diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index e4eb51ddfa0..24cfbae59df 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -100,6 +100,14 @@ jobs:
           name: Set BASH_ENV
           command: ./tools/circleci_bash_env.sh
 
+      # Writes testing_version.txt and misc_version.txt, used in the cache keys of
+      # the two datasets whose versions actually change on a regular basis. Caches
+      # are immutable on CircleCI, so a dataset with a fixed key would be pinned to
+      # whatever was first cached and re-downloaded in full on every later run.
+      - run:
+          name: Get dataset versions
+          command: ./tools/get_testing_version.sh
+
       - run:
           name: Install fonts needed for diagrams
           command: |
@@ -110,13 +118,15 @@ jobs:
             curl https://codeload.github.com/adobe-fonts/source-sans/tar.gz/3.028R | tar xz -C $HOME/.fonts
             fc-cache -f
 
-      # Load uv cache
-      - restore_cache:
-          keys:
-            - uv-cache-0
+      # Load uv cache. Caches are immutable on CircleCI, so a fixed key would freeze
+      # the cache at whatever the dependencies looked like the first time it was
+      # written; keying on pyproject.toml refreshes it when the dependencies change,
+      # and the prefix-only fallback still gets a warm (if slightly stale) cache in
+      # between.
       - restore_cache:
           keys:
-            - user-install-bin-cache-311
+            - uv-cache-1-{{ checksum "pyproject.toml" }}
+            - uv-cache-1-
 
       # Hack in uninstalls of libraries as necessary if pip doesn't do the right thing in upgrading for us...
       - run:
@@ -125,14 +135,9 @@ jobs:
             ./tools/circleci_dependencies.sh
 
       - save_cache:
-          key: uv-cache-0
+          key: uv-cache-1-{{ checksum "pyproject.toml" }}
           paths:
             - ~/.cache/uv
-      - save_cache:
-          key: user-install-bin-cache-311
-          paths:
-            - ~/.local/lib/python3.11/site-packages
-            - ~/.local/bin
 
       - run:
           name: Check Qt
@@ -142,7 +147,7 @@ jobs:
       # Load tiny cache so that ~/.mne does not need to be created below
       - restore_cache:
           keys:
-            - data-cache-tiny-0
+            - data-cache-tiny-0-{{ checksum "misc_version.txt" }}
 
       # Look at what we have and fail early if there is some library conflict
       - run:
@@ -211,7 +216,7 @@ jobs:
             - data-cache-spm-face
       - restore_cache:
           keys:
-            - data-cache-testing
+            - data-cache-testing-{{ checksum "testing_version.txt" }}
       - restore_cache:
           keys:
             - data-cache-visual-1
@@ -239,87 +244,12 @@ jobs:
             echo "BUILD=$(cat build.txt)"
             ls -al ~/mne_data;
 
