diff --git a/.github/actions/simeng_benchmarks/action.yml b/.github/actions/simeng_benchmarks/action.yml
index bc43abbec1..8a6063bd4f 100644
--- a/.github/actions/simeng_benchmarks/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/simeng_benchmarks/action.yml
@@ -2,65 +2,34 @@ name: simeng-benchmarks
 description: runs simeng benchmarks
 
 inputs:
-  BENCHMARK_BRANCH:
-    description: name of the branch on the benchmark repo you want to checkout 
+  RUN_DIR:
+    description: directory from which the benchmark binary should be run
     required: true
-  OS:
-    description: docker image name
+  BIN_PATH:
+    description: path to the binary for the benchmark
     required: true
-  PAT:
-    description: personal access token required to checkout private benchmark repo
+  PASS_STRING:
+    description: string that is searched for in the benchmark's output to confirm whether or not it has passed
     required: true
 
 runs:
   using: 'composite'
   steps:
-
-    ##################################
-    # clones repo with different versions of the checkout action, as container
-    # has different node versions and some compilers run on older OSes that
-    # have differing node versions
-    ##################################
-
-    - if: ${{ contains(fromJson('["ubuntu:18.04"]'), matrix.OS) }}
-      name: checkout v3
-      uses: actions/checkout@v3
-      with:
-        repository: UoB-HPC/simeng-benchmarks
-        token: ${{ inputs.PAT }}
-        ref: makefile-build-system
-        path: simeng-benchmarks
-
-    - if: ${{ !contains(fromJson('["ubuntu:18.04"]'), matrix.OS) }}
-      name: checking out benchmark repository
-      uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      with:
-        repository: UoB-HPC/simeng-benchmarks
-        ref: makefile-build-system
-        token: ${{ inputs.PAT }}
-        path: simeng-benchmarks
-
-    - name: CloverLeaf serial gcc8.3.0 armv8.4
+    - name: Run Benchmark
       shell: bash
       run: |
         echo "BASH running"
-        cd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng-benchmarks/Data_Files/CloverLeaf
+        cd ${{ inputs.RUN_DIR }}
         echo "cd done"
         ls
-        simeng $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/configs/a64fx.yaml $SIMENG_BENCHMARKS_SRC_DIR/binaries/CloverLeaf/serial/cloverleaf_gcc8.3.0_armv8.4 >> $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng.tmp 2> $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng.tmp
-        if grep -q "This test is considered PASSED" $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng.tmp; then
+        simeng $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/configs/a64fx.yaml ${{ inputs.BIN_PATH }} >> $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng.tmp 2> $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng.tmp
+        if grep -q ${{ inputs.PASS_STRING }} $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng.tmp; then
           echo "Passed"
         else
           echo "Failed"
           exit 1
         fi
 
-#    - name: run benchmark
-#      shell: bash
-#      run: |
-#        cd ./simeng-benchmarks/Tools/simulation/validation
-#        SIMENG_BENCHMARKS_SRC_DIR=$GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng-benchmarks python3 validate_simulation.py all_a64fx.json $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/configs/a64fx.yaml
-
 #  {
 #    "name": "CloverLeaf serial gcc8.3.0 armv8.4",
 #    "run_from": "$SIMENG_BENCHMARKS_SRC_DIR/Data_Files/CloverLeaf",
diff --git a/.github/workflows/LINUX_BUILD_TEST.yml b/.github/workflows/LINUX_BUILD_TEST.yml
index 6badc72669..78895c39ba 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/LINUX_BUILD_TEST.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/LINUX_BUILD_TEST.yml
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
           repository: UoB-HPC/simeng-benchmarks
-          token: ${{ inputs.PAT }}
+          token: ${{ env.PAT }}
           ref: makefile-build-system
           path: simeng-benchmarks
 
@@ -172,24 +172,16 @@ jobs:
         with:
           repository: UoB-HPC/simeng-benchmarks
           ref: makefile-build-system
-          token: ${{ inputs.PAT }}
+          token: ${{ env.PAT }}
           path: simeng-benchmarks
 
       - if: ${{ inputs.SIMENG-MODE == 'Release' }}
         name: CloverLeaf serial gcc8.3.0 armv8.4
-        shell: bash
-        run: |
-          echo "BASH running"
-          cd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng-benchmarks/Data_Files/CloverLeaf
-          echo "cd done"
-          ls
-          simeng $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/configs/a64fx.yaml $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng-benchmarks/binaries/CloverLeaf/serial/cloverleaf_gcc8.3.0_armv8.4 >> $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng.tmp 2> $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng.tmp
-          if grep -q "This test is considered PASSED" $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng.tmp; then
-            echo "Passed"
-          else
-            echo "Failed"
-            exit 1
-          fi
+        uses: ./.github/actions/simeng_benchmarks
+        with:
+          RUN_DIR: $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng-benchmarks/Data_Files/CloverLeaf
+          BIN_PATH: $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/simeng-benchmarks/binaries/CloverLeaf/serial/cloverleaf_gcc8.3.0_armv8.4
+          PASS_STRING: "This test is considered PASSED"
 
 
 #      - if: ${{ inputs.SIMENG-MODE == 'Release' }}