diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index 00234e148..8255a5272 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -121,7 +121,9 @@ jobs:
             conda create -yqp "${{ runner.temp }}/conda-standalone-nightly" -c conda-canary/label/dev "conda-standalone=*=*single*"
             echo "CONSTRUCTOR_CONDA_EXE=${{ runner.temp }}/conda-standalone-nightly/standalone_conda/conda.exe" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           elif [[ "${{ matrix.conda-standalone }}" == "conda-standalone-onedir" ]]; then
-            conda create -yqp "${{ runner.temp }}/conda-standalone-onedir" -c conda-canary/label/dev "conda-standalone=*=*onedir*"
+            # Request a version newer than 25.1.1 due to an issue with newer versions getting deprioritized
+            # because they are built with 'track_features'
+            conda create -yqp "${{ runner.temp }}/conda-standalone-onedir" -c conda-canary/label/dev "conda-standalone>25.1.1=*onedir*"
             echo "CONSTRUCTOR_CONDA_EXE=${{ runner.temp }}/conda-standalone-onedir/standalone_conda/conda.exe" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           else
             conda activate constructor-dev
diff --git a/news/1173-ensure-latest-conda-standalone b/news/1173-ensure-latest-conda-standalone
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6c958b80f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/1173-ensure-latest-conda-standalone
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+### Enhancements
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Bug fixes
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Deprecations
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Docs
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Other
+
+* The canary CI environment using the `onedir` variant of `conda-standalone` now correctly uses the latest version available. (#1173)