-      # Run doctest (if it's full or front) before building the docs
-      - run:
-          name: make test-doc
-          command: |
-            if [[ $(cat gitlog.txt) == *"[circle front]"* ]] || [[ $(cat build.txt) == "html-memory" ]] ; then
-              make test-doc;
-              mkdir -p doc/_build/test-results/test-doc;
-              cp junit-results.xml doc/_build/test-results/test-doc/junit.xml;
-              cp coverage.xml doc/_build/test-results/test-doc/coverage.xml;
-            fi;
-      # Build docs
-      - run:
-          name: make html
-          command: |  # we have -o pipefail in #BASH_ENV so we should be okay
-            set -x
-            PATTERN=$(cat pattern.txt) make -C doc $(cat build.txt) 2>&1 | tee sphinx_log.txt
-      - run:
-          name: Check sphinx log for warnings (which are treated as errors)
-          when: always
-          command: |
-            ! grep "^.*\(WARNING\|ERROR\): " sphinx_log.txt
-      - run:
-          name: Show profiling output
-          when: always
-          command: |
-            if compgen -G "doc/*.dat" > /dev/null; then
-              mkdir -p doc/generated
-              mprof plot doc/*.dat --output doc/generated/memory.png
-            else
-              echo "No profile data found in doc/"
-            fi
-      - run:
-          name: Sanity check system state
-          command: |
-            python -c "import mne; level = mne.get_config('MNE_LOGGING_LEVEL'); assert level.lower() == 'info', repr(level)"
-
-      # Reduce upload time of artifacts we will (almost) never look at
-      - run:
-          name: Reduce artifact upload time
-          command: |
-            if grep -q html-pattern-memory build.txt; then
-              zip -rm doc/_build/html/_downloads.zip doc/_build/html/_downloads
-            fi
-            for NAME in generated auto_tutorials auto_examples; do
-              zip -rm doc/${NAME}.zip doc/${NAME}
-            done
-
-      # Save the JUnit file
-      - store_test_results:
-          path: doc/_build/test-results
-      - store_artifacts:
-          path: doc/_build/test-results
-          destination: test-results
-      # Upload test results to Codecov
-      - run:
-          name: Upload test results to Codecov
-          environment:
-            CODECOV_TOKEN: fb4c4a94-72d7-4743-bb08-af25b623a29a
-          command: |
-            if [[ -f doc/_build/test-results/test-doc/coverage.xml ]]; then
-              bash <(curl -s https://codecov.io/bash) -f doc/_build/test-results/test-doc/coverage.xml || true
-            fi
-      # Save the SG RST
-      - store_artifacts:
-          path: doc/auto_examples.zip
-      - store_artifacts:
-          path: doc/auto_tutorials.zip
-      - store_artifacts:
-          path: doc/generated.zip
-      # Save the HTML
-      - store_artifacts:
-          path: doc/_build/html/
-          destination: html
-      - persist_to_workspace:
-          root: doc/_build
-          paths:
-            - html
-
-      # Keep these separate, maybe better in terms of size limitations (?)
+      # Saved here rather than at the end of the job: everything above has
+      # finished downloading, and a failure in the (long, flaky) doc build below
+      # should not throw the downloads away. Kept as separate caches, maybe
+      # better in terms of size limitations (?)
       - save_cache:
-          key: data-cache-tiny-0  # < 100 M, might as well combine
+          key: data-cache-tiny-0-{{ checksum "misc_version.txt" }}  # < 100 M, might as well combine
           paths:
             - ~/.mne
             - ~/mne_data/MNE-kiloword-data  # (28 M)
@@ -394,7 +324,7 @@ jobs:
           paths:
             - ~/mne_data/MNE-spm-face  # (1.5 G)
       - save_cache:
-          key: data-cache-testing
+          key: data-cache-testing-{{ checksum "testing_version.txt" }}
           paths:
             - ~/mne_data/MNE-testing-data  # (2.5 G)
       - save_cache:
@@ -414,6 +344,84 @@ jobs:
           paths:
             - ~/mne_data/ds004388  # (1.8 G)
 
+      # Run doctest (if it's full or front) before building the docs
+      - run:
+          name: make test-doc
+          command: |
+            if [[ $(cat gitlog.txt) == *"[circle front]"* ]] || [[ $(cat build.txt) == "html-memory" ]] ; then
+              make test-doc;
+              mkdir -p doc/_build/test-results/test-doc;
+              cp junit-results.xml doc/_build/test-results/test-doc/junit.xml;
+              cp coverage.xml doc/_build/test-results/test-doc/coverage.xml;
+            fi;
+      # Build docs
+      - run:
+          name: make html
+          command: |  # we have -o pipefail in #BASH_ENV so we should be okay
+            set -x
+            PATTERN=$(cat pattern.txt) make -C doc $(cat build.txt) 2>&1 | tee sphinx_log.txt
+      - run:
+          name: Check sphinx log for warnings (which are treated as errors)
+          when: always
+          command: |
+            ! grep "^.*\(WARNING\|ERROR\): " sphinx_log.txt
+      - run:
+          name: Show profiling output
+          when: always
+          command: |
+            if compgen -G "doc/*.dat" > /dev/null; then
+              mkdir -p doc/generated
+              mprof plot doc/*.dat --output doc/generated/memory.png
+            else
+              echo "No profile data found in doc/"
+            fi
+      - run:
+          name: Sanity check system state
+          command: |
+            python -c "import mne; level = mne.get_config('MNE_LOGGING_LEVEL'); assert level.lower() == 'info', repr(level)"
+
+      # Reduce upload time of artifacts we will (almost) never look at
+      - run:
+          name: Reduce artifact upload time
+          command: |
+            if grep -q html-pattern-memory build.txt; then
+              zip -rm doc/_build/html/_downloads.zip doc/_build/html/_downloads
+            fi
+            for NAME in generated auto_tutorials auto_examples; do
+              zip -rm doc/${NAME}.zip doc/${NAME}
+            done
+
+      # Save the JUnit file
+      - store_test_results:
+          path: doc/_build/test-results
+      - store_artifacts:
+          path: doc/_build/test-results
+          destination: test-results
+      # Upload test results to Codecov
+      - run:
+          name: Upload test results to Codecov
+          environment:
+            CODECOV_TOKEN: fb4c4a94-72d7-4743-bb08-af25b623a29a
+          command: |
+            if [[ -f doc/_build/test-results/test-doc/coverage.xml ]]; then
+              bash <(curl -s https://codecov.io/bash) -f doc/_build/test-results/test-doc/coverage.xml || true
+            fi
+      # Save the SG RST
+      - store_artifacts:
+          path: doc/auto_examples.zip
+      - store_artifacts:
+          path: doc/auto_tutorials.zip
+      - store_artifacts:
+          path: doc/generated.zip
+      # Save the HTML
+      - store_artifacts:
+          path: doc/_build/html/
+          destination: html
+      - persist_to_workspace:
+          root: doc/_build
+          paths:
+            - html
+
 
   linkcheck:
     # there are a few files excluded from this for expediency, see Makefile
@@ -442,7 +450,8 @@ jobs:
           command: ./tools/circleci_bash_env.sh
       - restore_cache:
           keys:
-            - uv-cache-0
+            - uv-cache-1-{{ checksum "pyproject.toml" }}
+            - uv-cache-1-
       - run:
           name: Get Python running
           command: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 9cc24da0d2a..b598df23035 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -136,14 +136,12 @@ jobs:
           project-root: ${{ github.workspace }}
           groups: lockfile_extras
         if: matrix.kind == 'old'
-      # Minimal commands on Linux (macOS stalls)
-      - uses: actions/cache@v6.1.0
-        with:
-          key: minimal-commands-1
-          path: ~/minimal_cmds
-        if: startswith(matrix.os, 'ubuntu') && matrix.kind != 'minimal' && matrix.kind != 'old' && matrix.kind != 'pip-ft'
-      - run: bash ./tools/get_minimal_commands.sh
-        if: startswith(matrix.os, 'ubuntu') && matrix.kind != 'minimal' && matrix.kind != 'old' && matrix.kind != 'pip-ft'
+      # MNE-C minimal commands. The action caches the download and no-ops on
+      # platforms that have no binaries (macOS arm64, Windows, Linux arm64), so it
+      # only needs to be gated on the kinds that deliberately do without them.
+      - name: Setup minimal commands
+        uses: mne-tools/mne-tools/actions/setup-minimal-commands@main
+        if: matrix.kind != 'minimal' && matrix.kind != 'old' && matrix.kind != 'pip-ft'
       - run: bash ./tools/github_actions_infos.sh
       - name: Check Qt import
         uses: mne-tools/mne-tools/actions/check-qt-import@main
@@ -156,7 +154,7 @@ jobs:
       - run: ./tools/get_testing_version.sh
       - uses: actions/cache@v6.1.0
         with:
-          key: ${{ env.TESTING_VERSION }}
+          key: mne_data-testing-${{ env.TESTING_VERSION }}-misc-${{ env.MISC_VERSION }}
           path: ~/mne_data
       - run: bash ./tools/github_actions_download.sh
       - run: bash ./tools/github_actions_test.sh  # for some reason on macOS we need to run "bash X" in order for a failed test run to show up
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e967f8017ab..3219187e890 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -106,3 +106,11 @@ venv/
 .ipynb_checkpoints/
 /.claude/
 uv.lock
+
+# written into the repo root by the CI helper scripts in tools/
+/build.txt
+/gitlog.txt
+/merge.txt
+/misc_version.txt
+/pattern.txt
+/testing_version.txt
diff --git a/azure-pipelines.yml b/azure-pipelines.yml
index 84b9b0c731e..2e365dd744f 100644
--- a/azure-pipelines.yml
+++ b/azure-pipelines.yml
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ stages:
               key: minimal-cmds-1
               path: /home/vsts/minimal_cmds
             displayName: Cache minimal commands
-          - bash: ./tools/get_minimal_commands.sh
+          - bash: $(MNE_TOOLS_DIR)/tools/get_minimal_commands.sh
             displayName: Get minimal commands
           - task: UsePythonVersion@0
             inputs:
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ stages:
             displayName: Get testing version
           - task: Cache@2
             inputs:
-              key: $(testing_version)
+              key: mne_data-testing-$(testing_version)-misc-$(misc_version)
               path: /home/vsts/mne_data
             displayName: Cache testing data
           - bash: ./tools/github_actions_download.sh
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ stages:
             displayName: Get testing version
           - task: Cache@2
             inputs:
-              key: $(testing_version)
+              key: mne_data-testing-$(testing_version)-misc-$(misc_version)
               path: /home/vsts/mne_data
             displayName: Cache testing data
           - bash: ./tools/github_actions_download.sh
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ stages:
             displayName: Get testing version
           - task: Cache@2
             inputs:
-              key: $(testing_version)
+              key: mne_data-testing-$(testing_version)-misc-$(misc_version)
               path: C:\Users\VssAdministrator\mne_data
             displayName: Cache testing data
           - bash: ./tools/github_actions_download.sh
diff --git a/mne/conftest.py b/mne/conftest.py
index da87c72468f..f03109351ee 100644
--- a/mne/conftest.py
+++ b/mne/conftest.py
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ def pytest_configure(config: pytest.Config):
         "slowtest: mark a test as slow",
         "ultraslowtest: mark a test as ultraslow or to be run rarely",
         "pgtest: mark a test as relevant for mne-qt-browser",
+        "mne_c: mark a test as requiring the MNE-C command line tools",
+        "freesurfer: mark a test as requiring the FreeSurfer command line tools",
         # used by PyVista's MNE integration tests (but also useful in some testing):
         "pvtest: mark a test as relevant for pyvista",
     ):
diff --git a/mne/utils/_testing.py b/mne/utils/_testing.py
index b6f8f701d4a..d2c9500bf52 100644
--- a/mne/utils/_testing.py
+++ b/mne/utils/_testing.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 import sys
 import tempfile
 import traceback
-from functools import wraps
+from functools import partial, wraps
 from shutil import rmtree
 from unittest import SkipTest
 
