diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yaml b/.github/workflows/main.yaml
index f7837c91..5807ef31 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yaml
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ jobs:
           - automation.sh
           - auto-format-tools.sh
           - build-systems.sh
+          - circleci.sh
           - containers.sh
           - docs-jupyter-book.sh
           - docs-mkdocs.sh
diff --git a/conda/dev-win.yaml b/conda/dev-win.yaml
index 6c244888..97e9dcdb 100644
--- a/conda/dev-win.yaml
+++ b/conda/dev-win.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ channels:
 dependencies:
   - m2-bash
   - git
+  - opensciencelabs::circleci-cli
   - python >=3.8.1,<3.12
   - poetry >=1.5
   - nodejs
diff --git a/conda/dev.yaml b/conda/dev.yaml
index 93541188..c3dfb44c 100644
--- a/conda/dev.yaml
+++ b/conda/dev.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ channels:
 dependencies:
   - bash
   - git
+  - opensciencelabs::circleci-cli
   - python >=3.8.1,<3.12
   - poetry >=1.5
   - nodejs
diff --git a/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/.circleci/config.yml b/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/.circleci/config.yml
index 96c3bbe0..fe8119e9 100644
--- a/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -22,17 +22,15 @@ jobs:
             source ~/.bashrc
             conda activate {{ cookiecutter.project_slug }}
 {%- else %}
-      - image: circleci/python:3.9  # Adjust Python version if needed
+      - image: cimg/python:3.10  # Adjust Python version if needed
 jobs:
   check-branch:
-    executor: python/default
+    executor: default_image
     steps:
       - checkout
-      - python/install-packages:
-          pkg-manager: pip
   test:
-    docker:
-      - image: circleci/python:3.9  # Adjust Python version if needed    steps:
+    executor: default_image
+    steps:
       - checkout
       - run:
           name: Create environment and install dependencies
diff --git a/tests/smoke/base-template.sh b/tests/smoke/base-template.sh
index faea2850..7489aae9 100755
--- a/tests/smoke/base-template.sh
+++ b/tests/smoke/base-template.sh
@@ -54,3 +54,9 @@ cookiecutter --no-input \
 echo "${OUTPUT_DIR}"
 
 set +ex
+
+if [[ "${input_params}" == *"use_circleci=yes"* ]] && command -v circleci &> /dev/null; then
+  pushd /tmp/osl/osl-python-package
+  circleci config validate
+  popd
+fi
diff --git a/tests/smoke/circleci.sh b/tests/smoke/circleci.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 4eaa16c4..78e6b8fd
--- a/tests/smoke/circleci.sh
+++ b/tests/smoke/circleci.sh
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@ set -e
 
 SMOKE_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" >/dev/null 2>&1 && pwd )"
 
-. ${SMOKE_DIR}/base.sh "use_circleci=yes"
+ . ${SMOKE_DIR}/base-template.sh "use_circleci=yes use_conda=yes"
+. ${SMOKE_DIR}/base-template.sh "use_circleci=yes use_pyenv=yes"