diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 7c8dff7365c..954651e269e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ jobs:
   build:
     if: github.event_name == 'pull_request' || github.repository != 'discourse/discourse-private-mirror'
     name: ${{ matrix.target }} ${{ matrix.build_type }}${{ (matrix.target == 'core' && matrix.build_type == 'frontend' && format(' ({0})', matrix.browser)) || '' }} # Update fetch-job-id step if changing this
-    runs-on: ${{ (github.repository_owner == 'discourse' && 'debian-12-8core') || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
+    runs-on: ${{ (github.repository_owner == 'discourse' && (matrix.target == 'plugins' && matrix.build_type == 'system' && 'debian-12-16core' || 'debian-12-8core')) || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     container: discourse/discourse_test:release
     timeout-minutes: ${{ ((matrix.build_type == 'system' && matrix.target == 'plugins') && 30) || 20 }}