@@ -57,16 +57,28 @@ def __del__(self):  # noqa: D105
         rmtree(self._path, ignore_errors=True)
 
 
+def _apply_marks(marks, func):
+    """Apply several pytest marks to a test function."""
+    for mark in reversed(marks):
+        func = mark(func)
+    return func
+
+
 def requires_mne(func):
     """Decorate a function as requiring MNE."""
-    return requires_mne_mark()(func)
+    return _apply_marks(requires_mne_mark(), func)
 
 
 def requires_mne_mark():
     """Mark pytest tests that require MNE-C."""
     import pytest
 
-    return pytest.mark.skipif(not has_mne_c(), reason="Requires MNE-C")
+    # The mne_c mark carries no condition; it exists so that CI can select or
+    # deselect the MNE-C tests as a group with `-m`.
+    return [
+        pytest.mark.mne_c,
+        pytest.mark.skipif(not has_mne_c(), reason="Requires MNE-C"),
+    ]
 
 
 def requires_openmeeg_mark():
@@ -80,6 +92,9 @@ def requires_freesurfer(arg):
     """Require FreeSurfer."""
     import pytest
 
+    # As for mne_c above, the freesurfer mark is unconditional and only exists so
+    # that CI can select or deselect these tests as a group with `-m`.
+    marks = [pytest.mark.freesurfer]
     reason = "Requires FreeSurfer"
     if isinstance(arg, str):
         # Calling as  @requires_freesurfer('progname'): return decorator
@@ -91,13 +106,13 @@ def requires_freesurfer(arg):
             skip = True
         else:
             skip = False
-        return pytest.mark.skipif(skip, reason=reason)
+        marks.append(pytest.mark.skipif(skip, reason=reason))
+        return partial(_apply_marks, marks)
     else:
         # Calling directly as @requires_freesurfer: return decorated function
         # and just check env var existence
-        return pytest.mark.skipif(not has_freesurfer(), reason="Requires FreeSurfer")(
-            arg
-        )
+        marks.append(pytest.mark.skipif(not has_freesurfer(), reason=reason))
+        return _apply_marks(marks, arg)
 
