diff --git a/.github/act/README.md b/.github/act/README.md
index 152ae9cb..461fda74 100644
--- a/.github/act/README.md
+++ b/.github/act/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,13 @@ docker pull ghcr.io/jefuller/artifact-server:latest
 docker run -d --name artifact-server -p 8082:8080 --add-host host.docker.internal:host-gateway -e AUTH_KEY=foo ghcr.io/jefuller/artifact-server:latest
 ```
 
-Run the following **from this directory** to make use of `.actrc` and proper working directoy.
+Run the following **from this directory** to make use of `.actrc` and proper working directory.
+
+### Test Branch Test Suite
+
+```shell
+act -W '.github/act/testSuite.yml' -e '.github/act/actBranchEvent.json'
+```
 
 ### Test Branch Push
 
@@ -44,4 +50,4 @@ act -W '.github/act/multiRunnerTest.yml' -e '.github/act/actBranchEvent.json'
 
 ```shell
 act -W '.github/act/multiRunnerBakeTest.yml' -e '.github/act/actBranchEvent.json'
-```
\ No newline at end of file
+```
diff --git a/.github/act/testSuite.yml b/.github/act/testSuite.yml
index 09ea7e06..92950232 100644
--- a/.github/act/testSuite.yml
+++ b/.github/act/testSuite.yml
@@ -7,19 +7,4 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   test:
-    name: Run Tests
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Check out the repo
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Use Node.js
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
-        with:
-          node-version: '18.x'
-          cache: 'npm'
-      - name: Install dev dependencies
-        run: npm ci
-      - name: Build Backend
-        run: 'npm run build:backend'
-      - name: Test Backend
-        run: npm run test
+      uses: ./.github/workflows/testAndSanity.yml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependabotTest.yml b/.github/workflows/dependabotTest.yml
index 684d6203..a4aec16b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dependabotTest.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependabotTest.yml
@@ -11,24 +11,6 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   test:
-    name: Run Tests and Build (sanity)
+    name: Tests / Build / Sanity Run
     if: github.actor == 'dependabot[bot]'
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Check out the repo
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Use Node.js
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
-        with:
-          node-version: '18.x'
-          cache: 'npm'
-      - name: Install dev dependencies
-        run: npm ci
-      - name: Build Backend
-        run: 'npm run build:backend'
-      - name: Test Backend
-        run: npm run test
-      - name: Install Docs Deps
-        run: npm run docs:install
-      - name: Build
-        run: npm run build
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/testAndSanity.yml
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr.yml b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
index 5ceef444..9d4d9b11 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
@@ -12,23 +12,8 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   test:
-    name: Run Tests
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     if: contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'safe to test')
-    steps:
-      - name: Check out the repo
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Use Node.js
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
-        with:
-          node-version: '18.x'
-          cache: 'npm'
-      - name: Install dev dependencies
-        run: npm ci
-      - name: Build Backend
-        run: 'npm run build:backend'
-      - name: Test Backend
-        run: npm run test
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/testAndSanity.yml
 
   release-snapshot:
     name: Release snapshot
@@ -45,9 +30,6 @@ jobs:
           - dockerfile: ./Dockerfile
             suffix: ''
             platforms: 'linux/amd64,linux/arm64'
-#          - dockerfile: ./alpine.Dockerfile
-#            suffix: '-alpine'
-#            platforms: 'linux/amd64,linux/arm64'
     steps:
       - name: Set up QEMU
         uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publishImage.yml b/.github/workflows/publishImage.yml
index b77c2b4f..991f7dc4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publishImage.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publishImage.yml
@@ -20,23 +20,8 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   test:
-    name: Run Tests
     if: github.event_name != 'pull_request'
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Check out the repo
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Use Node.js
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
-        with:
-          node-version: '18.x'
-          cache: 'npm'
-      - name: Install dev dependencies
-        run: npm ci
-      - name: Build Backend
-        run: 'npm run build:backend'
-      - name: Test Backend
-        run: npm run test
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/testAndSanity.yml
 
   push_to_registry:
     name: Build and push container images
diff --git a/.github/workflows/testAndSanity.yml b/.github/workflows/testAndSanity.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..62d7e4a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/testAndSanity.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+name: Tests and Sanity Run
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      node-version:
+        description: "Node version"
+        required: false
+        default: '18.x'
+        type: string
+
+jobs:
+  test:
+    name: Tests / Build / Sanity Run
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out the repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Use Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: ${{ inputs.node-version }}
+          cache: 'npm'
+
+      - name: Install dev dependencies
+        run: npm ci
+      - name: Test Backend
+        run: npm run test
+
+      - name: Install Docs Deps
+        run: NODE_ENV=production npm run docs:install
+      - name: Build
+        run: NODE_ENV=production npm run build
+      
+        # remove modules that might include dev stuff
+        # so that in the next step we are sure that prod-only runs work correctly
+      - name: Install Prod Deps
+        run: |
+          rm -rf node_modules && \
+          rm -rf docsite/node_modules && \
+          NODE_ENV=production npm ci --omit=dev
+
+        # run app for 10 seconds as sanity check to see if it errors for any reason
+        # easy testcase for missing packages and init errors
+      - name: Sanity Run
+        run: |
+          set +e
+          export NODE_ENV=production
+          timeout --preserve-status 10s node node_modules/.bin/tsx src/backend/index.ts
+          exitcode="$?"
+          if [[ "$exitcode" -eq 143 ]] || [[ "$exitcode" -eq 137 ]]; then
+            echo "App stayed up long enough and exited with expected status"
+            exit 0
+          else
+            echo "App exited with unexpected code $exitcode"
+            exit "$exitcode"
+          fi