diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 8a4975bc..eed3ac76 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ on:
     push:
       branches:
         - master
-        - develop
-  
+        - integration
+
 
 jobs:
   build_and_run:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
 
     steps:
     - name: Checkout
@@ -36,5 +36,3 @@ jobs:
     - name:  Startup Nitro testnode
       run: ${{ github.workspace }}/.github/workflows/testnode.bash
 
-    - name:  Start smoke test
-      run: ${{ github.workspace }}/.github/workflows/smoke-test-node.bash
diff --git a/.github/workflows/smoke-test.yml b/.github/workflows/smoke-test.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2e19ad27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/smoke-test.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+name: Smoke Test CI
+run-name: CI triggered from @${{ github.actor }} of ${{ github.head_ref }}
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  merge_group:
+  pull_request:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - master
+      - integration
+  schedule:
+    #      Run at the end of every day to make
+    - cron: "0 0 * * *"
+
+
+jobs:
+  build_and_run:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          submodules: recursive
+
+      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+        with:
+          driver-opts: network=host
+
+      - name: Cache Docker layers
+        uses: actions/cache@v3
+        with:
+          path: /tmp/.buildx-cache
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-buildx-${{ hashFiles('Dockerfile') }}
+          restore-keys: ${{ runner.os }}-buildx-
+
+      - name:  Start Smoke Test with Latest Espresso Image
+        run: ${{ github.workspace }}/.github/workflows/smoke-test-node.bash