diff --git a/.github/actions/install_lima_from_artifact/action.yml b/.github/actions/install_lima_from_artifact/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..349b4d7271a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/install_lima_from_artifact/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+name: install lima from artifact
+description: install lima from artifact
+inputs:
+  artifact:
+    description: artifact to install
+    required: true
+runs:
+  using: "composite"
+  steps:
+  - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+    with:
+      name: ${{ inputs.artifact }}
+      path: _artifacts
+  - name: Install lima from downloaded archive on Linux
+    if: runner.os == 'Linux'
+    run: |
+      sudo make uninstall
+      sudo tar -C /usr/local -xvf _artifacts/${{ inputs.artifact }} --no-same-owner
+    shell: bash
+  - name: Install lima from downloaded archive on macOS
+    if: runner.os == 'macOS'
+    run: |
+      make uninstall || true
+      tar -C /usr/local -xvmf _artifacts/${{ inputs.artifact }} --no-same-owner
+    shell: bash
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c5011b62a341
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+name: build lima
+run-name: build lima on ${{ inputs.runs-on }} using go ${{ inputs.go-version }}
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      go-version:
+        type: string
+        description: 'The version of Go to use'
+        required: false
+        default: '1.22.x'
+      runs-on:
+        type: string
+        description: 'The type of runner to use'
+        required: true
+    outputs:
+      artifact:
+        description: 'The name of the artifact'
+        value: ${{ jobs.build.outputs.artifact }}
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    name: "Build on ${{ inputs.runs-on }} using go ${{ inputs.go-version }}"
+    runs-on: ${{ inputs.runs-on }}
+    timeout-minutes: 30
+    outputs:
+      artifact: ${{ steps.set-output.outputs.artifact }}
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      with:
+        fetch-depth: 0
+    - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+      with:
+        go-version: ${{ inputs.go-version }}
+    - name: Make
+      run: make
+    - name: Make install on Linux
+      if: runner.os == 'Linux'
+      run: sudo make install
+    - name: Make install on macOS
+      if: runner.os == 'macOS'
+      run: make install
+    - name: set output
+      id: set-output
+      run: echo "artifact=lima-${{ inputs.runs-on }}.tar.gz" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+    - name: create archive
+      run: |
+        mkdir -p _artifacts
+        tar -C _output/ -czvf _artifacts/${{ steps.set-output.outputs.artifact }} ./
+    - name: upload archive
+      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+      with:
+        name: ${{ steps.set-output.outputs.artifact }}
+        path: _artifacts/${{ steps.set-output.outputs.artifact }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index f262834c79da..9b11e3501ce3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -146,6 +146,12 @@ jobs:
       if: always()
       run: type C:\Users\runneradmin\.lima\wsl2\ha.stderr.log
 
+  build-on-macos-12:
+    name: "Build on macOS 12"
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build.yml
+    with:
+      runs-on: macos-12
+
   integration:
     name: Integration tests
     runs-on: macos-12
@@ -198,10 +204,17 @@ jobs:
       if: always()
       run: ./hack/debug-cache.sh
 
+  build-on-ubuntu:
+    name: "Build on Ubuntu"
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build.yml
+    with:
+      runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+
   # Non-default templates are tested on Linux instances of GHA,
   # as they seem more stable than macOS instances.
   integration-linux:
     name: Integration tests (on Linux)
+    needs: build-on-ubuntu
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
     timeout-minutes: 120
     strategy:
@@ -222,13 +235,9 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       with:
         fetch-depth: 1
-    - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+    - uses: ./.github/actions/install_lima_from_artifact
       with:
-        go-version: 1.22.x
-    - name: Make
-      run: make
-    - name: Install
-      run: sudo make install
+        artifact: ${{ needs.build-on-ubuntu.outputs.artifact }}
     - name: Cache image used by templates/${{ matrix.template }}
       uses: ./.github/actions/setup_cache_for_template
       with:
@@ -262,6 +271,7 @@ jobs:
 
   colima:
     name: Colima
+    needs: build-on-ubuntu
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
     timeout-minutes: 120
     strategy:
@@ -280,10 +290,9 @@ jobs:
       with:
         path: ~/.cache/lima/download
         key: ${{ runner.os }}-colima-${{ matrix.colima-version }}
-    - name: Make
-      run: make
-    - name: Install
-      run: sudo make install
+    - uses: ./.github/actions/install_lima_from_artifact
+      with:
+        artifact: ${{ needs.build-on-ubuntu.outputs.artifact }}
     - name: Install colima
       run: |
         git clone https://github.com/abiosoft/colima
@@ -312,19 +321,16 @@ jobs:
 
   vmnet:
     name: "VMNet test"
+    needs: build-on-macos-12
     runs-on: macos-12
     timeout-minutes: 120
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       with:
         fetch-depth: 1
-    - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+    - uses: ./.github/actions/install_lima_from_artifact
       with:
-        go-version: 1.22.x
-    - name: Make
-      run: make
-    - name: Install
-      run: make install
+        artifact: ${{ needs.build-on-macos-12.outputs.artifact }}
     - name: Cache image used by vmnet.yaml
       uses: ./.github/actions/setup_cache_for_template
       with:
@@ -388,8 +394,15 @@ jobs:
     - if: always()
       uses: ./.github/actions/upload_failure_logs_if_exists
 
+  build-on-macos-13:
+    name: "Build on macOS 13"
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build.yml
+    with:
+      runs-on: macos-13
+
   vz:
     name: "vz"
+    needs: build-on-macos-13
     runs-on: macos-13
     timeout-minutes: 120
     strategy:
@@ -402,13 +415,9 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       with:
         fetch-depth: 1
-    - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+    - uses: ./.github/actions/install_lima_from_artifact
       with:
-        go-version: 1.22.x
-    - name: Make
-      run: make
-    - name: Install
-      run: make install
+        artifact: ${{ needs.build-on-macos-13.outputs.artifact }}
     - name: Cache image used by templates/${{ matrix.template }}
       uses: ./.github/actions/setup_cache_for_template
       with: