diff --git a/.ansible-lint b/.ansible-lint
index 761ce48..6a21f08 100644
--- a/.ansible-lint
+++ b/.ansible-lint
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ exclude_paths:
   - molecule/ext # since this is a subtree, linting should be taken care of upstream
   - molecule/*/extra_prepare.yml # these are included with 'include_tasks' and hence do not validate as playbooks
   - docker-compose.yml
+  - molecule/*/.env.yml
 skip_list:
   - role-name
   - var-naming
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ansible_lint.yml b/.github/workflows/ansible_lint.yml
index e570f27..1c831dc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ansible_lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ansible_lint.yml
@@ -30,9 +30,25 @@ jobs:
   build:
     name: Ansible Lint # Naming the build is important to use it as a status check
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      VIRTUAL_ENV: ${{ github.workspace }}/.venv
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Run ansible-lint
-        uses: ansible/ansible-lint@main
+      - name: Set Up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v7
         with:
-          args: "."
+          python-version: '3.12'
+
+      - name: Set up UV and caching
+        uses: astral-sh/setup-uv@v9.0.0
+        with:
+          enable-cache: true
+
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v7
+      - name: Install Dependencies
+        run: |
+          uv venv $VIRTUAL_ENV
+          uv pip install ansible-lint
+
+      - name: Run Ansible Lint
+        run: |
+          uv run ansible-lint .
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 846bac3..b8b367d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -50,7 +50,9 @@ Additionally, you can create multiple test *scenarios*, in order to test the exe
 
 This repository contains some Molecule configuration files in `molecule/ext/molecule-src`. This setup is geared towards testing ResearchCloud components. It configures default container images, and [mimics certain other features of ResearchCloud workspaces](https://github.com/UtrechtUniversity/SRC-molecule#scenarios).
 
-**Note: for `molecule` to run correctly, the path to the component playbook should be correctly set in `molecule/default/molecule.yml! It defaults to the default `playbook.yml`, but if you rename this file, be sure to change in the `molecule.yml`, too.**
+**Note: for `molecule` to run correctly, the path to the component playbook should be correctly set in `molecule/default/.env.yml`! It defaults to the default `playbook.yml`, but if you rename this file, be sure to change in the `molecule.yml`, too.**
+
+**Note: parameters that should be passed to your playbook by molecule should be set in `molecule/default/.env.yml`!**
 
 To run `molecule`:
 
diff --git a/molecule/default/.env.yml b/molecule/default/.env.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3f9b4ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/molecule/default/.env.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+components:
+  - name: test_component
+    path: playbook.yml
+    parameters:
+      # Add parameters that you expect to be set in the ResearchCloud portal
diff --git a/molecule/default/molecule.yml b/molecule/default/molecule.yml
index 5b04fb0..030323b 100644
--- a/molecule/default/molecule.yml
+++ b/molecule/default/molecule.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 ---
-provisioner:
-  name: ansible
-  env:
-    components:
-      - name: test_component
-        path: playbook.yml
-        parameters:
-            # Add parameters that you expect to be set in the ResearchCloud portal
+driver:
+  name: podman
+platforms:
+  - name: workspace-src-ubuntu_jammy
+    image: ghcr.io/utrechtuniversity/src-test-workspace:ubuntu_noble-nginx # you can optionally change to a non-nginx image
+    command: /sbin/init
+    pre_build_image: true
+    published_ports: # this is not necessary if not testing against nginx
+      - 8080:80