diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
index f9cfb8149..7f4c978e6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e.yml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ jobs:
 
       # the soroban CLI & RPC source code to compile and run from system test
       # refers to checked out source of current git hub ref context
-      SYSTEM_TEST_SOROBAN_CLI_REF: ${{ github.workspace }}
+      SYSTEM_TEST_SOROBAN_CLI_REF: ${{ github.workspace }}/soroban-cli
       SYSTEM_TEST_SOROBAN_RPC_REF: https://github.com/stellar/soroban-rpc.git#main
 
       # core git ref should be latest commit for stable soroban functionality