diff --git a/.github/workflows/changeset-check.yml b/.github/workflows/changeset-check.yml
index 155eb7f..50b9110 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/changeset-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/changeset-check.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ permissions:
 jobs:
   check:
     name: Check for Changeset
-    runs-on: arc-happyvertical
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
diff --git a/.github/workflows/on-pull-request.yml b/.github/workflows/on-pull-request.yml
index 10bdcf7..e315e67 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/on-pull-request.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/on-pull-request.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ permissions:
 jobs:
   validate-commits:
     name: Validate Conventional Commits
-    runs-on: arc-happyvertical
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout PR branch
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index fc3959c..37eee70 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ jobs:
   release:
     name: Version and Publish
     needs: test
-    runs-on: arc-happyvertical
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 20
 
     steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 87cff8d..eebc62f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -13,12 +13,11 @@ permissions:
 jobs:
   test:
     name: Run Tests
-    runs-on: arc-happyvertical
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     env:
       EXPECTED_PLAYWRIGHT_CHROMIUM_REVISION: '1228'
       EXPECTED_PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION: '1.61.1'
-      PLAYWRIGHT_BROWSERS_PATH: /ms-playwright
-      PLAYWRIGHT_SKIP_BROWSER_DOWNLOAD: '1'
+      PLAYWRIGHT_BROWSERS_PATH: ${{ github.workspace }}/.cache/ms-playwright
     # Backstop so a stalled step (e.g. a hung browser download) fails fast
     # instead of sitting until the 6h default.
     timeout-minutes: 30
@@ -51,10 +50,13 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: pnpm install
 
-      # The ARC image must already contain the exact browser revision required
-      # by package.json. Downloads stay disabled so image/package drift fails
-      # immediately instead of mutating the runner. See happyvertical/iac#1000.
-      - name: Verify baked Playwright runtime
+      # Public pull requests run on GitHub-hosted capacity and cannot depend on
+      # the private ARC image. Playwright resolves the exact browser revision
+      # pinned by the lockfile before the existing runtime check verifies it.
+      - name: Install Playwright runtime
+        run: pnpm exec playwright install --with-deps chromium
+
+      - name: Verify Playwright runtime
         run: pnpm browser:runtime:check
 
       - name: Build