diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index cc1a7e3..586a8b1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -6,13 +6,26 @@ on:
   pull_request:
 jobs:
   build_and_test:
+    services:
+      postgres:
+        image: postgres
+        env:
+          POSTGRES_USER: test
+          POSTGRES_PASSWORD: test
+          POSTGRES_DB: test
+        options: >-
+          --health-cmd pg_isready
+          --health-interval 10s
+          --health-timeout 5s
+          --health-retries 5
+        ports:
+          - 5439:5432
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
     - uses: sqlc-dev/setup-sqlc@v4
       with:
         sqlc-version: '1.27.0'
-    - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
     - uses: oven-sh/setup-bun@v2
     - run: wget https://github.com/bytecodealliance/javy/releases/download/v4.0.0/javy-x86_64-linux-v4.0.0.gz
     - run: gzip -d javy-x86_64-linux-v4.0.0.gz
diff --git a/test/prepare.ts b/test/prepare.ts
index e58cf09..41936de 100644
--- a/test/prepare.ts
+++ b/test/prepare.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@ for (const c of cases) {
 	await $`bun run ${c} prepare`;
 }
 
-await $`docker compose up -d`;
+const dbStatus = await $`pg_isready -h localhost -p 5439`;
+if (dbStatus.exitCode !== 0) {
+    // when running in CI, the database will be up already
+    await $`docker compose up -d`;
+}
+
 await $`sqlc generate`;
 
 await db.file("schema.sql");