diff --git a/.github/workflows/elixir_release.yaml b/.github/workflows/elixir_release.yaml
index 43b2c5db0..a4da02f4c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/elixir_release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/elixir_release.yaml
@@ -32,14 +32,12 @@ jobs:
         run: make ${{ matrix.profile }}-elixir
       - name: start release
         run: |
-          cd _build/${{ matrix.profile }}/rel/emqx
-          bin/emqx start
+          _build/${{ matrix.profile }}/rel/emqx/bin/emqx start
       - name: check if started
         run: |
           set -e
           sleep 10
           timeout 1 bash -c '</dev/tcp/localhost/1883'
-          cd _build/${{ matrix.profile }}/rel/emqx
-          bin/emqx ping
-          bin/emqx ctl status
+          _build/${{ matrix.profile }}/rel/emqx/bin/emqx ping
+          _build/${{ matrix.profile }}/rel/emqx/bin/emqx ctl status
           ./scripts/test/emqx-smoke-test.sh localhost 18083