diff --git a/.github/workflows/assets.yml b/.github/workflows/assets.yml
index 007b931b3f3..54dcdcc1911 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/assets.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/assets.yml
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ jobs:
              EVE=lfedge/eve:${TAG}-${HV}-${{ env.ARCH }}
              docker pull "$EVE"
           else
+             sudo apt-get update
+             sudo apt-get install golang
              make pkgs
              make HV=${HV} ZARCH=${{ env.ARCH }} eve
              EVE=lfedge/eve:$(make version)-${HV}-${{ env.ARCH }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 8e6846b020f..2d083735c75 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ matrix.os == 'buildjet-4vcpu-ubuntu-2204-arm' || matrix.os == 'arm64-secure' }}
         run: |
           sudo apt install -y zstd
+       - name: install build dependencies
+        run: |
+          APT_INSTALL="sudo apt-get install -y golang"
+          # the following weird statement is here to speed up the happy path
+          # if the default server is responding -- we can skip apt update
+          $APT_INSTALL || { sudo apt update && $APT_INSTALL ; }
       - name: ensure packages for cross-arch build
         if: ${{ matrix.arch == 'riscv64' }}
         run: |