diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index bb988e71..21ec34f8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -152,21 +152,29 @@ jobs:
 
   integration-tests:
     strategy:
-        fail-fast: false
-        matrix:
-          app-path: [ 'datafusion', 'hudi-file-group-api/cpp', 'hudi-table-api/rust' , 'hudi-table-api/python' ]
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        app-path: [ 'datafusion', 'hudi-file-group-api/cpp', 'hudi-table-api/rust', 'hudi-table-api/python' ]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Pull pre-built runner image
+        run: |
+          docker pull andreab92/hudi-demo-runner:latest
+          docker tag andreab92/hudi-demo-runner:latest demo-runner:latest
+
       - name: Pre-pull base images
         run: |
           docker pull quay.io/minio/minio:latest
+
       - name: Prepare cache directories with correct permissions
         run: |
           mkdir -p .cargo/registry .cargo/git target python/target .uv-cache
           sudo chown -R $(id -u):$(id -g) .cargo target python/target .uv-cache
+
       - name: Cache integration build artifacts (cargo/target/uv)
         uses: actions/cache@v5
         with:
@@ -176,13 +184,16 @@ jobs:
             .cargo/git
             python/target
             .uv-cache
-          key: integration-${{ runner.os }}-${{ hashFiles('**/Cargo.lock', 'python/Cargo.toml', 'demo/infra/runner/Dockerfile') }}
+          key: integration-${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.app-path }}-${{ hashFiles('**/Cargo.lock', 'python/Cargo.toml', 'demo/infra/runner/Dockerfile') }}
           restore-keys: |
+            integration-${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.app-path }}-
             integration-${{ runner.os }}-
+
       - name: Integration test - ${{ matrix.app-path }}
         run: |
           cd demo
           ./ci_run.sh ${{ matrix.app-path }}
+
       - name: Fix cache ownership before save
         if: always()
         run: |
diff --git a/demo/compose.yaml b/demo/compose.yaml
index 2becd436..52f2c271 100644
--- a/demo/compose.yaml
+++ b/demo/compose.yaml
@@ -73,3 +73,4 @@ services:
 networks:
   demo_network:
     driver: bridge
+
diff --git a/demo/infra/runner/Dockerfile b/demo/infra/runner/Dockerfile
index c649feef..d9e8eaeb 100644
--- a/demo/infra/runner/Dockerfile
+++ b/demo/infra/runner/Dockerfile
@@ -19,12 +19,13 @@ FROM rust:1.87
 
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y cmake curl ca-certificates
 
+# Install uv to a globally accessible location (not /root/.local/bin)
+# This allows the container to run as any user (HOST_UID:HOST_GID)
 ADD https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh /uv-installer.sh
+RUN UV_INSTALL_DIR=/usr/local/bin sh /uv-installer.sh && rm /uv-installer.sh
 
-RUN sh /uv-installer.sh && rm /uv-installer.sh
-
-ENV PATH="/root/.local/bin/:$PATH"
-
+# Install Python to a shared location accessible by any user
+ENV UV_PYTHON_INSTALL_DIR=/opt/python
 RUN uv python install 3.13
 
 RUN uv python list
@@ -36,6 +37,10 @@ ENV PATH="/opt/.venv/bin:$PATH"
 
 RUN uv pip install --only-binary=all 'pyarrow==20.0.0'
 
+# Make Python installation and venv accessible to any user (needed for HOST_UID:HOST_GID mapping)
+# Python needs read+execute, venv needs read+write+execute for pip install
+RUN chmod -R a+rX /opt/python && chmod -R a+rwX /opt/.venv
+
 WORKDIR /opt
 
 CMD tail -f /dev/null