: |
-          .\venv\bin\activate
-          python -m pytest --cov=pelican
-        env:
-          # control the filename to avoid issues with uploading
-          # see also https://github.com/actions/upload-artifact/issues/478#issuecomment-2096976037
-          COVERAGE_FILE: .coverage.${{ matrix.os }}.${{ matrix.python }}.${{ github.event_name }}
-
       - name: Upload coverage data
         uses: "actions/upload-artifact@v4"
         with:
diff --git a/tasks.py b/tasks.py
index 64409e20b8..39ca7282ec 100644
--- a/tasks.py
+++ b/tasks.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import os
+import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 from shutil import which
 
@@ -15,9 +16,21 @@
 VENV = str(VENV_PATH.expanduser())
 VENV_BIN = Path(VENV) / Path(BIN_DIR)
 
+PYTHON = which("python")
+
 TOOLS = ["pdm", "pre-commit", "psutil"]
-PDM = which("pdm") or VENV_BIN / "pdm"
-PRECOMMIT = which("pre-commit") or VENV_BIN / "pre-commit"
+
+
+def _get_pdm_path():
+    return which("pdm") or VENV_BIN / "pdm"
+
+
+def _get_precommit_path():
+    return which("pre-commit") or VENV_BIN / "pre-commit"
+
+
+def _get_coverage_path():
+    return which("coverage")
 
 
 @task
@@ -41,14 +54,14 @@ def docserve(c):
 @task
 def tests(c):
     """Run the test suite"""
-    c.run(f"{VENV_BIN}/pytest", pty=PTY)
+    c.run(f"{PYTHON} -m pytest", pty=PTY)
 
 
 @task
 def coverage(c):
     """Generate code coverage of running the test suite."""
-    c.run(f"{VENV_BIN}/pytest --cov=pelican", pty=PTY)
-    c.run(f"{VENV_BIN}/coverage html", pty=PTY)
+    c.run(f"{PYTHON} -m pytest --cov=pelican", pty=PTY)
+    c.run(f"{PYTHON} -m coverage html", pty=PTY)
 
 
 @task
@@ -87,20 +100,23 @@ def tools(c):
     """Install tools in the virtual environment if not already on PATH"""
     for tool in TOOLS:
         if not which(tool):
-            c.run(f"{VENV_BIN}/python -m pip install {tool}", pty=PTY)
+            c.run(f"{PYTHON} -m pip install {tool}", pty=PTY)
 
 
 @task
 def precommit(c):
     """Install pre-commit hooks to .git/hooks/pre-commit"""
-    c.run(f"{PRECOMMIT} install", pty=PTY)
+    precommt = _get_precommit_path()
+    c.run(f"{precommt} install", pty=PTY)
 
 
 @task
 def setup(c):
-    c.run(f"{VENV_BIN}/python -m pip install -U pip", pty=PTY)
+    c.run(f"{PYTHON} -m pip install -U pip", pty=PTY)
     tools(c)
-    c.run(f"{PDM} install", pty=PTY)
+    pdm = _get_pdm_path()
+    print(f"***** running {pdm} install", file=sys.stderr)  # noqa: T201
+    c.run(f"{pdm} install -v", pty=PTY, echo=True)
     precommit(c)