diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-load-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-load-tests.yml
index 11e6838d425..e94d903cd5d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-load-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-load-tests.yml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ on:
 jobs:
   dgraph-load-tests:
     if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04-32gb
+    runs-on: buildjet-32vcpu-ubuntu-2004
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
       - name: Get Go Version
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-tests.yml
index 576c1e1d192..1cc7530e93b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-tests.yml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ on:
 jobs:
   dgraph-tests:
     if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04-32gb 
+    runs-on: buildjet-32vcpu-ubuntu-2004 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
       - name: Get Go Version
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-upgrade-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-upgrade-tests.yml
index b1392282c06..a035e8f02e9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-upgrade-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-dgraph-upgrade-tests.yml
@@ -4,12 +4,18 @@ on:
     branches:
       - main
       - 'release/**'
+  pull_request:
+    types:
+      - opened
+      - reopened
+      - synchronize
+      - ready_for_review
   schedule:
     - cron: "0 0 * * *" # 1 run per day
 jobs:
   dgraph-upgrade-tests:
     if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04-32gb 
+    runs-on: buildjet-32vcpu-ubuntu-2004 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
diff --git a/dgraphtest/local_cluster.go b/dgraphtest/local_cluster.go
index e11c1f0b470..3593c54b593 100644
--- a/dgraphtest/local_cluster.go
+++ b/dgraphtest/local_cluster.go
@@ -319,17 +319,41 @@ func (c *LocalCluster) Cleanup(verbose bool) {
 
 func (c *LocalCluster) Start() error {
 	log.Printf("[INFO] starting cluster with prefix [%v]", c.conf.prefix)
-	for i := 0; i < c.conf.numZeros; i++ {
-		if err := c.StartZero(i); err != nil {
-			return err
+	startAll := func() error {
+		for i := 0; i < c.conf.numZeros; i++ {
+			if err := c.StartZero(i); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
+		for i := 0; i < c.conf.numAlphas; i++ {
+			if err := c.StartAlpha(i); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+
+		return c.HealthCheck(false)
 	}
-	for i := 0; i < c.conf.numAlphas; i++ {
-		if err := c.StartAlpha(i); err != nil {
+
+	var err error
+	// sometimes health check doesn't work due to unmapped ports. We dont know why this happens,
+	// but checking it 4 times before failing the test.
+	for i := 0; i < 4; i++ {
+
+		if err = startAll(); err == nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+		log.Printf("[WARNING] Saw the error :%v, trying again", err)
+		if err1 := c.Stop(); err1 != nil {
+			log.Printf("[WARNING] error while stopping :%v", err)
+		}
+		c.Cleanup(false)
+		if err := c.init(); err != nil {
+			c.Cleanup(true)
 			return err
 		}
 	}
-	return c.HealthCheck(false)
+
+	return err
 }
 
 func (c *LocalCluster) StartZero(id int) error {