diff --git a/ci/conda/recipes/morpheus-libs/meta.yaml b/ci/conda/recipes/morpheus-libs/meta.yaml
index a74dcb6a07..9697b1d52f 100644
--- a/ci/conda/recipes/morpheus-libs/meta.yaml
+++ b/ci/conda/recipes/morpheus-libs/meta.yaml
@@ -61,12 +61,16 @@ outputs:
         - cuda-nvtx-dev {{ cuda_compiler_version }}.*
         - cuda-version {{ cuda_compiler_version }}.*
         # Non-CUDA dependencies
+        - cuda-python {{ cuda_compiler_version }}.*
         - cudf {{ rapids_version }}
         - cython 3.0.*
         - glog >=0.7.1,<0.8
         - indicators=2.3
         - libcudf {{ rapids_version }}
         - librdkafka =2.6.1
+        # Listing mlflow in the host dependencies so that it solves along with libgcc this avoids an
+        # incompatible runtime environment
+        - mlflow>=2.18
         - mrc {{ minor_version }}
         - nlohmann_json 3.11.*
         - pip
@@ -74,6 +78,8 @@ outputs:
         - python {{ python }}
         - rapidjson 1.1.0
         - scikit-build 0.17.6
+        # We are currently depending on some deprecated functionality removed in setuptools 80+ #2224
+        - setuptools>=75,<80
         - versioneer-518
         - zlib >=1.3.1,<2 # required to build triton client
       run:
@@ -81,18 +87,18 @@ outputs:
         # This should be synced with `runtime` in dependencies.yaml
         - appdirs
         - beautifulsoup4
-        - click >=8
+        - click>=8, <8.2 # work-around for #2219
         - cuda-version {{ cuda_compiler_version }}.*
         - cudf
         - cupy <13.4
         - datacompy =0.13.1
         - dill =0.3.7
-        - docker-py =5.0.*
+        - docker-py >=7.1,<8
         - elasticsearch ==8.9.0
         - feedparser =6.0.*
         - grpcio =1.62.*
         - lxml
-        - mlflow>=2.10.0,<2.18
+        - mlflow
         - mrc
         - networkx=2.8.8
         - numba=0.60 # Pin version to avoid https://github.com/nv-morpheus/Morpheus/issues/2166
@@ -163,6 +169,8 @@ outputs:
         - pip
         - python {{ python }}
         - scikit-build 0.17.6
+        # We are currently depending on some deprecated functionality removed in setuptools 80+ #2224
+        - setuptools>=75,<80
         - versioneer-518
       run:
         - {{ pin_subpackage('morpheus-core', exact=True) }}
@@ -221,6 +229,8 @@ outputs:
         - python {{ python }}
         - rapidjson 1.1.0
         - scikit-build 0.17.6
+        # We are currently depending on some deprecated functionality removed in setuptools 80+ #2224
+        - setuptools>=75,<80
         - versioneer-518
         - zlib >=1.3.1,<2 # required to build triton client
       run:
diff --git a/ci/conda/recipes/morpheus/meta.yaml b/ci/conda/recipes/morpheus/meta.yaml
index 9b5db8aaee..2208902202 100644
--- a/ci/conda/recipes/morpheus/meta.yaml
+++ b/ci/conda/recipes/morpheus/meta.yaml
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ outputs:
         - cuda-nvtx-dev {{ cuda_compiler_version }}.*
         - cuda-version {{ cuda_compiler_version }}.*
         # Non-CUDA dependencies
+        - cuda-python {{ cuda_compiler_version }}.*
         - cudf {{ rapids_version }}
         - cython 3.0.*
         - glog >=0.7.1,<0.8
@@ -80,6 +81,8 @@ outputs:
         - rapidjson 1.1.0
         - rdma-core >=48 # Needed for DOCA.
         - scikit-build 0.17.6
+        # We are currently depending on some deprecated functionality removed in setuptools 80+ #2224
+        - setuptools>=75,<80
         - versioneer-518
         - zlib >=1.3.1,<2 # required to build triton client
       run:
@@ -87,18 +90,18 @@ outputs:
         # This should be synced with `runtime` in dependencies.yaml
         - appdirs
         - beautifulsoup4
-        - click >=8
+        - click>=8, <8.2 # work-around for #2219
         - cuda-version {{ cuda_compiler_version }}.*
         - cudf
         - cupy <13.4
         - datacompy =0.13.1
         - dill =0.3.7
-        - docker-py =5.0.*
+        - docker-py >=7.1,<8
         - elasticsearch ==8.9.0
         - feedparser =6.0.*
         - grpcio =1.62.*
         - libwebp>=1.3.2 # Required for CVE mitigation: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-4863
-        - mlflow>=2.10.0,<2.18
+        - mlflow>=2.18
         - mrc
         - networkx=2.8.8
         - numba=0.60 # Pin version to avoid https://github.com/nv-morpheus/Morpheus/issues/2166
diff --git a/ci/scripts/run_ci_local.sh b/ci/scripts/run_ci_local.sh
index c6cb93b65b..874162c793 100755
--- a/ci/scripts/run_ci_local.sh
+++ b/ci/scripts/run_ci_local.sh
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ CUDA_FULL_VER=${CUDA_FULL_VER:-12.8.0}
 DOCKER_EXTRA_ARGS=${DOCKER_EXTRA_ARGS:-""}
 
