diff --git a/.github/workflows/appsec.yml b/.github/workflows/appsec.yml
index aabc5be4d29..db8c688d45d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/appsec.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/appsec.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ on:
   schedule:
     - cron: '0 4 * * *'
 
+env:
+  OLDEST_NODE: 18
+
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref || github.run_id }}
   cancel-in-progress: true
@@ -202,17 +205,22 @@ jobs:
       - uses: codecov/codecov-action@v3
 
   next:
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        version:
+          - ${{ env.OLDEST_NODE }}
+          - latest
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     env:
       PLUGINS: next
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: ./.github/actions/testagent/start
-      - uses: ./.github/actions/node/setup
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v3
+        with:
+          cache: yarn
+          node-version: ${{ matrix.version }}
       - run: yarn install
-      - uses: ./.github/actions/node/oldest
-      - run: yarn test:appsec:plugins:ci
-      - uses: ./.github/actions/node/latest
       - run: yarn test:appsec:plugins:ci
       - if: always()
         uses: ./.github/actions/testagent/logs
diff --git a/.github/workflows/plugins.yml b/.github/workflows/plugins.yml
index 990f9d20376..c81dbd2d3b4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/plugins.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/plugins.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ on:
   schedule:
     - cron: '0 4 * * *'
 
+env:
+  OLDEST_NODE: 18
+
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref || github.run_id }}
   cancel-in-progress: true
@@ -937,7 +940,9 @@ jobs:
   next:
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        version: [18, latest] # note that 18 is currently "oldest". change when necessary.
+        version:
+          - ${{ env.OLDEST_NODE }}
+          - latest
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     env:
       PLUGINS: next