diff --git a/.github/workflows/python.yml b/.github/workflows/python.yml
index f51b200..2adc772 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python.yml
@@ -1,11 +1,5 @@
 # Python wheels for crates/vtracer-py (maturin). Regenerate the skeleton with:
 #    maturin generate-ci github -m crates/vtracer-py/Cargo.toml
-#
-# PREREQUISITE: the framework depends on visioncortex 0.9.0. maturin's Linux
-# builds run in manylinux containers where the local `../visioncortex` path is
-# not visible, so this workflow only succeeds once visioncortex 0.9.0 is
-# published to crates.io and the workspace uses the registry version (not the
-# local path).
 name: Python
 
 on:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 4d3f112..f160dfa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 name: Release
 
 # Builds the `vtracer` CLI binary (crates/vtracer-cli) for each target.
-# PREREQUISITE: the workspace depends on visioncortex 0.9.0; this succeeds once
-# 0.9.0 is published to crates.io and the workspace uses the registry version
-# instead of the local `../visioncortex` path.
 
 on:
   release:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/rust.yml b/.github/workflows/rust.yml
index 78b2cd9..7051efc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rust.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rust.yml
@@ -21,26 +21,14 @@ concurrency:
 env:
   CARGO_TERM_COLOR: always
 
-# NOTE: the workspace depends on visioncortex 0.9.0 via a local path
-# (`../visioncortex`). Until 0.9.0 is published to crates.io, CI checks out the
-# visioncortex repo next to this one so the path resolves. This requires the
-# 0.9.x changes to be present on visioncortex's default branch.
 jobs:
   test:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          path: vtracer
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          repository: visioncortex/visioncortex
-          path: visioncortex
       - name: Build
-        working-directory: vtracer
         run: cargo build --workspace --verbose
       - name: Test
-        working-directory: vtracer
         run: cargo test --workspace --verbose
 
   wasm:
@@ -48,15 +36,8 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          path: vtracer
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          repository: visioncortex/visioncortex
-          path: visioncortex
       - run: rustup target add wasm32-unknown-unknown
       - name: Build core for wasm32
-        working-directory: vtracer
         run: cargo build --target wasm32-unknown-unknown -p vtracer
 
   nodejs:
@@ -64,19 +45,13 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          path: vtracer
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          repository: visioncortex/visioncortex
-          path: visioncortex
       - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
           node-version: 20
       - name: Install wasm-pack
         run: curl https://rustwasm.github.io/wasm-pack/installer/init.sh -sSf | sh
       - name: Build & test
-        working-directory: vtracer/nodejs
+        working-directory: nodejs
         run: |
           wasm-pack build --target nodejs --out-dir pkg
           node test.js
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index d76211a..92394ba 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ homepage = "http://www.visioncortex.org/vtracer"
 repository = "https://github.com/visioncortex/vtracer/"
 
 [workspace.dependencies]
-# visioncortex 0.9.0 is currently unreleased; developed against the local
-# checkout. Releases will pin a published 0.9.x.
-visioncortex = { version = "0.9", path = "../visioncortex" }
+visioncortex = "0.9"
+# For local development against an unreleased visioncortex, add a patch:
+#   [patch.crates-io]
+#   visioncortex = { path = "../visioncortex" }