 # Configure the base docker img
-CONDA_CONTAINER="rapidsai/ci-conda:cuda${CUDA_FULL_VER}-ubuntu22.04-py3.10"
+CONDA_CONTAINER="rapidsai/ci-conda:cuda${CUDA_FULL_VER}-ubuntu22.04-py3.12"
 BUILD_CONTAINER="nvcr.io/ea-nvidia-morpheus/morpheus:morpheus-ci-build-${CONTAINER_VER}"
 TEST_CONTAINER="nvcr.io/ea-nvidia-morpheus/morpheus:morpheus-ci-test-${CONTAINER_VER}"
 
diff --git a/conda/environments/all_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml b/conda/environments/all_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml
index 295d25cb32..d3804a9d30 100644
--- a/conda/environments/all_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml
+++ b/conda/environments/all_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ dependencies:
 - cuda-nvrtc=12.8
 - cuda-nvtx-dev=12.8
 - cuda-nvtx=12.8
+- cuda-python=12.8
 - cuda-sanitizer-api
 - cuda-version=12.8
 - cudf=25.02
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ dependencies:
 - libtool
 - libwebp=1.3.2
 - libzlib>=1.3.1,<1.4
-- mlflow>=2.10.0,<2.18
+- mlflow>=2.18
 - mrc=25.06
 - myst-parser>=4.0
 - nbsphinx
diff --git a/conda/environments/all_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml b/conda/environments/all_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml
index 791b43c17b..154312cef8 100644
--- a/conda/environments/all_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml
+++ b/conda/environments/all_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ dependencies:
 - cuda-nvrtc=12.8
 - cuda-nvtx-dev=12.8
 - cuda-nvtx=12.8
+- cuda-python=12.8
 - cuda-sanitizer-api
 - cuda-version=12.8
 - cudf=25.02
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ dependencies:
 - libtool
 - libwebp=1.3.2
 - libzlib>=1.3.1,<1.4
-- mlflow>=2.10.0,<2.18
+- mlflow>=2.18
 - mrc=25.06
 - myst-parser>=4.0
 - nbsphinx
diff --git a/conda/environments/dev_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml b/conda/environments/dev_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml
index e4fc7b8ca9..3baa2ad19f 100644
--- a/conda/environments/dev_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml
+++ b/conda/environments/dev_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ dependencies:
 - cuda-nvml-dev=12.8
 - cuda-nvrtc-dev=12.8
 - cuda-nvtx-dev=12.8
+- cuda-python=12.8
 - cuda-sanitizer-api
 - cuda-version=12.8
 - cudf=25.02
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ dependencies:
 - libtool
 - libwebp=1.3.2
 - libzlib>=1.3.1,<1.4
-- mlflow>=2.10.0,<2.18
+- mlflow>=2.18
 - mrc=25.06
 - myst-parser>=4.0
 - nbsphinx
diff --git a/conda/environments/dev_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml b/conda/environments/dev_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml
index a0d1b8f1af..3c672eca4d 100644
--- a/conda/environments/dev_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml
+++ b/conda/environments/dev_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ dependencies:
 - cuda-nvml-dev=12.8
 - cuda-nvrtc-dev=12.8
 - cuda-nvtx-dev=12.8
+- cuda-python=12.8
 - cuda-sanitizer-api
 - cuda-version=12.8
 - cudf=25.02
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ dependencies:
 - libtool
 - libwebp=1.3.2
 - libzlib>=1.3.1,<1.4
-- mlflow>=2.10.0,<2.18
+- mlflow>=2.18
 - mrc=25.06
 - myst-parser>=4.0
 - nbsphinx
diff --git a/conda/environments/examples_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml b/conda/environments/examples_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml
index 47ab894e15..282c5398e7 100644
--- a/conda/environments/examples_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml
+++ b/conda/environments/examples_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ dependencies:
 - jsonpatch>=1.33
 - kfp
 - libwebp=1.3.2
-- mlflow>=2.10.0,<2.18
+- mlflow>=2.18
 - mrc=25.06
 - networkx=2.8.8
 - nodejs=18.*
