diff --git a/.github/workflows/verilator_compatibility.yml b/.github/workflows/verilator_compatibility.yml
index dce0c9b1fb..68131457a9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/verilator_compatibility.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/verilator_compatibility.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ on:
         default: 'Check compatibility'
   schedule:
     - cron: '0 0 1 * *' # monthly
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [ main ] # to be reverted - just for testing the workflow
 jobs:
   build:
     strategy:
@@ -18,20 +20,18 @@ jobs:
       - name: trigger reason
         run: echo "Trigger Reason:" ${{ github.event.inputs.reason }}
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: checkout submodules
-        run: git submodule update --init --recursive
+        with:
+          submodules: 'recursive'
       - name: install apt packages
         run: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get -y install git make autoconf g++ flex bison libfl2 libfl-dev
       - name: compile verilator
         run: git clone https://github.com/verilator/verilator.git && cd verilator && git fetch origin && if [ ! "${{ matrix.verilator_version }}" == "master" ]; then  git checkout v${{ matrix.verilator_version }}; fi && autoconf && ./configure && make -j2 && sudo make install
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
-          python-version: '3.8'
+          python-version: '3.12'
           architecture: 'x64'
-      - uses: BSFishy/pip-action@v1
-        with:
-          packages: pytest
-          requirements: requirements.txt
+      #- name: install python packages
+      #  run: pip install pytest -r requirements.txt
       - name: install dace
-        run: python3 -m pip install .
+        run: pip install .['testing']
       - run: pytest -m "verilator"
diff --git a/dace/codegen/targets/rtl.py b/dace/codegen/targets/rtl.py
index 406f29e84e..82bec96250 100644
--- a/dace/codegen/targets/rtl.py
+++ b/dace/codegen/targets/rtl.py
@@ -715,6 +715,9 @@ def unparse_tasklet(self, sdfg: SDFG, cfg: ControlFlowRegion, dfg: StateSubgraph
     CPP_GENERAL_HEADER_TEMPLATE = """\
 {debug_include}
 // verilator includes
+#include <atomic>
+#include <thread>
+
 #include <verilated.h>
 """