diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index 0ab9b8e..5a86110 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ jobs:
       - name: Compile check
         run: python -m py_compile app/*.py
       - name: Tests
-        run: pytest -q
+        run: python -m pytest -q
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 0139f2c..831eef0 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -24,3 +24,7 @@ dev = [
 [tool.pytest.ini_options]
 testpaths = ["tests"]
 asyncio_mode = "auto"
+# Always put the repo root on sys.path: the plain `pytest` binary (CI)
+# does not add the CWD, unlike `python -m pytest` — without this,
+# `from tests.conftest import ...` fails at collection time in CI.
+pythonpath = ["."]
diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..94981e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+"""Kanbante test suite.
+
+This package marker matters: with it, pytest puts the repository root on
+sys.path, so `from tests.conftest import ...` resolves identically
+whether the suite is launched via the `pytest` binary (CI) or via
+`python -m pytest` (which additionally adds the CWD). The root is also
+pinned explicitly through `pythonpath` in pyproject.toml.
+"""