diff --git a/.github/workflows/frontend_charm_integration_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/frontend_charm_integration_tests.yml
index 25305d0ff..4ac1338e9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/frontend_charm_integration_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/frontend_charm_integration_tests.yml
@@ -1,45 +1,37 @@
-name: Run charm tests
+name: Run charm integration tests
 on:
+  pull_request_review:
+    on:
+      pull_request_review:
+        types: [submitted]
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - '**'
+    paths:
+      - 'frontend/charm/**'
   push:
     branches: ["main"]
     tags: ["v*.*.*"]
+  workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
   integration-test:
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      packages: read
+
     name: Integration tests
-    runs-on: [self-hosted, linux, large]
+    runs-on: [self-hosted, jammy, xlarge]
+    if: github.event.review.state == 'APPROVED'
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v3
-      - name: Setup LXD
-        uses: canonical/setup-lxd@main
-        with:
-          channel: 5.13/stable
-      - name: Setup operator environment
-        uses: charmed-kubernetes/actions-operator@main
-        with:
-          provider: microk8s
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Set up microk8s
+        uses: canonical/certification-github-workflows/.github/actions/microk8s-setup@main
       - name: Run integration tests
         run: tox -e integration
-      - name: Archive Tested Charm
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
-        if: ${{ github.ref_name == 'main' }}
-        with:
-          name: tested-charm
-          path: .tox/**/test-observer-frontend_ubuntu-22.04-amd64.charm
-          retention-days: 5
-      - name: Archive charmcraft logs
-        if: failure()
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: charmcraft-logs
-          path: /home/runner/.local/state/charmcraft/log/*.log
-      - name: Archive juju crashdump
-        if: failure()
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: juju-crashdump
-          path: juju-crashdump-*.tar.xz
+      - name: Archive charm testing outputs
+        uses: canonical/certification-github-workflows/.github/actions/archive-charm-testing-artifacts@main
     defaults:
       run:
-        working-directory: ./frontend/charm
\ No newline at end of file
+        working-directory: ./frontend/charm
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish_api.yml b/.github/workflows/publish_api.yml
index 0f93ec5e7..1cb2982f4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish_api.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish_api.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ env:
 
 jobs:
   build-and-push-image:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: [self-hosted, linux]
     permissions:
       contents: read
       packages: write
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+        with:
+          config-inline: |
+            [registry."docker.io"]
+              mirrors = ["https://github-runner-dockerhub-cache.canonical.com:5000"]
 
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -46,8 +50,8 @@ jobs:
           labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
 
   build-and-push-charm:
+    runs-on: [self-hosted, linux, xlarge]
     needs: build-and-push-image
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish_frontend.yml b/.github/workflows/publish_frontend.yml
index fad0f411e..7e6ecd926 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish_frontend.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish_frontend.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ env:
 
 jobs:
   build-and-push-frontend-image:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: [self-hosted, linux]
     permissions:
       contents: read
       packages: write
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+        with:
+          config-inline: |
+            [registry."docker.io"]
+              mirrors = ["https://github-runner-dockerhub-cache.canonical.com:5000"]
 
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 60cf1b72e..8f875b6ba 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ Observe the status and state of certification tests for various artefacts
 - `juju` 3.1 or later (`sudo snap install juju --channel=3.1/stable`)
 - `microk8s` 1.27 or later (`sudo snap install microk8s --channel=1.27-strict/stable`) + [permission setup steps after install](https://juju.is/docs/sdk/set-up-your-development-environment#heading--install-microk8s)
 - `terraform` 1.4.6 or later (`sudo snap install terraform --classic`)
-- `lxd` 5.13 or later (`sudo snap install lxd --channel=5.13/stable` or `sudo snap refresh lxd --channel=5.13/stable` if already installed) + `lxd init --auto` after install.
+- `lxd` 5.19 or later (`sudo snap install lxd --channel=5.19/stable` or `sudo snap refresh lxd --channel=5.19/stable` if already installed) + `lxd init --auto` after install.
 - `charmcraft` 2.3.0 or later (`sudo snap install charmcraft --channel=2.x/stable --classic`)
 - optional: `jhack` for all kinds of handy Juju and charm SDK development and debugging operations (`sudo snap install jhack`)
 
diff --git a/backend/charm/requirements.txt b/backend/charm/requirements.txt
index 398fee13d..60f27e45d 100644
--- a/backend/charm/requirements.txt
+++ b/backend/charm/requirements.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-ops >= 1.5.0
+ops >= 2.8.0
 requests==2.31.0
diff --git a/frontend/charm/requirements.txt b/frontend/charm/requirements.txt
index aaa16b155..84a2a12dd 100644
--- a/frontend/charm/requirements.txt
+++ b/frontend/charm/requirements.txt
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
-ops >= 2.2.0
+ops >= 2.8.0
+macaroonbakery==1.3.2 # workaround to failures such as https://github.com/canonical/test_observer/actions/runs/7142353669/job/19451476954
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/frontend/charm/tests/integration/test_charm.py b/frontend/charm/tests/integration/test_charm.py
index 10742f61b..77cc33f3a 100644
--- a/frontend/charm/tests/integration/test_charm.py
+++ b/frontend/charm/tests/integration/test_charm.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 
 
 @pytest.mark.abort_on_fail
-async def test_build_and_deploy(ops_test: OpsTest):
-    """Build the charm-under-test and deploy it together with related charms.
+async def test_build_and_deploy_without_backend(ops_test: OpsTest):
+    """Build the charm-under-test and deploy it together without related charms.
 
     Assert on the unit status before any relations/configurations take place.
     """
@@ -29,8 +29,7 @@ async def test_build_and_deploy(ops_test: OpsTest):
         ops_test.model.deploy(charm, resources=resources, application_name=APP_NAME),
         ops_test.model.wait_for_idle(
             apps=[APP_NAME],
-            status="active",
-            raise_on_blocked=True,
-            timeout=1000,
+            status="maintenance",
+            timeout=2000,
         ),
     )
diff --git a/frontend/charm/tox.ini b/frontend/charm/tox.ini
index 0add52053..954ee8c0b 100644
--- a/frontend/charm/tox.ini
+++ b/frontend/charm/tox.ini
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ commands =
 description = Run integration tests
 deps =
     pytest
-    juju
+    juju<=3.2
     pytest-operator
     -r {tox_root}/requirements.txt
 commands =
diff --git a/terraform/test-observer.tf b/terraform/test-observer.tf
index 5ba789166..819aed2d5 100644
--- a/terraform/test-observer.tf
+++ b/terraform/test-observer.tf
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 terraform {
   required_providers {
     juju = {
-      version = "~> 0.7.0"
+      version = "~> 0.10.0"
       source  = "juju/juju"
     }
   }
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ resource "juju_application" "pg" {
   charm {
     name    = "postgresql-k8s"
     channel = "14/stable"
-    series  = "jammy"
   }
 }
 
@@ -78,7 +77,6 @@ resource "juju_application" "test-observer-api" {
   charm {
     name    = "test-observer-api"
     channel = "latest/edge"
-    series  = "jammy"
   }
 
   config = {
@@ -97,7 +95,6 @@ resource "juju_application" "test-observer-frontend" {
   charm {
     name    = "test-observer-frontend"
     channel = "latest/edge"
-    series  = "jammy"
   }
 
   config = {