diff --git a/.github/workflows/unit_tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/unit_tests.yaml
index a5181c42b37..3c4fdc6f1f5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/unit_tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/unit_tests.yaml
@@ -19,24 +19,31 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
-        python-version: ['3.8', '3.9', '3.10', '3.11', '3.12']
+        python-version: ['3.10', '3.11', '3.12', '3.13', '3.14']
         on_develop:
         - ${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' }}
         include:
         - python-version: '3.7'
           os: ubuntu-22.04
           on_develop: ${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' }}
-        exclude:
+        # actions/setup-python has no Python 3.8/3.9 builds for Ubuntu 26.04 (ubuntu-latest)
         - python-version: '3.8'
+          os: ubuntu-24.04
+          on_develop: ${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' }}
+        - python-version: '3.9'
+          os: ubuntu-24.04
+          on_develop: ${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop' }}
+        exclude:
+        - python-version: '3.10'
           os: ubuntu-latest
           on_develop: false
-        - python-version: '3.9'
+        - python-version: '3.11'
           os: ubuntu-latest
           on_develop: false
-        - python-version: '3.10'
+        - python-version: '3.12'
           os: ubuntu-latest
           on_develop: false
-        - python-version: '3.11'
+        - python-version: '3.13'
           os: ubuntu-latest
           on_develop: false
 
@@ -100,4 +107,4 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         $Env:PYTHONPATH = "$Env:SPACK_ROOT\lib\spack;$Env:PYTHONPATH"
         python3 -m pytest -v --exitfirst
-        ./.ci/validate_last_exit.ps1
+        ./.ci/validate_last_exit.ps1
\ No newline at end of file