diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index 18f2d5bdd..9d6785b24 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -170,14 +170,6 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       checks: write
 
-      # only needed unless run with comment_mode: off
-      pull-requests: write
-
-      # only needed for private repository
-      contents: read
-
-      # only needed for private repository
-      issues: read
     if: always()
 
     steps:
diff --git a/src/test/docker/fedora38/Dockerfile b/src/test/docker/fedora38/Dockerfile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..459d45e21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/docker/fedora38/Dockerfile
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+FROM fluxrm/flux-core:fedora38
+
+LABEL maintainer="Mark A. Grondona <mark.grondona@gmail.com>"
+
+ARG USER=flux
+ARG UID=1000
+
+#  Install flux-sched dependencies
+RUN sudo yum -y update \
+ && sudo yum -y install \
+	boost-devel \
+	boost-graph \
+	boost-system \
+	boost-filesystem \
+	boost-regex \
+	readline-devel \
+	python3-pyyaml \
+	yaml-cpp-devel \
+	libedit-devel \
+	cmake \
+ && sudo yum clean all
+
+# Add configured user to image with sudo access:
+#
+RUN \
+ if test "$USER" != "flux"; then  \
+      sudo groupadd -g $UID $USER \
+   && sudo useradd -g $USER -u $UID -d /home/$USER -m $USER \
+   && sudo sh -c "printf \"$USER ALL= NOPASSWD: ALL\\n\" >> /etc/sudoers" \
+   && sudo usermod -G wheel $USER; \
+ fi
+
+USER $USER
+WORKDIR /home/$USER
diff --git a/src/test/generate-matrix.py b/src/test/generate-matrix.py
index 99a3ea8a3..180f7ce0f 100755
--- a/src/test/generate-matrix.py
+++ b/src/test/generate-matrix.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def create_docker_tag(self, image, env, command):
     def add_build(
         self,
         name=None,
-        image="bionic",
+        image="fedora38",
         args=default_args,
         jobs=4,
         env=None,
@@ -104,10 +104,8 @@ def __str__(self):
 
 # Ubuntu: gcc-8, distcheck
 matrix.add_build(
-    name="bionic - gcc-8,distcheck",
+    name="fedora38 - distcheck",
     env=dict(
-        CC="gcc-8",
-        CXX="g++-8",
         DISTCHECK="t",
     ),
     args="--prefix=/usr",
@@ -118,10 +116,10 @@ def __str__(self):
 
 # Ubuntu: py3.7,clang-6.0
 matrix.add_build(
-    name="bionic - clang-6.0",
+    name="fedora38 - clang",
     env=dict(
-        CC="clang-6.0",
-        CXX="clang++-6.0",
+        CC="clang",
+        CXX="clang++",
         chain_lint="t",
         TEST_CHECK_PREREQS="t",
     ),
@@ -129,24 +127,24 @@ def __str__(self):
 
 # Ubuntu: TEST_INSTALL
 matrix.add_build(
-    name="bionic - test-install",
+    name="fedora38 - test-install",
     env=dict(TEST_INSTALL="t"),
     docker_tag=True,
 )
 
-# Ubuntu 20.04: py3.8
-matrix.add_build(
-    name="focal",
-    image="focal",
-    docker_tag=True,
-)
-
-# RHEL7 clone
-matrix.add_build(
-    name="el7",
-    image="el7",
-    docker_tag=True,
-)
+# # Ubuntu 20.04: py3.8
+# matrix.add_build(
+#     name="focal",
+#     image="focal",
+#     docker_tag=True,
+# )
+
+# # RHEL7 clone
+# matrix.add_build(
+#     name="el7",
+#     image="el7",
+#     docker_tag=True,
+# )
 
 # RHEL8 clone
 matrix.add_build(