diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-unit-tests-go-tip.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-unit-tests-go-tip.yml
index 9a2ebc94efc..85d7e60d3d3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-unit-tests-go-tip.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-unit-tests-go-tip.yml
@@ -26,15 +26,20 @@ jobs:
 
     - uses: actions/checkout@08c6903cd8c0fde910a37f88322edcfb5dd907a8 # v5.0.0
 
-    - name: Install Go Tip
-      uses: ./.github/actions/setup-go-tip
+    - name: Set up stable Go for tools
+      uses: actions/setup-go@0a12ed9d6a96ab950c8f026ed9f722fe0da7ef32 # v5.0.2
       with:
-        gh_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        go-version: 1.25.x
 
     - name: Install test deps
       # even though the same target runs from test-ci, running it separately makes for cleaner log in GH workflow
       run: make install-test-tools
 
+    - name: Install Go Tip
+      uses: ./.github/actions/setup-go-tip
+      with:
+        gh_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
     - name: Run unit tests
       run: make test-ci