diff --git a/.github/workflows/run_emqx_app_tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/run_emqx_app_tests.yaml
index bc05f22f5..db05eabec 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/run_emqx_app_tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/run_emqx_app_tests.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 name: Check emqx app standalone
 
+## apps/emqx can be used as a rebar/mix dependency
+## in other project, so we need to make sure apps/emqx
+## as an Erlang/Elixir app works standalone
+
 on:
   push:
     branches:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/run_test_cases.yaml b/.github/workflows/run_test_cases.yaml
index fd6265c1d..8246237f6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/run_test_cases.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/run_test_cases.yaml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ on:
   pull_request:
 
 jobs:
-    run_proper_test:
+    eunit_and_proper:
         strategy:
           matrix:
             otp:
@@ -48,9 +48,19 @@ jobs:
             path: source/_build/default/lib/quicer/
             key: ${{ matrix.os }}-${{ matrix.otp }}-${{ matrix.arch }}-${{ steps.deps-refs.outputs.DEP_QUICER_REF }}
 
+          # produces eunit.coverdata
+        - name: eunit
+          run: make eunit
+
+          # produces proper.coverdata
         - name: proper
           run: make proper
 
+        - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
+          with:
+            name: coverdata
+            path: _build/test/cover
+
     run_common_test:
         strategy:
           matrix:
@@ -68,7 +78,6 @@ jobs:
             MYSQL_TAG: 8
             PGSQL_TAG: 13
             REDIS_TAG: 6
-            GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           run: |
             docker-compose \
                 -f .ci/docker-compose-file/docker-compose-mongo-single-tcp.yaml \
@@ -81,32 +90,75 @@ jobs:
                 -f .ci/docker-compose-file/docker-compose-redis-single-tls.yaml \
                 -f .ci/docker-compose-file/docker-compose.yaml \
                 up -d --build
-        - name: run eunit
-          run: |
-            docker exec -i ${{ matrix.otp_release }} bash -c "make eunit"
+          # produces ct.coverdata
         - name: run common test
           run: |
             docker exec -i ${{ matrix.otp_release }} bash -c "make ct"
-        - name: run cover
-          run: |
-            printenv > .env
-            docker exec -i ${{ matrix.otp_release }} bash -c "DIAGNOSTIC=1 make cover"
-            docker exec --env-file .env -i ${{ matrix.otp_release }} bash -c "DIAGNOSTIC=1 make coveralls"
-        - name: cat rebar.crashdump
-          if: failure()
-          run: if [ -f 'rebar3.crashdump' ];then cat 'rebar3.crashdump'; fi
+        - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v1
+          if: matrix.otp_release == 'erlang24'
+          with:
+            name: coverdata
+            path: _build/test/cover
         - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v1
           if: failure()
           with:
             name: logs_${{ matrix.otp_release }}
             path: _build/test/logs
-        - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v1
-          with:
-            name: cover_${{ matrix.otp_release }}
-            path: _build/test/cover
 
+
+    make_cover:
+      needs:
+        - eunit_and_proper
+        - run_common_test
+      strategy:
+        matrix:
+          otp:
+            - 24.2.1-1
+          elixir:
+            - 1.13.3
+          os:
+            - ubuntu20.04
+          arch:
+            - amd64
+
+      runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+      container: "ghcr.io/emqx/emqx-builder/5.0-8:${{ matrix.elixir }}-${{ matrix.otp }}-${{ matrix.os }}"
+      steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+
+      - name: Get deps git refs for cache
+        id: deps-refs
+        run: |
+          scripts/get-dep-refs.sh
+          make clean-all
+      - name: load rocksdb cache
+        uses: actions/cache@v2
+        with:
+          path: source/_build/default/lib/rocksdb/
+          key: ${{ matrix.os }}-${{ matrix.otp }}-${{ matrix.arch }}-${{ steps.deps-refs.outputs.DEP_ROCKSDB_REF }}
+      - name: load quicer cache
+        uses: actions/cache@v2
+        with:
+          path: source/_build/default/lib/quicer/
+          key: ${{ matrix.os }}-${{ matrix.otp }}-${{ matrix.arch }}-${{ steps.deps-refs.outputs.DEP_QUICER_REF }}
+
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v2
+        name: download coverdata
+        with:
+          name: coverdata
+          path: _build/test/cover
+
+      - name: make cover
+        run: make cover
+
+      - name: send to coveralls
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: make coveralls
+
+    # do this in a separate job
     finish:
-      needs: run_common_test
+      needs: make_cover
       runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
       steps:
         - name: Coveralls Finished
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1a89e6234..eb745302d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ APPS=$(shell $(CURDIR)/scripts/find-apps.sh)
 .PHONY: $(APPS:%=%-ct)
 define gen-app-ct-target
 $1-ct: conf-segs
-	$(REBAR) ct --name $(CT_NODE_NAME) -v --suite $(shell $(CURDIR)/scripts/find-suites.sh $1)
+	@ENABLE_COVER_COMPILE=1 $(REBAR) ct --name $(CT_NODE_NAME) -c -v --suite $(shell $(CURDIR)/scripts/find-suites.sh $1)
 endef
 $(foreach app,$(APPS),$(eval $(call gen-app-ct-target,$(app))))