diff --git a/.github/workflows/cross.yml b/.github/workflows/cross.yml
index 2811aedd7b..59eacae6a0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cross.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cross.yml
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ jobs:
               apt-get update -q -y
               # we need build-essential for make and gcc (the latter is used by gac and
               # hence by the tests involving mockpkg)
-              apt-get install -q -y build-essential git expect libgmp10 libreadline8 zlib1g
+              apt-get install -q -y build-essential git libgmp10 libreadline8 zlib1g
 
           # Do the thing
           run: |
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ jobs:
           envs: 'AUTOCONF_VERSION'
           usesh: true
           prepare: |
-            pkg_add bash gmake autoconf-2.71 expect gmp
+            pkg_add bash git gmake autoconf-2.71 gmp
 
           # Do the thing
           run: |
@@ -124,5 +124,6 @@ jobs:
             rm -rf extern  # ensure we don't build and link against bundled libraries
             ./autogen.sh
             ./configure --with-gmp=/usr/local --without-readline
+            export MAKE=gmake
             gmake -j2 V=1
             gmake citests