diff --git a/.github/workflows/testing_external_plugins.yaml b/.github/workflows/testing_external_plugins.yaml
index 3ae7b3ed..0869c182 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/testing_external_plugins.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/testing_external_plugins.yaml
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ jobs:
         poetry install
         poetry run python -m pip install ./tests/external_plugins_src/
         cd ..
+        poetry shell
     # installed test plugins aren't recognized by "behave" if run from the
     # project's root folder, but "poetry run" doesn't work on folders upstream
     # from project root