diff --git a/.github/workflows/unit_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/unit_tests.yml
index 7acc35e35..b28f91d62 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/unit_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/unit_tests.yml
@@ -111,8 +111,8 @@ jobs:
 
   test:
     # For GitHub "required" CI checks, add in branch protection:
-    # 6 checks:
-    # for each OS (ubuntu, macos, windows):
+    # 7 checks:
+    # for each OS (ubuntu, macos, macos-14 windows):
     # 3.9 -> stable / full / stable
     # 3.12 -> stable / full / stable
     #
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest, windows-latest]
+        os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest, macos-14, windows-latest]  # macos-14 is Apple Silicon
         python-version: ["3.9", "3.12"]  # Oldest and newest supported versions
         mne-version: [mne-stable]
         mne-bids-install: [full]
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set up Node.js
       uses: actions/setup-node@v4
       with:
-        node-version: 18
+        node-version: lts
 
     - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
       uses: actions/setup-python@v5