diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 105ba53..5c02118 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -34,11 +34,16 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      with:
+        submodules: true
+
     - uses: ddev/github-action-add-on-test@v2
       with:
+        disable_checkout_action: true
         ddev_version: ${{ matrix.ddev_version }}
         token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         debug_enabled: ${{ github.event.inputs.debug_enabled }}
         addon_repository: ${{ env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY }}
         addon_ref: ${{ env.GITHUB_REF }}
-        test_command: eval BATS_LIB_PATH=$(brew --prefix)/lib TEST_DRUPAL_CORE=${{ matrix.drupal_version }} bats tests
+        test_command: eval TEST_DRUPAL_CORE=${{ matrix.drupal_version }} ./tests/bats/bin/bats tests
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c7ef022
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+[submodule "tests/bats"]
+	path = tests/bats
+	url = https://github.com/bats-core/bats-core.git
+[submodule "tests/helpers/bats-assert"]
+	path = tests/helpers/bats-assert
+	url = https://github.com/bats-core/bats-assert.git
+[submodule "tests/helpers/bats-support"]
+	path = tests/helpers/bats-support
+	url = https://github.com/bats-core/bats-support.git
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index afbdb83..47ee33d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -107,14 +107,17 @@ ddev phpcbf -q
 ## Add-on tests
 
 Tests are done with Bats. It is a simple testing framework that just uses Bash. 
-To run a Bats test locally, you have to [install bats-core][bats-core] first. 
-Then you can run `bats ./tests` within the root of this project. 
+
+To run tests locally you need to first install the git submodules with: 
+`git submodule init`.
+
+Then you can run `./tests/bats/bin/bats ./tests` within the root of this project. 
 
 Tests will be run using the default drupal core of the contrib. You can test 
 with a different Drupal core version by providing it in a `TEST_DRUPAL_CORE` environment 
 variable.
 
-i.e. `TEST_DRUPAL_CORE=11 bats ./tests`.
+i.e. `TEST_DRUPAL_CORE=11 ./tests/bats/bin/bats ./tests`.
 
 Tests are triggered either manually, automatically on every push to the 
 repository, or periodically each night. The automated tests are agains all of
@@ -127,7 +130,6 @@ Also, consider adding tests to test for bugs or new features on your PR.
 
 To learn more about Bats see the [documentation][bats-docs].
 
-[bats-core]: https://bats-core.readthedocs.io/en/stable/installation.html
 [bats-docs]: https://bats-core.readthedocs.io/en/stable/
 
 ## Troubleshooting
diff --git a/tests/bats b/tests/bats
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..89a7fae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/bats
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 89a7fae3b651d5c2f42a3874ec32e821014814eb
diff --git a/tests/full.bats b/tests/full.bats
index 573f2bd..d59ce8b 100644
--- a/tests/full.bats
+++ b/tests/full.bats
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-bats_load_library 'bats-support'
-bats_load_library 'bats-assert'
+load helpers/bats-support/load.bash
+load helpers/bats-assert/load.bash
 
 setup_file() {
   if [ -n "$TEST_DRUPAL_CORE" ] && [ "$TEST_DRUPAL_CORE" != "10" ] && [ "$TEST_DRUPAL_CORE" != "11"  ]; then
diff --git a/tests/helpers/bats-assert b/tests/helpers/bats-assert
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..e2d855b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/helpers/bats-assert
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit e2d855bc78619ee15b0c702b5c30fb074101159f
diff --git a/tests/helpers/bats-support b/tests/helpers/bats-support
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..9bf10e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/helpers/bats-support
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 9bf10e876dd6b624fe44423f0b35e064225f7556