diff --git a/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml b/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
index eee23c7f..c8c5b62f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml
@@ -48,4 +48,4 @@ jobs:
       - uses: r-lib/actions/check-r-package@v2
         with:
           upload-snapshots: true
-          build_args: 'c("--no-manual", "--as-cran", "--compact-vignettes=gs+qpdf")'
+          build_args: 'c("--no-manual", "--compact-vignettes=gs+qpdf")'
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-perf-meanDS.R b/tests/testthat/test-perf-meanDS.R
index 4557ed7e..794e61b2 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-perf-meanDS.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-perf-meanDS.R
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 # Set up
 #
 
+# avoid performance tests on CRAN and GitHub Actions
+testthat::skip_on_cran()
+testthat::skip_on_ci()
+
 context("meanDS::perf::setup")
 
 set.standard.disclosure.settings()
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-perf-varDS.R b/tests/testthat/test-perf-varDS.R
index 19c21689..d468c5da 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-perf-varDS.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-perf-varDS.R
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 # Set up
 #
 
+# avoid performance tests on CRAN and GitHub Actions
+testthat::skip_on_cran()
+testthat::skip_on_ci()
+
 context("varDS::perf::setup")
 
 set.standard.disclosure.settings()