diff --git a/tools/ci/run_unit_tests.sh b/tools/ci/run_unit_tests.sh
index e165cd8ad10..92221516839 100755
--- a/tools/ci/run_unit_tests.sh
+++ b/tools/ci/run_unit_tests.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -ex
 target="${1:?"Specify a makefile target"}"
+
+# downgrade chromedriver from problematic version to last good version, see
+# https://progress.opensuse.org/issues/164239
+# ignore if zypper fails to refresh some repos and try to continue
+rpm -q chromedriver | grep -v 126.0.6478. || (sudo tools/retry zypper -n refresh; sudo zypper --no-refresh -n in --oldpackage chromium-125.0.6422.141-bp156.2.3.1 chromedriver-125.0.6422.141-bp156.2.3.1)
+
 # Set to 1 to temporarily ignore warnings
 export PERL_TEST_WARNINGS_ONLY_REPORT_WARNINGS=0
 export COVERAGE=1