 
 def requires_good_network(func):
diff --git a/tools/get_minimal_commands.sh b/tools/get_minimal_commands.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 26dd6699e2f..00000000000
--- a/tools/get_minimal_commands.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,90 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-set -eo pipefail
-
-if [ "${DEPS}" == "minimal" ]; then
-	return 0 2>/dev/null || exit "0"
-fi;
-
-pushd ~ > /dev/null
-export MNE_ROOT="${PWD}/minimal_cmds"
-export PATH=${MNE_ROOT}/bin:$PATH
-if [ "${GITHUB_ACTIONS}" == "true" ]; then
-	echo "Setting MNE_ROOT for GHA"
-	echo "MNE_ROOT=${MNE_ROOT}" | tee -a $GITHUB_ENV;
-	echo "${MNE_ROOT}/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH;
-elif [ "${AZURE_CI}" == "true" ]; then
-	echo "Setting MNE_ROOT for Azure"
-	echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=MNE_ROOT]${MNE_ROOT}"
-	echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=PATH]${PATH}";
-elif [ "${CIRCLECI}" == "true" ]; then
-	echo "Setting MNE_ROOT for CircleCI"
-	echo "export MNE_ROOT=${MNE_ROOT}" >> "$BASH_ENV";
-	echo "export PATH=${MNE_ROOT}/bin:\$PATH" >> "$BASH_ENV";
-fi;
-if [[ "${CI_OS_NAME}" != "macos"* ]]; then
-	echo "Getting files for Linux..."
-	if [ ! -d "${PWD}/minimal_cmds" ]; then
-		curl -L https://osf.io/download/g7dzs?version=7 | tar xz
-	else
-		echo "Minimal commands already downloaded"
-	fi;
-	if [[ ! $(which tcsh) ]]; then
-		echo "tcsh not found, installing..."
-		sudo apt install -yq tcsh
-	fi
-	export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${MNE_ROOT}/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
-	export NEUROMAG2FT_ROOT="${PWD}/minimal_cmds/bin"
-	export FREESURFER_HOME="${MNE_ROOT}"
-	if [ "${GITHUB_ACTIONS}" == "true" ]; then
-		echo "LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${LD_LIBRARY_PATH}" | tee -a "$GITHUB_ENV";
-		echo "NEUROMAG2FT_ROOT=${NEUROMAG2FT_ROOT}" | tee -a "$GITHUB_ENV";
-		echo "FREESURFER_HOME=${FREESURFER_HOME}" | tee -a "$GITHUB_ENV";
-	fi;
-	if [ "${AZURE_CI}" == "true" ]; then
-		echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=LD_LIBRARY_PATH]${LD_LIBRARY_PATH}"
-		echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=NEUROMAG2FT_ROOT]${NEUROMAG2FT_ROOT}"
-		echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=FREESURFER_HOME]${FREESURFER_HOME}"
-	fi;
-	if [ "${CIRCLECI}" == "true" ]; then
-		echo "export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${LD_LIBRARY_PATH}" >> "$BASH_ENV";
-		echo "export NEUROMAG2FT_ROOT=${NEUROMAG2FT_ROOT}" >> "$BASH_ENV";
-		echo "export FREESURFER_HOME=${FREESURFER_HOME}" >> "$BASH_ENV";
-	fi;
-else
-	echo "Getting files for macOS Intel..."
-	if [ ! -d "${PWD}/minimal_cmds" ]; then
-		curl -L https://osf.io/download/rjcz4?version=2 | tar xz
-	else
-		echo "Minimal commands already downloaded"
-	fi;
-	export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=${MNE_ROOT}/lib:$DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH
-	if [ "${GITHUB_ACTIONS}" == "true" ]; then
-		echo "Setting variables for GHA"
-		echo "DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=${DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH}" | tee -a "$GITHUB_ENV";
-		set -x
-		wget https://github.com/XQuartz/XQuartz/releases/download/XQuartz-2.7.11/XQuartz-2.7.11.dmg
-		sudo hdiutil attach XQuartz-2.7.11.dmg
-		sudo installer -package /Volumes/XQuartz-2.7.11/XQuartz.pkg -target /
-		sudo ln -s /opt/X11 /usr/X11
-	elif [ "${AZURE_CI}" == "true" ]; then
-		echo "Setting variables for Azure"
-		echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH]${DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH}"
-	elif [ "${CIRCLECI}" == "true" ]; then
-		echo "Setting variables for CircleCI"
-		echo "export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH=${DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH}" >> "$BASH_ENV";
-	fi;
-fi
-popd > /dev/null
-echo "If one of the following fails, you should update your cache + download of minimal commands:"
-set -x
-which mne_process_raw
-mne_process_raw --version
-which mne_surf2bem
-mne_surf2bem --version
-which mri_average
-mri_average --version
-if [[ "${CI_OS_NAME}" != "macos"* ]]; then
-	which mkheadsurf || exit 1
-	mkheadsurf --version || exit 1
-fi
diff --git a/tools/get_testing_version.sh b/tools/get_testing_version.sh
index aaf703dbddd..c7fbca4f5a8 100755
--- a/tools/get_testing_version.sh
+++ b/tools/get_testing_version.sh
@@ -2,15 +2,21 @@
 
