diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 11bd48c..a96f725 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ jobs:
           # CPU wheel keeps the download ~200 MB instead of the CUDA one (~2.5 GB).
           python -m pip install torch --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cpu
           # numpy is a runtime dependency (src/rope.py) — torch wheels no
-          # longer pull it in automatically.
-          python -m pip install numpy pytest pytest-cov ruff
+          # longer pull it in automatically. tomli backs tomllib on py3.10.
+          python -m pip install numpy tomli pytest pytest-cov ruff
 
       - name: Lint (ruff — correctness rules)
         # W3 scope decision (2026-08-25): CI gates the CORRECTNESS rule set
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index a974ff7..ffa878e 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ license = {file = "LICENSE"}
 dependencies = ["torch", "numpy"]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
-test = ["pytest>=7.0", "pytest-cov>=4.0"]
+test = ["pytest>=7.0", "pytest-cov>=4.0", "tomli>=1.1.0; python_version < '3.11'"]
 
 [project.urls]
 Repository = "https://github.com/wildminder/ComfyUI-DyPE"
diff --git a/tests/test_code_quality.py b/tests/test_code_quality.py
index aa984a6..66e050e 100644
--- a/tests/test_code_quality.py
+++ b/tests/test_code_quality.py
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ import re
 
 import pytest
 
+try:
+    import tomllib  # Python >= 3.11
+except ModuleNotFoundError:  # Python 3.10
+    import tomli as tomllib
+
 PROJECT_ROOT = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.parent
 SRC_DIR = PROJECT_ROOT / "src"
 
@@ -104,34 +109,26 @@ class TestTypeAnnotations:
 
 @pytest.mark.unit
 class TestPackaging:
+    def _load_pyproject(self):
+        with open(PROJECT_ROOT / "pyproject.toml", "rb") as f:
+            return tomllib.load(f)
+
     def test_pyproject_has_pytest_config(self):
-        import tomllib
-        pyproject = PROJECT_ROOT / "pyproject.toml"
-        with open(pyproject, "rb") as f:
-            data = tomllib.load(f)
+        data = self._load_pyproject()
         assert "pytest" in data.get("tool", {})
 
     def test_pyproject_has_markers(self):
-        import tomllib
-        pyproject = PROJECT_ROOT / "pyproject.toml"
-        with open(pyproject, "rb") as f:
-            data = tomllib.load(f)
+        data = self._load_pyproject()
         markers = data["tool"]["pytest"]["ini_options"]["markers"]
         assert any("comfyui_integration" in m for m in markers)
 
     def test_requires_comfyui_present(self):
-        import tomllib
-        pyproject = PROJECT_ROOT / "pyproject.toml"
-        with open(pyproject, "rb") as f:
-            data = tomllib.load(f)
+        data = self._load_pyproject()
         tool_comfy = data.get("tool", {}).get("comfy", {})
         assert "requires-comfyui" in tool_comfy, "Missing requires-comfyui in [tool.comfy]"
 
     def test_ruff_config_present(self):
-        import tomllib
-        pyproject = PROJECT_ROOT / "pyproject.toml"
-        with open(pyproject, "rb") as f:
-            data = tomllib.load(f)
+        data = self._load_pyproject()
         assert "ruff" in data.get("tool", {}), "Missing [tool.ruff] in pyproject.toml"