diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/julia-test.yml b/.gitea/workflows/julia-test.yml
index 6abe634..d1453e7 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/julia-test.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/julia-test.yml
@@ -10,12 +10,36 @@ jobs:
       - name: Set up Julia
         uses: julia-actions/setup-julia@v1
         with:
-          version: '1.9'
+          version: '1.10'  # stable; 1.9 is fine too
 
-      - name: Install dependencies
+      - name: Install dependencies (if Project.toml exists)
         run: |
-          julia -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.instantiate()'
+          if [ -f Project.toml ]; then
+            julia -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.instantiate()'
+          else
+            echo "No Project.toml found; will create a minimal project for testing."
+          fi
 
-      - name: Run tests
+      - name: Run tests or Hello
         run: |
-          julia -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.test()'
+          if [ -f Project.toml ]; then
+            # Activate the repo project and run its tests
+            julia -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.activate("."); Pkg.test()'
+          else
+            # Create a tiny project + test so the job still proves the runner works
+            mkdir -p test
+            cat > Project.toml <<'EOF'
+name = "HelloCI"
+uuid = "f0f9c0b0-0000-4e00-9000-000000000001"
+version = "0.1.0"
+
+[deps]
+Test = "8dfed614-e22c-5e08-85e1-65c5234f0b40"
+EOF
+            cat > test/runtests.jl <<'EOF'
+using Test
+@test 2 + 2 == 4
+println("Hello, Julia!")
+EOF
+            julia -e 'using Pkg; Pkg.activate("."); Pkg.test()'
+          fi
\ No newline at end of file