diff --git a/smoke/venv.sh b/smoke/venv.sh
index 578c130..8240a21 100755
--- a/smoke/venv.sh
+++ b/smoke/venv.sh
@@ -47,18 +47,12 @@ set -u
 python -c 'import sys; print(sys.version)' | head -n1 | grep $VERSION
 
 # install packages with pip
-if [ "$VERSION" == "2.6" ]; then
-    pip install pytest
-    pip install Cython --install-option="--no-cython-compile"
-elif [ "$VERSION" == "3.11" ]; then
-    python -m pip install pytest
-    # Cython support for 3.11.0a1+ is not yet released
-    if [ "$CYTHON" == "true" ]; then
+python -m pip install pytest
+if [ "$CYTHON" == "true" ]; then
+    if [ "$VERSION" == "3.11" ]; then
+        # Cython support for 3.11.0a1+ is not yet released
         python -m pip install https://github.com/cython/cython/archive/master.tar.gz --install-option="--no-cython-compile"
-    fi
-else
-    python -m pip install pytest
-    if [ "$CYTHON" == "true" ]; then
+    else
         # We try to fetch a wheel only and if that fails, we disable compilation
         # Useful for fresh CPythons, where wheels are not yet ready, but Cython defaults to compiling
         python -m pip install Cython --only-binary :all: || python -m pip install Cython --install-option="--no-cython-compile"