diff --git a/.github/workflows/vpm_ci.yml b/.github/workflows/vpm_ci.yml
index d642ece6f8..cc3d3b8716 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/vpm_ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/vpm_ci.yml
@@ -15,16 +15,18 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
-  setup:
+  setup-vpm:
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        os: [ubuntu-20.04, windows-2019, macos-14]
+        os: [ubuntu-latest, windows-latest, macos-latest]
       fail-fast: false
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           path: vlang
+      - name: Show git version
+        run: git version
       - name: Build V
         if: runner.os != 'Windows'
         run: cd vlang && make -j4 && ./v doctor
@@ -37,34 +39,34 @@ jobs:
           path: vlang
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
 
-  test:
-    needs: setup
+  test-vpm:
+    needs: setup-vpm
     strategy:
       matrix:
         include:
-          - os: ubuntu-20.04
+          - os: ubuntu-latest
             cc: tcc
-          - os: ubuntu-20.04
+          - os: ubuntu-latest
             cc: gcc
-          - os: ubuntu-20.04
+          - os: ubuntu-latest
             cc: clang
-          - os: windows-2019
+          - os: macos-latest
+            cc: clang
+          - os: windows-latest
             cc: tcc
-          - os: windows-2019
+          - os: windows-latest
             cc: gcc
-          - os: windows-2019
+          - os: windows-latest
             cc: msvc
-          - os: macos-14
-            cc: clang
       fail-fast: false
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
-    env:
-      VFLAGS: -cc ${{ matrix.cc }} -d network
     steps:
       - name: Restore V cache
         uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
         with:
           path: vlang
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}
+      - name: Show git version
+        run: git version
       - name: Test
-        run: cd vlang && ./v test cmd/tools/vpm
+        run: cd vlang && ./v -cc ${{ matrix.cc }} -d network test cmd/tools/vpm
diff --git a/cmd/tools/vpm/install_test.v b/cmd/tools/vpm/install_test.v
index 2d9adf1f60..055c0007f5 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vpm/install_test.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vpm/install_test.v
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ fn test_get_installed_version() {
 
 	// Create a tag -> latests commit and tag are at the same state,
 	// but it should not be treated as a version installation, when there is another head branch.
-	res = cmd_ok(@LOCATION, 'git tag v0.1.0')
+	res = cmd_ok(@LOCATION, 'git tag v0.1.0 -m "some tag message"') // note: without a tag message, git will try to start an editor when you run this test locally, which will block
 	mod.is_installed = false
 	mod.get_installed()
 	assert mod.is_installed
diff --git a/cmd/tools/vpm/outdated_test.v b/cmd/tools/vpm/outdated_test.v
index 7fa68dc984..de3a1d1165 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vpm/outdated_test.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vpm/outdated_test.v
@@ -55,9 +55,10 @@ fn test_outdated() {
 		assert is_outdated(m)
 	}
 	res := cmd_ok(@LOCATION, '${vexe} outdated')
-	assert res.output.contains('Outdated modules:'), res.output
-	assert res.output.contains('pcre'), res.output
-	assert res.output.contains('vtray'), res.output
-	assert res.output.contains('nedpals.args'), res.output
-	assert !res.output.contains('libsodium'), res.output
+	output := res.output.all_after('Outdated modules:')
+	assert output.len > 0, output
+	assert output.contains('pcre'), output
+	assert output.contains('vtray'), output
+	assert output.contains('nedpals.args'), output
+	assert !output.contains('libsodium'), output
 }
diff --git a/cmd/tools/vpm/settings.v b/cmd/tools/vpm/settings.v
index 80f89ecf00..167eafc9c3 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vpm/settings.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vpm/settings.v
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ fn init_settings() VpmSettings {
 	is_ci := os.getenv('CI') != ''
 
 	mut logger := &log.Log{}
+	logger.set_output_stream(os.stderr())
 	if is_dbg {
 		logger.set_level(.debug)
 	}