diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 8d0a5d6..f4c7990 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -240,11 +240,13 @@ jobs:
       - run:
           name: install bazel
           command: |
-            apt-get install -q -y bazel
+            apt-get install -q -y bazel-7.4.1
       - run: test/test_bazel.sh
 
   test-bazel-mac-arm64:
     executor: mac_arm64
+    environment:
+      USE_BAZEL_VERSION: "7.4.1"
     steps:
       - checkout
       - run:
diff --git a/test/test_bazel.sh b/test/test_bazel.sh
index b99a029..cf741b8 100755
--- a/test/test_bazel.sh
+++ b/test/test_bazel.sh
@@ -17,20 +17,21 @@ FAILMSG="!!! scripts/update_bazel_workspace.py needs to be run !!!"
 grep ${VER} bazel/revisions.bzl || (echo ${FAILMSG} && false)
 grep ${HASH} bazel/revisions.bzl || (echo ${FAILMSG} && false)
 
+BAZEL_CMD=$(which bazel || which bazel-7.4.1)
+
 cd bazel
-bazel build //hello-world:hello-world-wasm
-bazel build //hello-world:hello-world-wasm-simd
+$BAZEL_CMD build //hello-world:hello-world-wasm
+$BAZEL_CMD build //hello-world:hello-world-wasm-simd
 
 cd test_external
-bazel build //:hello-world-wasm
-bazel build //long_command_line:long_command_line_wasm
-bazel build //:hello-embind-wasm --compilation_mode dbg # debug
+$BAZEL_CMD build //:hello-world-wasm
+$BAZEL_CMD build //long_command_line:long_command_line_wasm
+$BAZEL_CMD build //:hello-embind-wasm --compilation_mode dbg # debug
 
 # Test use of the closure compiler
-bazel build //:hello-embind-wasm --compilation_mode opt # release
+$BAZEL_CMD build //:hello-embind-wasm --compilation_mode opt # release
 # This function should not be minified if the externs file is loaded correctly.
 grep "customJSFunctionToTestClosure" bazel-bin/hello-embind-wasm/hello-embind.js
 
 cd ../test_secondary_lto_cache
-bazel build //:hello-world-wasm
-
+$BAZEL_CMD build //:hello-world-wasm