diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
index 68d99a6..bf245af 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
@@ -53,8 +53,15 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Run Valgrind memory leak test suite
         run: |
-          # run-tests.php -m invokes Valgrind memcheck with USE_ZEND_ALLOC=0
-          NO_INTERACTION=1 REPORT_EXIT_STATUS=1 php run-tests.php -m -q --show-diff tests/
+          # make test loads the freshly built modules/judy.so via -d extension=…;
+          # invoking run-tests.php directly does not, which silently reduces the
+          # suite to SKIPs (issue #202). Flags ride in TESTS, which the generated
+          # Makefile appends to the run-tests.php invocation. -m wraps each test
+          # in Valgrind memcheck (--trace-children=yes) with USE_ZEND_ALLOC=0.
+          # pcre.jit=0: PCRE2's sljit-generated code trips uninitialised-value
+          # reports inside the php binary itself; without it every preg_*-using
+          # test is flagged LEAK with no judy.so frame in the stack.
+          make test TESTS="-j$(nproc) -m -q --show-diff -d pcre.jit=0 tests/" NO_INTERACTION=1 REPORT_EXIT_STATUS=1
 
       - name: Report or Update Nightly Failure Issue
         if: failure() && github.event_name == 'schedule'
@@ -75,11 +82,12 @@ jobs:
               '',
               `- **Commit**: [${context.sha}](${context.payload.repository?.html_url}/commit/${context.sha})`,
               `- **Workflow Run**: [View Failed Run Logs](${context.serverUrl}/${context.repo.owner}/${context.repo.repo}/actions/runs/${context.runId})`,
-              '- **Failing Target**: `php run-tests.php -m` (Valgrind memcheck)',
+              '- **Failing Target**: `make test TESTS="-m …"` (Valgrind memcheck)',
               '',
               '#### Local Reproduction Command:',
               '```bash',
-              'USE_ZEND_ALLOC=0 valgrind --leak-check=full php run-tests.php -m -q --show-diff tests/',
+              'phpize && ./configure --with-judy=/usr CFLAGS="-g -O0 -Wall" && make',
+              'make test TESTS="-m -q --show-diff -d pcre.jit=0 tests/" NO_INTERACTION=1 REPORT_EXIT_STATUS=1',
               '```'
             ].join('\n');
 
diff --git a/tests/bench_compare_drift_001.phpt b/tests/bench_compare_drift_001.phpt
index b5c314d..d87416d 100644
--- a/tests/bench_compare_drift_001.phpt
+++ b/tests/bench_compare_drift_001.phpt
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ bench-compare: PHP control decides contamination; uniform real shifts keep per-c
 --SKIPIF--
 <?php
 if (substr(PHP_OS, 0, 3) === 'WIN') die('skip POSIX shell required');
+// run-tests -m exports USE_ZEND_ALLOC=0 and traces children: every child PHP
+// this test spawns runs under memcheck too, distorting timings and surfacing
+// child-side bailout noise as leaks of this test (issue #202).
+if (getenv('USE_ZEND_ALLOC') === '0') die('skip spawns child PHP processes; not meaningful under Valgrind');
 $root = dirname(__DIR__);
 if (!is_file("$root/scripts/bench-compare.php")) die('skip scripts/bench-compare.php not present');
 if (!is_file("$root/modules/judy.so")) die('skip requires in-tree build (modules/judy.so)');
diff --git a/tests/bench_memory_limit_001.phpt b/tests/bench_memory_limit_001.phpt
index e172e81..f178a94 100644
--- a/tests/bench_memory_limit_001.phpt
+++ b/tests/bench_memory_limit_001.phpt
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ judy-bench: memory_limit is a floor a caller can raise, not a cap that overrides
 --SKIPIF--
 <?php
 if (substr(PHP_OS, 0, 3) === 'WIN') die('skip POSIX shell required');
+// run-tests -m exports USE_ZEND_ALLOC=0 and traces children: memory_limit
+// fatals in child PHP processes leave everything unfreed by design, which
+// memcheck then reports as leaks of this test (issue #202).
+if (getenv('USE_ZEND_ALLOC') === '0') die('skip spawns child PHP processes; not meaningful under Valgrind');
 $root = dirname(__DIR__);
 if (!is_file("$root/examples/benchmarks/judy-bench.php")) die('skip judy-bench.php not present');
 if (!is_file("$root/modules/judy.so")) die('skip requires in-tree build (modules/judy.so)');
diff --git a/tests/bench_memory_measurement_001.phpt b/tests/bench_memory_measurement_001.phpt
index 61fa1d5..7536e3c 100644
--- a/tests/bench_memory_measurement_001.phpt
+++ b/tests/bench_memory_measurement_001.phpt
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ judy-bench: memory is measured as peak RSS, not the emalloc heap (issue #172)
 --SKIPIF--
 <?php
 if (substr(PHP_OS, 0, 3) === 'WIN') die('skip POSIX shell required');
+// run-tests -m exports USE_ZEND_ALLOC=0 and traces children: memcheck inflates
+// the child processes' RSS by an order of magnitude, breaking every heap-vs-RSS
+// relationship this test asserts (issue #202).
+if (getenv('USE_ZEND_ALLOC') === '0') die('skip spawns child PHP processes; RSS assertions invalid under Valgrind');
 if (!function_exists('getrusage')) die('skip getrusage() not available');
 if (!function_exists('shell_exec')) die('skip shell_exec() disabled');
 $root = dirname(__DIR__);