diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index faa2b02192..74d3f955f0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 ---
 name: CI
 env:
-  BRANCH: ${{ github.base_ref || 'devel' }}
   LC_ALL: "C.UTF-8" # prevent ERROR: Ansible could not initialize the preferred locale: unsupported locale setting
+  CI_GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+  DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE: ghcr.io/${{ github.repository_owner }}
+  COMPOSE_TAG: ${{ github.base_ref || 'devel' }}
 on:
   pull_request:
 jobs:
@@ -18,85 +20,33 @@ jobs:
         tests:
           - name: api-test
             command: /start_tests.sh
-            label: Run API Tests
           - name: api-lint
             command: /var/lib/awx/venv/awx/bin/tox -e linters
-            label: Run API Linters
           - name: api-swagger
             command: /start_tests.sh swagger
-            label: Generate API Reference
           - name: awx-collection
             command: /start_tests.sh test_collection_all
-            label: Run Collection Tests
           - name: api-schema
-            label: Check API Schema
             command: /start_tests.sh detect-schema-change SCHEMA_DIFF_BASE_BRANCH=${{ github.event.pull_request.base.ref }}
           - name: ui-lint
-            label: Run UI Linters
             command: make ui-lint
           - name: ui-test-screens
-            label: Run UI Screens Tests
             command: make ui-test-screens
           - name: ui-test-general
-            label: Run UI General Tests
             command: make ui-test-general
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
 
-      - name: Get python version from Makefile
-        run: echo py_version=`make PYTHON_VERSION` >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      - name: Run check ${{ matrix.tests.name }}
+        run: AWX_DOCKER_CMD='${{ matrix.tests.command }}' make github_ci_runner
 
-      - name: Install python ${{ env.py_version }}
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v2
-        with:
-          python-version: ${{ env.py_version }}
-
-      - name: Log in to registry
-        run: |
-          echo "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}" | docker login ghcr.io -u ${{ github.actor }} --password-stdin
-
-      - name: Pre-pull image to warm build cache
-        run: |
-          docker pull ghcr.io/${{ github.repository_owner }}/awx_devel:${{ env.BRANCH }} || :
-
-      - name: Build image
-        run: |
-          DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=ghcr.io/${{ github.repository_owner }} COMPOSE_TAG=${{ env.BRANCH }} make docker-compose-build
-
-      - name: ${{ matrix.texts.label }}
-        run: |
-          docker run -u $(id -u) --rm -v ${{ github.workspace}}:/awx_devel/:Z \
-            --workdir=/awx_devel ghcr.io/${{ github.repository_owner }}/awx_devel:${{ env.BRANCH }} ${{ matrix.tests.command }}
   dev-env:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
 
-      - name: Get python version from Makefile
-        run: echo py_version=`make PYTHON_VERSION` >> $GITHUB_ENV
-
-      - name: Install python ${{ env.py_version }}
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v2
-        with:
-          python-version: ${{ env.py_version }}
-
-      - name: Log in to registry
-        run: |
-          echo "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}" | docker login ghcr.io -u ${{ github.actor }} --password-stdin
-
-      - name: Pre-pull image to warm build cache
-        run: |
-          docker pull ghcr.io/${{ github.repository_owner }}/awx_devel:${{ env.BRANCH }} || :
-
-      - name: Build image
-        run: |
-          DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=ghcr.io/${{ github.repository_owner }} COMPOSE_TAG=${{ env.BRANCH }} make docker-compose-build
-
       - name: Run smoke test
-        run: |
-          export DEV_DOCKER_TAG_BASE=ghcr.io/${{ github.repository_owner }}
-          export COMPOSE_TAG=${{ env.BRANCH }}
-          ansible-playbook tools/docker-compose/ansible/smoke-test.yml -e repo_dir=$(pwd) -v
+        run: make github_ci_setup && ansible-playbook tools/docker-compose/ansible/smoke-test.yml -v
 
   awx-operator:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1185666e76..896dcf2c6c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ I18N_FLAG_FILE = .i18n_built
 	sdist \
 	ui-release ui-devel \
 	VERSION PYTHON_VERSION docker-compose-sources \
-	.git/hooks/pre-commit
+	.git/hooks/pre-commit github_ci_setup github_ci_runner
 
 clean-tmp:
 	rm -rf tmp/
@@ -301,6 +301,21 @@ test:
 	cd awxkit && $(VENV_BASE)/awx/bin/tox -re py3
 	awx-manage check_migrations --dry-run --check  -n 'missing_migration_file'
 
+## Login to Github container image registry, pull image, then build image.
+github_ci_setup:
+	# GITHUB_ACTOR is automatic github actions env var
+	# CI_GITHUB_TOKEN is defined in .github files
+	echo $(CI_GITHUB_TOKEN) | docker login ghcr.io -u $(GITHUB_ACTOR) --password-stdin
+	docker pull $(DEVEL_IMAGE_NAME) || :  # Pre-pull image to warm build cache
+	make docker-compose-build
+
+## Runs AWX_DOCKER_CMD inside a new docker container.
+docker-runner:
+	docker run -u $(shell id -u) --rm -v $(shell pwd):/awx_devel/:Z --workdir=/awx_devel $(DEVEL_IMAGE_NAME) $(AWX_DOCKER_CMD)
+
+## Builds image and runs AWX_DOCKER_CMD in it, mainly for .github checks.
+github_ci_runner: github_ci_setup docker-runner
+
 test_collection:
 	rm -f $(shell ls -d $(VENV_BASE)/awx/lib/python* | head -n 1)/no-global-site-packages.txt
 	if [ "$(VENV_BASE)" ]; then \
diff --git a/tools/docker-compose/ansible/smoke-test.yml b/tools/docker-compose/ansible/smoke-test.yml
index 79b0fc2ee2..f4002c8567 100644
--- a/tools/docker-compose/ansible/smoke-test.yml
+++ b/tools/docker-compose/ansible/smoke-test.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
       environment:
         COMPOSE_UP_OPTS: -d
       args:
-        chdir: "{{ repo_dir }}"
+        chdir: "{{ playbook_dir }}/../../../"
 
     # Takes a while for migrations to finish
     - name: Wait for the dev environment to be ready