 set -o pipefail
 
+# Versions of the datasets that CI downloads for the test suite, in a form usable
+# in cache keys. These can be suffixed (e.g. TESTING_VERSION=${TESTING_VERSION}-1)
+# to start fresh when a cache misbehaves.
 TESTING_VERSION=`grep -o "testing=\"[0-9.]\+\"" mne/datasets/config.py | cut -d \" -f 2 | sed "s/\./-/g"`
-# This can be incremented to start fresh when the cache misbehaves, e.g.:
-# TESTING_VERSION=${TESTING_VERSION}-1
+MISC_VERSION=`grep -o "misc=\"[0-9.]\+\"" mne/datasets/config.py | cut -d \" -f 2 | sed "s/\./-/g"`
 if [ ! -z $GITHUB_ENV ]; then
 	echo "TESTING_VERSION="$TESTING_VERSION | tee -a $GITHUB_ENV
+	echo "MISC_VERSION="$MISC_VERSION | tee -a $GITHUB_ENV
 elif [ ! -z $AZURE_CI ]; then
 	echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=testing_version]$TESTING_VERSION"
+	echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=misc_version]$MISC_VERSION"
 elif [ ! -z $CIRCLECI ]; then
 	echo "$TESTING_VERSION" > testing_version.txt
+	echo "$MISC_VERSION" > misc_version.txt
 else
 	echo $TESTING_VERSION
+	echo $MISC_VERSION
 fi
diff --git a/tools/github_actions_download.sh b/tools/github_actions_download.sh
index b67d430578e..7da8646db82 100755
--- a/tools/github_actions_download.sh
+++ b/tools/github_actions_download.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,17 @@
 #!/bin/bash -ef
 
+# Datasets the test suite needs. Downstream projects that reuse this script (e.g.
+# MNE-BIDS) can override it to fetch only what they actually use; whatever is
+# listed here must also be reflected in the actions/cache key of the caller.
+MNE_CI_DATASETS="${MNE_CI_DATASETS:-testing misc}"
+
 if [ "${MNE_CI_KIND}" != "minimal" ]; then
-	python -uc "import mne; mne.datasets.testing.data_path(verbose=True)"
-	# Make read-only to make sure we don't modify its contents
-	TESTING_PATH=$(python -c "import mne; print(mne.datasets.testing.data_path(verbose=False))")
-	echo "Testing data path: $TESTING_PATH"
-	chmod -R a-w "$TESTING_PATH"
+	# These are cached, so this only really downloads when a dataset version changes
+	for DATASET in ${MNE_CI_DATASETS}; do
+		python -uc "import mne; mne.datasets.${DATASET}.data_path(verbose=True)"
+		# Make read-only to make sure we don't modify its contents
+		DATASET_PATH=$(python -c "import mne; print(mne.datasets.${DATASET}.data_path(verbose=False))")
+		echo "${DATASET} data path: $DATASET_PATH"
+		chmod -R a-w "$DATASET_PATH"
+	done
 fi
diff --git a/tools/github_actions_test.sh b/tools/github_actions_test.sh
index a906960b538..94fee65b89e 100755
--- a/tools/github_actions_test.sh
+++ b/tools/github_actions_test.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ elif [[ "${CI_OS_NAME}" == "macos"* ]]; then
   if [[ "$(uname -m)" == "arm64" ]]; then
     CONDITION="not (ultraslowtest or pgtest)"
   else
-    CONDITION="not (slowtest or pgtest)"
+    # TODO: the MNE-C tools are on PATH during setup but not once the tests run (gh-14230)
+    CONDITION="not (slowtest or pgtest or mne_c)"
   fi
 elif [[ "${CI_OS_NAME}" == "windows"* ]]; then
   CONDITION="not (slowtest or pgtest)"