diff --git a/.github/workflows/tox.yml b/.github/workflows/tox.yml
index 606d101bf19..3844640fa24 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tox.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tox.yml
@@ -94,17 +94,9 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
-        dependencies: [latest, pre]
-        include:
-          - python-version: "3.9"
-            dependencies: min
-        exclude:
-          # Do not test pre-releases for versions out of SPEC0
-          - python-version: "3.9"
-            dependencies: pre
-          - python-version: "3.10"
-            dependencies: pre
+        # LTS branch: Test minimum supported and container-distributed Pythons
+        python-version: ["3.10", "3.12"]
+        dependencies: [latest]
 
     env:
       DEPENDS: ${{ matrix.dependencies }}
@@ -153,7 +145,7 @@ jobs:
     continue-on-error: true
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        check: ['style', 'spellcheck']
+        check: ['spellcheck']
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v5
diff --git a/niworkflows/func/util.py b/niworkflows/func/util.py
index c4924f5af31..5f882898a71 100644
--- a/niworkflows/func/util.py
+++ b/niworkflows/func/util.py
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ def init_enhance_and_skullstrip_bold_wf(
                 fixed_image=str(bold_template),
                 fixed_image_mask=str(brain_mask),
                 metric=('Mattes', 32, 'Regular', 0.2),
-                transform=('Affine', 0.1),
+                transform=('Rigid', 0.1),
                 search_factor=(20, 0.12),
                 principal_axes=False,
                 convergence=(10, 1e-6, 10),
diff --git a/niworkflows/interfaces/tests/test_images.py b/niworkflows/interfaces/tests/test_images.py
index 4f261bcf485..bb78f2900e2 100644
--- a/niworkflows/interfaces/tests/test_images.py
+++ b/niworkflows/interfaces/tests/test_images.py
@@ -22,13 +22,11 @@
 #
 """Test images module."""
 
-import time
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import nibabel as nb
 import numpy as np
 import pytest
-from nipype.interfaces import nilearn as nl
 from nipype.pipeline import engine as pe
 
 from niworkflows.testing import has_afni
@@ -36,57 +34,6 @@
 from .. import images as im
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    ('nvols', 'nmasks', 'ext', 'factor'),
-    [
-        (200, 3, '.nii', 1.1),
-    ],
-)
-def test_signal_extraction_equivalence(tmp_path, nvols, nmasks, ext, factor):
-    nlsignals = str(tmp_path / 'nlsignals.tsv')
-    imsignals = str(tmp_path / 'imsignals.tsv')
-
-    vol_shape = (64, 64, 40)
-
-    img_fname = str(tmp_path / ('img' + ext))
-    masks_fname = str(tmp_path / ('masks' + ext))
-
-    random_data = np.random.random(size=vol_shape + (nvols,)) * 2000
-    random_mask_data = np.random.random(size=vol_shape + (nmasks,)) < 0.2
-
-    nb.Nifti1Image(random_data, np.eye(4)).to_filename(img_fname)
-    nb.Nifti1Image(random_mask_data.astype(np.uint8), np.eye(4)).to_filename(masks_fname)
-
-    se1 = nl.SignalExtraction(
-        in_file=img_fname,
-        label_files=masks_fname,
-        class_labels=[f'a{i}' for i in range(nmasks)],
-        out_file=nlsignals,
-    )
-    se2 = im.SignalExtraction(
-        in_file=img_fname,
-        label_files=masks_fname,
-        class_labels=[f'a{i}' for i in range(nmasks)],
-        out_file=imsignals,
-    )
-
-    tic = time.time()
-    se1.run()
-    toc = time.time()
-    se2.run()
-    toc2 = time.time()
-
-    tab1 = np.loadtxt(nlsignals, skiprows=1)
-    tab2 = np.loadtxt(imsignals, skiprows=1)
-
-    assert np.allclose(tab1, tab2)
-
-    t1 = toc - tic
-    t2 = toc2 - toc
-
-    assert t2 < t1 / factor
-
-
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     ('shape', 'mshape'),
     [
diff --git a/niworkflows/workflows/epi/refmap.py b/niworkflows/workflows/epi/refmap.py
index 1ee3b2297e0..672be7f07b4 100644
--- a/niworkflows/workflows/epi/refmap.py
+++ b/niworkflows/workflows/epi/refmap.py
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ def _post_merge(in_file, in_xfms):
     """
     Massage output from ``SpatialReference``.
 
-    If the previous ``SpatialReference`` node by-passed the execution of
+    If the previous ``SpatialReference`` node bypassed the execution of
     ``mri_robust_template`` (hence, there was only one input file), the
     single-file is forwarded to the output.