diff --git a/.github/workflows/minimal_usage_lmod_init.yml b/.github/workflows/minimal_usage_lmod_init.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62e45bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/minimal_usage_lmod_init.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+name: ubuntu-minimal_usage-lmod_init
+on:
+  schedule:
+    - cron: '0 0 * * *'  # Runs once a day at midnight UTC
+  workflow_dispatch:  # Allows manual triggering
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - main
+# Declare default permissions as read only.
+permissions: read-all
+jobs:
+  minimal_usage:
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        os:
+          - ubuntu-24.04-arm
+          - ubuntu-24.04
+          - ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683  # v4.2.2
+    - uses: ./
+      with:
+        use_eessi_module: true
+        init_direnv: false
+    - name: Test EESSI
+      run: |
+        module avail
+        module list |& grep "EESSI/"
+      shell: bash
+    - name: Test available repos
+      run: |
+        ls /cvmfs/software.eessi.io
+        ls /cvmfs/dev.eessi.io
+      shell: bash
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 5ad3c03..4135944 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,14 @@ inputs:
     description: 'Comma-separated list of fully qualified repository names that shall be mountable under /cvmfs.'
     required: false
     default: 'software.eessi.io,dev.eessi.io'
+  use_eessi_module:
+    description: 'Use the EESSI module to initialise EESSI (rather than sourcing a bash script), valid values are true or false'
+    required: false
+    default: 'false'
+  init_direnv:
+    description: 'Enable direnv initialisation for the repository, valid values are true or false'
+    required: false
+    default: 'true'
 
 runs:
   using: "composite"
@@ -26,17 +34,23 @@ runs:
       run: |
         if [ "$RUNNER_OS" == "Linux" ]; then
           echo 'unset BASH_ENV' >> $HOME/env_config.export
-          echo "source /cvmfs/software.eessi.io/versions/$EESSI_STACK_VERSION/init/bash" >> $HOME/env_config.export
+          if [[ "${{ inputs.use_eessi_module }}" == "true" ]]; then
+            echo "source /cvmfs/software.eessi.io/versions/$EESSI_STACK_VERSION/init/lmod/bash" >> $HOME/env_config.export
+          else
+            echo "source /cvmfs/software.eessi.io/versions/$EESSI_STACK_VERSION/init/bash" >> $HOME/env_config.export
+          fi
           # allow oversubscription for OpenMPI
           echo "export OMPI_MCA_rmaps_base_oversubscribe=1" >> $HOME/env_config.export
-          sudo apt install -y direnv
-          echo 'eval "$(direnv export bash)"' >> $HOME/env_config.export
-          mkdir -p $HOME/direnv/
-          echo "[whitelist]" >> $HOME/direnv/direnv.toml
-          echo "prefix = [ '$GITHUB_WORKSPACE' ]" >> $HOME/direnv/direnv.toml
-          cp $HOME/direnv/direnv.toml $HOME/direnv/config.toml
+          if [[ "${{ inputs.init_direnv }}" == "true" ]]; then
+            sudo apt install -y direnv
+            echo 'eval "$(direnv export bash)"' >> $HOME/env_config.export
+            mkdir -p $HOME/direnv/
+            echo "[whitelist]" >> $HOME/direnv/direnv.toml
+            echo "prefix = [ '$GITHUB_WORKSPACE' ]" >> $HOME/direnv/direnv.toml
+            cp $HOME/direnv/direnv.toml $HOME/direnv/config.toml
+            echo "DIRENV_CONFIG=$HOME/direnv" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          fi
           echo "BASH_ENV=$HOME/env_config.export" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo "DIRENV_CONFIG=$HOME/direnv" >> $GITHUB_ENV
         elif [ "$RUNNER_OS" == "macOS" ]; then
           # EESSI on macOS requires lima so we get a Linux VM, see https://gitlab.com/eessi/support/-/issues/70
           # (unfortunately this requires nested virtualisation in GitHub Actions which is not available with M1)
@@ -51,3 +65,4 @@ runs:
       shell: bash
       env:
         EESSI_STACK_VERSION: ${{ inputs.eessi_stack_version }}
+