diff --git a/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml b/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
index 6de23c8..9ed9ed7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
@@ -16,12 +16,12 @@ jobs:
     env:
       GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PAT }}
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v5
       with:
         fetch-depth: 0
         token: ${{ secrets.PAT }}
     - name: Install Knope
-      uses: knope-dev/action@v2.0.0
+      uses: knope-dev/action@v2.1.0
       with:
         version: 0.10.0 # Test before updating, breaking changes likely: https://github.com/knope-dev/action#install-latest-version
     - run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-library.yml b/.github/workflows/release-library.yml
index cc4b489..9034f48 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-library.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-library.yml
@@ -10,13 +10,10 @@ jobs:
   release:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
           token: ${{ secrets.PAT }}
-      - uses: actions-rs/toolchain@v1
-        with:
-          toolchain: stable
-          override: true
+      - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
       - run: cargo publish --no-verify --manifest-path=lib/Cargo.toml --token ${{ secrets.CRATES_IO_TOKEN }}
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 7a9b535..59bf84c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -10,11 +10,14 @@ jobs:
   test-linux:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
+          # test that PAT works
+          token: ${{ secrets.PAT }}
       - name: Install libquil dependencies
         run: sudo apt install -y libffi\* libblas\* liblapack\*
+      - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
       - name: Install libquil
         run: |
           curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rigetti/libquil/main/install.sh | bash -s 0.3.0
@@ -26,11 +29,13 @@ jobs:
   test-macos:
     runs-on: macos-15-intel
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
+          token: ${{ secrets.PAT }}
       - name: Install libquil dependencies
         run: brew install lapack openblas
+      - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
       - name: Install libquil
         run: 'curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rigetti/libquil/main/install.sh | bash -s 0.3.0'
       - name: Run tests