diff --git a/.github/actions/neon-project-create/action.yml b/.github/actions/neon-project-create/action.yml
index d87eb01e2c..c5284c3846 100644
--- a/.github/actions/neon-project-create/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/neon-project-create/action.yml
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ runs:
       # A shell without `set -x` to not to expose password/dsn in logs
       shell: bash -euo pipefail {0}
       run: |
-        project=$(curl \
+        res=$(curl \
           "https://${API_HOST}/api/v2/projects" \
-          --fail \
+          -w "%{http_code}" \
           --header "Accept: application/json" \
           --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
           --header "Authorization: Bearer ${API_KEY}" \
@@ -88,6 +88,15 @@ runs:
               \"default_endpoint_settings\": ${DEFAULT_ENDPOINT_SETTINGS}
             }
           }")
+        
+        code=${res: -3}
+        if [[ ${code} -ge 400 ]]; then
+          echo Request failed with error code ${code}
+          echo ${res::-3}
+          exit 1
+        else
+          project=${res::-3}
+        fi
 
         # Mask password
         echo "::add-mask::$(echo $project | jq --raw-output '.roles[] | select(.name != "web_access") | .password')"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cloud-extensions.yml b/.github/workflows/cloud-extensions.yml
index f74ffbdfcd..4fcd14161d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cloud-extensions.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cloud-extensions.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         pg-version: [16, 17]
 
-    runs-on: us-east-2
+    runs-on: small
     container:
       image: ghcr.io/neondatabase/neon-test-extensions-v${{ matrix.pg-version }}:14263641182
       credentials:
@@ -54,16 +54,14 @@ jobs:
       - name: Evaluate the settings
         id: project-settings
         run: |
-          if [[ matrix.pg-version -lt 17 ]]; then
+          if [[ ${{ matrix.pg-version }} -lt 17 ]]; then
             ULID=ulid
           else
             ULID=pgx_ulid
           fi
           LIBS=timescaledb:rag_bge_small_en_v15,rag_jina_reranker_v1_tiny_en:$ULID
-          ( 
-          echo -n settings=; 
-          jq -c -n --arg libs $LIBS '{preload_libraries:{use_defaults:false,enabled_libraries:($libs| split(":"))}}'
-          ) >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          settings=$(jq -c -n --arg libs $LIBS '{preload_libraries:{use_defaults:false,enabled_libraries:($libs| split(":"))}}')
+          echo settings=$settings >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           
 
       - name: Create Neon Project
@@ -72,12 +70,11 @@ jobs:
         with:
           region_id: ${{ inputs.region_id }}
           postgres_version: ${{ matrix.pg-version }}
-          project_settings: ${{ steps.outputs.project-settings.settings }}
-          default_endpoint_settings: '{"pg_settings":{"DateStyle":"Postgres,MDY","TimeZone":"America/Los_Angeles","neon.allow_unstable_extensions":"on"}}'
+          project_settings: ${{ steps.project-settings.outputs.settings }}
           api_key: ${{ secrets.NEON_STAGING_API_KEY }}
 
       - name: Run the regression tests
-        run: /run-tests.sh /ext-src
+        run: /run-tests.sh -r /ext-src
         env:
           BENCHMARK_CONNSTR: ${{ steps.create-neon-project.outputs.dsn }}