diff --git a/.github/workflows/integration_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/integration_tests.yml
index 35b46aa3..baf78508 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/integration_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/integration_tests.yml
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ jobs:
           pushd Examples/${EXAMPLE}
 
           # package the example (docker and swift toolchain are installed on the GH runner)
-          echo yes | swift package archive --allow-network-connections docker
+          LAMBDA_USE_LOCAL_DEPS=../.. swift package archive --allow-network-connections docker
 
           # did the plugin generated a Linux binary?
           [ -f ${OUTPUT_FILE} ]
diff --git a/Package.swift b/Package.swift
index 69f5ff36..d26d2042 100644
--- a/Package.swift
+++ b/Package.swift
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ let package = Package(
         .library(name: "AWSLambdaTesting", targets: ["AWSLambdaTesting"]),
     ],
     dependencies: [
-        .package(url: "https://github.com/apple/swift-nio.git", from: "2.72.0"),
+        .package(url: "https://github.com/apple/swift-nio.git", from: "2.76.0"),
         .package(url: "https://github.com/apple/swift-log.git", from: "1.5.4"),
     ],
     targets: [
diff --git a/Sources/AWSLambdaRuntimeCore/Lambda+LocalServer.swift b/Sources/AWSLambdaRuntimeCore/Lambda+LocalServer.swift
index 9eed4389..a23ef1cf 100644
--- a/Sources/AWSLambdaRuntimeCore/Lambda+LocalServer.swift
+++ b/Sources/AWSLambdaRuntimeCore/Lambda+LocalServer.swift
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
 //
 //===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
 
-// commented out as long as we have a fix for Swift 6 language mode CI
-
 #if DEBUG
 import Dispatch
 import Logging
@@ -133,6 +131,10 @@ private enum LocalLambda {
         }
 
         func processRequest(context: ChannelHandlerContext, request: (head: HTTPRequestHead, body: ByteBuffer?)) {
+
+            let eventLoop = context.eventLoop
+            let loopBoundContext = NIOLoopBound(context, eventLoop: eventLoop)
+
             switch (request.head.method, request.head.uri) {
             // this endpoint is called by the client invoking the lambda
             case (.POST, let url) where url.hasSuffix(self.invocationEndpoint):
@@ -142,6 +144,7 @@ private enum LocalLambda {
                 let requestID = "\(DispatchTime.now().uptimeNanoseconds)"  // FIXME:
                 let promise = context.eventLoop.makePromise(of: Response.self)
                 promise.futureResult.whenComplete { result in
+                    let context = loopBoundContext.value
                     switch result {
                     case .failure(let error):
                         self.logger.error("invocation error: \(error)")
@@ -178,6 +181,7 @@ private enum LocalLambda {
                     // create a promise that we can fullfill when we get a new task
                     let promise = context.eventLoop.makePromise(of: Invocation.self)
                     promise.futureResult.whenComplete { result in
+                        let context = loopBoundContext.value
                         switch result {
                         case .failure(let error):
                             self.logger.error("invocation error: \(error)")
diff --git a/Sources/AWSLambdaRuntimeCore/LambdaRuntime.swift b/Sources/AWSLambdaRuntimeCore/LambdaRuntime.swift
index 86274836..c058bf3d 100644
--- a/Sources/AWSLambdaRuntimeCore/LambdaRuntime.swift
+++ b/Sources/AWSLambdaRuntimeCore/LambdaRuntime.swift
@@ -76,7 +76,9 @@ public final class LambdaRuntime<Handler>: @unchecked Sendable where Handler: St
 
         } else {
 
-            // we're not running on Lambda, let's start a local server for testing
+            #if DEBUG
+            // we're not running on Lambda and we're compiled in DEBUG mode,
+            // let's start a local server for testing
             try await Lambda.withLocalServer(invocationEndpoint: Lambda.env("LOCAL_LAMBDA_SERVER_INVOCATION_ENDPOINT"))
             {
 
@@ -92,6 +94,10 @@ public final class LambdaRuntime<Handler>: @unchecked Sendable where Handler: St
                     )
                 }
             }
+            #else
+            // in release mode, we can't start a local server because the local server code is not compiled.
+            throw LambdaRuntimeError(code: .missingLambdaRuntimeAPIEnvironmentVariable)
+            #endif
         }
     }
 }