diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
index 91cea9442..9af367aae 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 name: deploy
-
+# https://docs.github.com/en/actions/writing-workflows/choosing-when-your-workflow
+#  -runs/events-that-trigger-workflows#release
 on:
   release:
+    types: [published]
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
@@ -24,12 +26,12 @@ jobs:
             index-servers =
               pypi
               navigate-micro
-    
+
             [pypi]
             repository: https://upload.pypi.org/legacy/
             username: $env:PYPI_USERNAME
             password: $env:PYPI_PASSWORD
-            
+
             [navigate-micro]
             repository: https://upload.pypi.org/legacy/
             username: $env:PYPI_USERNAME
@@ -50,4 +52,4 @@ jobs:
           run: |
             git tag
             python -m build
-            twine upload -r navigate-micro dist/* 
+            twine upload -r navigate-micro dist/*
diff --git a/.github/workflows/plugins.yaml b/.github/workflows/plugins.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c8ac53099
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/plugins.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+name: test_plugins
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - develop
+  pull_request:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  test:
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.operating-system }}
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        python-version: ["3.9"]
+        operating-system: [windows-latest]
+    env:
+      MPLBACKEND: Agg  # https://github.com/microsoft/azure-pipelines-tasks/issues/16426
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v3
+        with:
+          python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: |
+          python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+          pip install navigate-micro
+          pip install navigate-at-scale
+          pip install navigate-constant-velocity
+          pip install navigate-confocal-projection
+          # pip install navigate-mmcore-plugin
+          pip install pytest
+      - name: Test with pytest
+        run: |
+          python3 -m pytest test/model/test_model.py -m "not hardware"