diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
index edc2dab237b..8b97c65ccb5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -68,32 +68,21 @@ jobs:
   rest-tests-after-deploy2:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: playwright-after-deploy2
-    timeout-minutes: 45
+    timeout-minutes: 120
+    env:
+      GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_DEV5_GH_ACTION_DISPATCH }}
+      REPO: dataquest-dev/dspace-rest-test
+      WORKFLOW: run_unittests.yml
     steps:
       - name: run rest-tests
         run: |
-          curl -H "Accept: application/vnd.github.everest-preview+json" \
-          -H "Authorization: token ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_DEV5_GH_ACTION_DISPATCH }}" \
-          --request POST \
-          https://api.github.com/repos/dataquest-dev/\
-          dspace-rest-test/actions/workflows/run_unittests.yml/dispatches \
-          --data "{\"ref\":\"refs/heads/master\"}" 2> /dev/null
-
-          # wait for it to start
-          sleep 30s
-
-          # get result of last job
-          RES=$(curl -H "Accept: application/vnd.github.everest-preview+json" -H "Authorization: token ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_DEV5_GH_ACTION_DISPATCH }}" https://api.github.com/repos/dataquest-dev/dspace-rest-test/actions/workflows/run_unittests.yml/runs?per_page=1 2> /dev/null | jq .workflow_runs[0].conclusion)
+          OUTPUT=$(gh workflow run "$WORKFLOW" \
+            --repo "$REPO" \
+            --ref master \
+            -f CUSTOMER="${{ github.ref_name }}" \
+            -f URL="http://dev-5.pc:82/server/api" 2>&1)
 
-          # while job did not finish, sleep
-          while [[ $RES == 'null' ]]; do
-            sleep 10s
-            RES=$(curl -H "Accept: application/vnd.github.everest-preview+json" -H "Authorization: token ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_DEV5_GH_ACTION_DISPATCH }}" https://api.github.com/repos/dataquest-dev/dspace-rest-test/actions/workflows/run_unittests.yml/runs?per_page=1 2> /dev/null | jq .workflow_runs[0].conclusion)
-          done;
+          RUN_ID=$(echo "$OUTPUT" | grep -oE '/runs/[0-9]+' | grep -oE '[0-9]+')
 
-          echo $RES
-          # if last result is not success, return -1 and fail
-          if [[ $RES != \"success\" ]]; then
-            echo "rest-tests have failed! check appropriate action run"
-            exit 1
-          fi;
+          echo "Watching run: https://github.com/$REPO/actions/runs/$RUN_ID"
+          gh run watch "$RUN_ID" --repo "$REPO" --interval 30 --exit-status