diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 45b118d..ad634ed 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        java: [11, 17]
+        java: [11]
         scala: [2.12.18, 2.13.12, 3.3.1]
         flink: [1.15.4]
         include:
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ jobs:
           - scala: 3.3.1
             java: 11
             flink: 1.17.1
+          - scala: 3.3.1
+            java: 17
+            flink: 1.18.0
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
@@ -34,9 +37,8 @@ jobs:
           distribution: temurin
           java-version: ${{ matrix.java }}
           cache: sbt
-      - name: Compile Docs
-        if: ${{ matrix.java == '11' }}
+      - name: Compile Docs        
         run: JAVA_OPTS="--add-opens java.base/java.lang=ALL-UNNAMED" sbt "++ ${{ matrix.scala }} mdoc"
-      - name: Run tests
+      - name: Run tests        
         run: JAVA_OPTS="--add-opens java.base/java.lang=ALL-UNNAMED" sbt -DflinkVersion=${{ matrix.flink }} "++ ${{ matrix.scala }} test"      
 
diff --git a/build.sbt b/build.sbt
index eff2ac7..0c5d1f3 100644
--- a/build.sbt
+++ b/build.sbt
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ lazy val root = (project in file("."))
         )
       }
     },
+    // some IT tests won't work without running in forked JVM
+    Test / fork := true,
     // Need to isolate macro usage to version-specific folders.
     Compile / unmanagedSourceDirectories += {
       val dir              = (Compile / scalaSource).value.getPath
diff --git a/release.sh b/release.sh
index 993227c..1777dda 100644
--- a/release.sh
+++ b/release.sh
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@ set -ex
 RELEASE_VERSION_BUMP=true sbt -DflinkVersion=1.15.4 test 'release with-defaults'
 RELEASE_VERSION_BUMP=true sbt -DflinkVersion=1.16.2 test 'release with-defaults'
 RELEASE_VERSION_BUMP=true sbt -DflinkVersion=1.17.1 test 'release with-defaults'
+RELEASE_VERSION_BUMP=true sbt -DflinkVersion=1.18.0 test 'release with-defaults'
 wait
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/scala/org/apache/flinkx/api/ExampleTest.scala b/src/test/scala/org/apache/flinkx/api/ExampleTest.scala
index c03a318..f142359 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/org/apache/flinkx/api/ExampleTest.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/org/apache/flinkx/api/ExampleTest.scala
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package org.apache.flinkx.api
 
 import org.apache.flinkx.api.serializers._
-import org.apache.flink.api._
 import org.apache.flink.api.common.RuntimeExecutionMode
 import org.apache.flink.api.common.restartstrategy.RestartStrategies
 import org.apache.flink.api.common.typeinfo.TypeInformation