diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/cicd-checks.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/cicd-checks.yaml
index db4b3d5..cb33ab7 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/cicd-checks.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/cicd-checks.yaml
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ jobs:
 
   run-check:
     name: ${{ matrix.name }}
-    # Prefer the generic ubuntu-latest label for better runner availability.
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # Docker-capable runner required: pulls and runs the CICD container image.
+    runs-on: ubuntu-act
     timeout-minutes: 20
     needs: setup
     strategy:
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/cicd-tests.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/cicd-tests.yaml
index f8c629d..d799f4b 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/cicd-tests.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/cicd-tests.yaml
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ jobs:
 
   backend-tests:
     name: Backend Tests
-    # Prefer the generic ubuntu-latest label for better runner availability.
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # Docker-capable runner required: pulls and runs the CICD container image.
+    runs-on: ubuntu-act
     timeout-minutes: 25
     needs: setup
     steps:
@@ -119,8 +119,8 @@ jobs:
 
   frontend-tests:
     name: Frontend Tests
-    # Prefer the generic ubuntu-latest label for better runner availability.
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # Docker-capable runner required: pulls and runs the CICD container image.
+    runs-on: ubuntu-act
     timeout-minutes: 25
     needs: setup
     steps:
@@ -137,8 +137,8 @@ jobs:
 
   xdoctest:
     name: Backend Doctests
-    # Prefer the generic ubuntu-latest label for better runner availability.
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # Docker-capable runner required: pulls and runs the CICD container image.
+    runs-on: ubuntu-act
     timeout-minutes: 15
     needs: setup
     steps:
@@ -156,8 +156,8 @@ jobs:
 
   integration-tests:
     name: Integration Tests
-    # Prefer the generic ubuntu-latest label for better runner availability.
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # Docker-capable runner required: pulls and runs the CICD container image.
+    runs-on: ubuntu-act
     timeout-minutes: 20
     needs: [setup, backend-tests]
     steps:
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@ jobs:
 
   e2e-tests:
     name: End-to-End Tests
-    # Prefer the generic ubuntu-latest label for better runner availability.
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # Docker-capable runner required: pulls and runs the CICD container image.
+    runs-on: ubuntu-act
     timeout-minutes: 30
     needs: [setup, frontend-tests]
     steps:
diff --git a/Dockerfile.cicd b/Dockerfile.cicd
index 9e1b447..35c73d3 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.cicd
+++ b/Dockerfile.cicd
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ RUN --mount=type=secret,id=ssh_private_key \
     cp /tmp/repo/backend/pyproject.toml /workspace/backend/ 2>/dev/null || echo "No backend pyproject.toml" && \
     cp /tmp/repo/frontend/package.json /workspace/frontend/ 2>/dev/null || echo "No frontend package.json" && \
     cp /tmp/repo/frontend/yarn.lock /workspace/frontend/ 2>/dev/null || echo "No frontend yarn.lock" && \
+    cp /tmp/repo/frontend/.yarnrc.yml /workspace/frontend/ 2>/dev/null || echo "No frontend .yarnrc.yml" && \
     cp /tmp/repo/.pre-commit-config.yaml /workspace/ 2>/dev/null || echo "No pre-commit config" && \
     echo "✓ Dependency files extracted for optimized layer caching" && \
     rm -rf ~/.ssh
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ RUN echo "Copying source code while preserving installed dependencies..." && \
         if [ "$basename_item" = "backend" ] && [ -d "/workspace/backend/.venv" ]; then \
             echo "Copying backend files while preserving .venv..."; \
             find "$item" -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 ! -name ".venv" -exec cp -rf {} /workspace/backend/ \;; \
-        elif [ "$basename_item" = "frontend" ] && ([ -d "/workspace/frontend/node_modules" ] || [ -f "/workspace/frontend/.pnp.cjs" ]); then \
+        elif [ "$basename_item" = "frontend" ] && [ -d "/workspace/frontend/node_modules" ]; then \
             echo "Copying frontend files (will regenerate Yarn state after)..."; \
             cp -rf "$item"/* /workspace/frontend/; \
         else \
@@ -157,15 +158,15 @@ RUN echo "Copying source code while preserving installed dependencies..." && \
     echo "✓ Full source code copied, dependencies preserved" && \
     rm -rf /tmp/repo
 
-# PHASE 3.5: Regenerate Yarn PnP state after source code update
+# PHASE 3.5: Re-link Yarn after source code update (node-modules linker only)
 WORKDIR /workspace/frontend
-RUN if [ -f "package.json" ] && [ -f ".pnp.cjs" ]; then \
-        echo "=== Regenerating Yarn PnP State After Source Code Update ===" && \
-        echo "Source package.json and installed dependencies may have differences..." && \
+RUN if [ -f "package.json" ] && [ -d "node_modules" ]; then \
+        echo "=== Re-linking Yarn node_modules After Source Code Update ===" && \
+        echo "Ensuring package.json and installed node_modules are in sync..." && \
         yarn install --immutable && \
-        echo "✓ Yarn PnP state regenerated successfully - tools should now work"; \
+        echo "✓ Yarn node_modules re-linked successfully"; \
     else \
-        echo "ℹ No Yarn PnP setup detected, skipping state regeneration"; \
+        echo "ℹ No node_modules detected, skipping Yarn re-link"; \
     fi
 
 # PHASE 4: Install backend package in development mode (requires full source)
@@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ RUN cd /workspace/frontend && \
     if [ -f ".frontend-deps-failed" ]; then \
         echo "WARNING: Skipping frontend tool verification due to failed dependencies installation"; \
         echo "Frontend CI/CD jobs may be limited in this environment"; \
-    elif [ -d "node_modules" ] || [ -f ".pnp.cjs" ]; then \
+    elif [ -d "node_modules" ]; then \
         verify_required_tool() { \
             tool_name="$1"; \
             yarn_target="$2"; \
@@ -257,18 +258,14 @@ RUN cd /workspace/frontend && \
             echo "⚠ ${tool_name} version check failed under Yarn wrapper; continuing"; \
             return 0; \
         }; \
-        if [ -f ".pnp.cjs" ]; then \
-            echo "✓ Yarn PnP dependencies found (.pnp.cjs), verifying tools..."; \
-        else \
-            echo "✓ Traditional node_modules found, verifying tools..."; \
-        fi && \
+        echo "✓ node_modules dependencies found, verifying tools..." && \
         verify_required_tool "eslint" "eslint" "eslint" && \
         verify_required_tool "prettier" "prettier" "prettier" && \
         verify_required_tool "typescript" "tsc" "tsc" && \
         verify_optional_yarn_tool "vitest" "vitest" && \
         echo "✓ All frontend tools verified successfully"; \
     else \
-        echo "ERROR: No frontend dependencies found (neither node_modules nor .pnp.cjs)"; \
+        echo "ERROR: No frontend node_modules found"; \
         echo "Available files in frontend:"; \
         ls -la .; \
         exit 1; \