diff --git a/conda/environments/examples_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml b/conda/environments/examples_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml
index a4830b0919..6221a50b5c 100644
--- a/conda/environments/examples_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml
+++ b/conda/environments/examples_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ dependencies:
 - jsonpatch>=1.33
 - kfp
 - libwebp=1.3.2
-- mlflow>=2.10.0,<2.18
+- mlflow>=2.18
 - mrc=25.06
 - networkx=2.8.8
 - newspaper3k==0.2.8
diff --git a/conda/environments/runtime_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml b/conda/environments/runtime_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml
index 5ce3467b30..989f3a04c5 100644
--- a/conda/environments/runtime_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml
+++ b/conda/environments/runtime_cuda-128_arch-aarch64.yaml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ dependencies:
 - grpcio
 - grpcio-status
 - libwebp=1.3.2
-- mlflow>=2.10.0,<2.18
+- mlflow>=2.18
 - mrc=25.06
 - networkx=2.8.8
 - numba=0.60
diff --git a/conda/environments/runtime_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml b/conda/environments/runtime_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml
index c1971841e2..d9456375fe 100644
--- a/conda/environments/runtime_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml
+++ b/conda/environments/runtime_cuda-128_arch-x86_64.yaml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ dependencies:
 - grpcio
 - grpcio-status
 - libwebp=1.3.2
-- mlflow>=2.10.0,<2.18
+- mlflow>=2.18
 - mrc=25.06
 - networkx=2.8.8
 - numba=0.60
diff --git a/dependencies.yaml b/dependencies.yaml
index 68cb6a4ea9..5589c388df 100644
--- a/dependencies.yaml
+++ b/dependencies.yaml
@@ -296,6 +296,7 @@ dependencies:
       - output_types: [conda]
         packages:
           # Include: cudatoolkit-dev
+          - cuda-python=12.8
           - &cudf cudf=25.02
           - cython=3.0
           - glog>=0.7.1,<0.8
@@ -334,7 +335,7 @@ dependencies:
           - pylint=3.0.3
           - pynvml=12
           # We are currently depending on some deprecated functionality removed in setuptools 80+ #2224
-          - setuptools>=75,<80 
+          - setuptools>=75,<80
           - versioneer
           - yapf=0.43
     specific:
@@ -397,7 +398,7 @@ dependencies:
           - grpcio
           - grpcio-status
           # - libwebp=1.3.2 # Required for CVE mitigation: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-4863 ##
-          - mlflow>=2.10.0,<2.18 # Pin version to avoid breaking change in 2.18 to thread local variable code commit id: 5541888
+          - mlflow>=2.18
           - *mrc
           - networkx=2.8.8
           - numba=0.60 # Pin version to avoid https://github.com/nv-morpheus/Morpheus/issues/2166
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index f03c9b68e2..da5376045d 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -204,6 +204,16 @@ def pytest_runtest_teardown(item, nextitem):
     reset_logging(logger_name=None)  # Reset the root logger as well
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session", autouse=True)
+def ensure_cudf_helper():
+    """
+    Ensures that the cudf helper is loaded before any tests are run. This is necessary to ensure that the
+    `cudf` module is available for tests that require it.
+    """
+    from morpheus.common import load_cudf_helper
+    load_cudf_helper()
+
+
 @pytest.fixture(scope="function")
 def df_type(request: pytest.FixtureRequest):
 
diff --git a/tests/morpheus/test_cli.py b/tests/morpheus/test_cli.py
index d109ac99cc..376bdec257 100755
--- a/tests/morpheus/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/morpheus/test_cli.py
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ def mlflow_uri(tmp_path):
 
     yield uri
 
-    num_runs = len(fluent._active_run_stack)
+    num_runs = len(fluent._active_run_stack.get())
     for _ in range(num_runs):
         mlflow.end_run()