diff --git a/.github/workflows/CI.yml b/.github/workflows/CI.yml
index e8818fc..7cb8caa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/CI.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/CI.yml
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@ jobs:
       # the order of the checkout actions is important because all contents of
       # the target folder of the checkout action is removed
       - name: "Clone the Example package"
-        uses: actions/checkout@v2
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           repository: gap-packages/example
       - name: "Check out this repository"
-        uses: actions/checkout@v2
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           path: this-action/
       - uses: gap-actions/setup-cygwin@v1
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a8d11c6..02b1e91 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: gap-actions/setup-gap@v2
       - uses: gap-actions/build-pkg@v1
       - uses: gap-actions/run-pkg-tests@v2
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index b236267..781e0eb 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -4,11 +4,18 @@ inputs:
   NO_COVERAGE:
     description: 'set to a non-empty string to suppress gathering coverage'
     required: false
+    type: string
     default: ''
   GAP_TESTFILE:
     description: 'Name of the GAP file to be read for executing the package tests (overrides TestFile in PackageInfo.g)'
     required: false
+    type: string
     default: ''
+  only-needed:
+    description: 'If set to true then only needed dependencies of the package being tested are loaded'
+    required: false
+    type: boolean
+    default: false
 env:
   CHERE_INVOKING: 1
 
@@ -31,7 +38,11 @@ runs:
          ln -f -s $PWD /tmp/gaproot/pkg/
 
          # start GAP with custom GAP root, to ensure correct package version is loaded
-         GAP="$GAPROOT/bin/gap.sh -l /tmp/gaproot; --quitonbreak"
+         GAP="$GAPROOT/gap -l /tmp/gaproot; --quitonbreak"
+
+         if ${{ inputs.only-needed }} = 'true' ; then
+           GAP="$GAP -A"
+         fi
 
          # Unless explicitly turned off by setting the NO_COVERAGE environment variable,
          # we collect coverage data
@@ -51,8 +62,13 @@ runs:
          # Load the package with debug info
          SetInfoLevel(InfoPackageLoading, PACKAGE_DEBUG);
          SetPackagePath(info.PackageName, "/tmp/gaproot/pkg/$(basename $PWD)");
-         LoadPackage(info.PackageName);
+         if ${{ inputs.only-needed }} = true then
+            LoadPackage(info.PackageName : OnlyNeeded);
+         else
+            LoadPackage(info.PackageName);
+         fi;
          SetInfoLevel(InfoPackageLoading, PACKAGE_ERROR);
+         Print("Now running tests from ", GAP_TESTFILE, "\n");
          if EndsWith(GAP_TESTFILE, ".tst") then
              QUIT_GAP(Test(GAP_TESTFILE, rec(compareFunction := "uptowhitespace")));
          else