diff --git a/.github/workflows/_system_test.yml b/.github/workflows/_system_test.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..71a14ae84
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/_system_test.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+
+env:
+  # https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest/issues/2042
+  PY_IGNORE_IMPORTMISMATCH: "1"
+
+jobs:
+  run:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          # Need this to get version number from last tag
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Install python packages
+        uses: ./.github/actions/install_requirements
+
+      - name: Start RabbitMQ
+        uses: namoshek/rabbitmq-github-action@v1
+        with:
+          ports: "61613:61613"
+          plugins: rabbitmq_stomp
+
+      - name: Start Blueapi Server
+        run: blueapi -c ${{ github.workspace }}/tests/unit_tests/example_yaml/valid_stomp_config.yaml serve &
+
+      - name: Run tests
+        run: tox -e system-test
diff --git a/.github/workflows/_test.yml b/.github/workflows/_test.yml
index 8fc0c8ee3..f652d4145 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/_test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/_test.yml
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@ on:
 env:
   # https://github.com/pytest-dev/pytest/issues/2042
   PY_IGNORE_IMPORTMISMATCH: "1"
-  BLUEAPI_TEST_STOMP_PORTS: "[61613,61614]"
-
-
 
 jobs:
   run:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 485b82b66..53f66b6d7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ jobs:
     secrets:
       CODECOV_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}
 
+  system-test:
+    needs: check
+    if: needs.check.outputs.branch-pr == ''
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/_system_test.yml
+
   container:
     needs: check
     if: needs.check.outputs.branch-pr == ''
diff --git a/tests/system_tests/test_blueapi_system.py b/tests/system_tests/test_blueapi_system.py
index 477a637c3..61656d253 100644
--- a/tests/system_tests/test_blueapi_system.py
+++ b/tests/system_tests/test_blueapi_system.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import pytest
 from bluesky_stomp.models import BasicAuthentication
 from pydantic import TypeAdapter
+from requests.exceptions import ConnectionError
 
 from blueapi.client.client import (
     BlueapiClient,
@@ -32,6 +33,13 @@
 
 _DATA_PATH = Path(__file__).parent
 
+_REQUIRES_AUTH_MESSAGE = """
+Authentication credentials are required to run this test.
+The test has been skipped because authentication is currently disabled.
+For more details, see: https://github.com/DiamondLightSource/blueapi/issues/676.
+To enable and execute these tests, set `REQUIRES_AUTH=1` and provide valid credentials.
+"""
+
 # Step 1: Ensure a message bus that supports stomp is running and available:
 #   src/script/start_rabbitmq.sh
 #
@@ -43,7 +51,7 @@
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
-def client_without_auth(tmp_path) -> BlueapiClient:
+def client_without_auth(tmp_path: Path) -> BlueapiClient:
     return BlueapiClient.from_config(config=ApplicationConfig(auth_token_path=tmp_path))
 
 
@@ -58,6 +66,20 @@ def client_with_stomp() -> BlueapiClient:
     )
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module", autouse=True)
+def wait_for_server():
+    client = BlueapiClient.from_config(config=ApplicationConfig())
+
+    for _ in range(20):
+        try:
+            client.get_environment()
+            return
+        except ConnectionError:
+            ...
+        time.sleep(0.5)
+    raise TimeoutError("No connection to the blueapi server")
+
+
 # This client will have auth enabled if it finds cached valid token
 @pytest.fixture
 def client() -> BlueapiClient:
@@ -101,6 +123,7 @@ def clean_existing_tasks(client: BlueapiClient):
     yield
 
 
+@pytest.mark.xfail(reason=_REQUIRES_AUTH_MESSAGE)
 def test_cannot_access_endpoints(
     client_without_auth: BlueapiClient, blueapi_client_get_methods: list[str]
 ):
@@ -112,6 +135,7 @@ def test_cannot_access_endpoints(
             getattr(client_without_auth, get_method)()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.xfail(reason=_REQUIRES_AUTH_MESSAGE)
 def test_can_get_oidc_config_without_auth(client_without_auth: BlueapiClient):
     assert client_without_auth.get_oidc_config() == OIDCConfig(
         well_known_url="https://example.com/realms/master/.well-known/openid-configuration",