diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
index 3578a3a..a45d9ec 100644
--- a/.dockerignore
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 .pytest_cache
 .ruff_cache
 .venv
+**/.venv
 .env
 .cache
 .claude
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_ebook_search.yml b/.github/workflows/test_ebook_search.yml
index 5dc296b..0e43e3e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_ebook_search.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_ebook_search.yml
@@ -9,13 +9,16 @@ on:
     branches:
       - main
 
+env:
+  UV_PYTHON_DOWNLOADS: never
+
 jobs:
   test-ebook-search:
     runs-on: self-hosted
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Build test image
-        run: docker build --file python/ebook_search/docker/Dockerfile --target test --tag ebook-search:test .
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: uv sync --locked --project python/ebook_search/docker
       - name: Run ebook search tests
-        run: docker run --rm ebook-search:test
+        run: uv run --project python/ebook_search/docker --no-sync pytest tests/ebook_search --override-ini addopts="-n auto -ra"
diff --git a/python/ebook_search/docker/README.md b/python/ebook_search/docker/README.md
index 97c2ccf..3606863 100644
--- a/python/ebook_search/docker/README.md
+++ b/python/ebook_search/docker/README.md
@@ -46,22 +46,28 @@ cd python/ebook_search/docker && uv lock
 ## Tests
 
 The main pytest suite excludes `tests/ebook_search` (its dependencies are no longer
-in the nix dev shell). The ebook tests run inside the Docker `test` image instead:
+in the nix dev shell). The `test ebook search` CI workflow runs them in a uv env
+built from the lockfile in this directory — same commands work locally from the
+repo root (the `--override-ini` drops the main suite's ignore):
+
+```sh
+uv sync --locked --project python/ebook_search/docker
+uv run --project python/ebook_search/docker --no-sync pytest tests/ebook_search --override-ini addopts="-n auto -ra"
+```
+
+They can also run inside the Docker `test` image, which validates the image itself:
 
 ```sh
 python -m python.ebook_search.docker.containers test
 ```
 
-or the raw docker equivalent (what the `test ebook search` CI workflow runs):
+or the raw docker equivalent:
 
 ```sh
 docker build --file python/ebook_search/docker/Dockerfile --target test --tag ebook-search:test .
 docker run --rm ebook-search:test
 ```
 
-To run them on the host instead, use a venv with the ebook deps installed and
-override the ignore: `pytest tests/ebook_search -o addopts="-ra"`.
-
 ## Configuration
 
 The compose service loads the repo root `.env` into the container via `env_file`.
diff --git a/systems/jeeves/runners/nix_builder.nix b/systems/jeeves/runners/nix_builder.nix
index 0d1785a..a5e47b7 100644
--- a/systems/jeeves/runners/nix_builder.nix
+++ b/systems/jeeves/runners/nix_builder.nix
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ in
                 nixos-rebuild
                 nodejs
                 treefmt
+                uv
                 wget
               ];
             };