diff --git a/.github/actions/setup-ci-core-tests/action.yml b/.github/actions/setup-ci-core-tests/action.yml
index c066c214042..cb74230f810 100644
--- a/.github/actions/setup-ci-core-tests/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/setup-ci-core-tests/action.yml
@@ -16,21 +16,9 @@ inputs:
       The expected database URL
     required: true
 
-  build-only:
-    description: |
-      Only setup the necessary dependencies for building the binary
-    default: "false"
-
 runs:
   using: composite
   steps:
-    - name: Log Start
-      shell: bash
-      run: |
-        echo "===================================="
-        echo "Setting up CI Core Tests Environment"
-        echo "===================================="
-
     - name: Setup NodeJS
       uses: ./.github/actions/setup-nodejs
       with:
@@ -46,7 +34,7 @@ runs:
     - name: Replace chainlink-evm deps
       if: ${{ inputs.evm-ref-override != ''}}
       shell: bash
-      run: go get github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink-integrations/evm/relayer@${{ inputs.evm-ref }}
+      run: go get github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink-integrations/evm/relayer@${{ inputs.evm-ref-override }}
 
     - name: Setup Solana
       uses: ./.github/actions/setup-solana
@@ -55,11 +43,9 @@ runs:
       uses: ./.github/actions/setup-wasmd
 
     - name: Setup Postgres
-      if: ${{ inputs.build-only == 'false' }}
       uses: ./.github/actions/setup-postgres
 
     - name: Touching core/web/assets/index.html
-      if: ${{ inputs.build-only == 'false' }}
       shell: bash
       run: mkdir -p core/web/assets && touch core/web/assets/index.html
 
@@ -74,12 +60,10 @@ runs:
       run: go mod download
 
     - name: Build binary
-      if: ${{ inputs.build-only == 'false' }}
       shell: bash
       run: go build -o chainlink.test .
 
     - name: Setup DB
-      if: ${{ inputs.build-only == 'false' }}
       shell: bash
       run: ./chainlink.test local db preparetest
       env:
@@ -101,9 +85,3 @@ runs:
         go install ./pkg/chainlink/cmd/chainlink-starknet
         popd
 
-    - name: Log End
-      shell: bash
-      run: |
-        echo "============================================="
-        echo "Finished Setting up CI Core Tests Environment"
-        echo "============================================="
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-core-partial.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-core-partial.yml
index 6da97d5c50a..b262ba855a0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-core-partial.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-core-partial.yml
@@ -22,11 +22,8 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         type:
           - test-suite: "core"
-            tag-filter: ""
-            module-directory: "./"
-          - test-suite: "integration"
-            tag-filter: "integration"
             module-directory: "./"
+            build-flags: "-tags=integration"
           - test-suite: "ccip-deployment"
             tag-filter: ""
             module-directory: "./deployment"
@@ -38,11 +35,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout the repo
         uses: actions/checkout@v4.2.1
 
-      - name: Change Modtime of Files (cache optimization)
-        shell: bash
-        run: |
-          find . -type f,d -exec touch -r {} -d '1970-01-01T00:00:01' {} \; || true
-
       - name: Setup CI Core Environment
         uses: ./.github/actions/setup-ci-core-tests
         with:
@@ -53,10 +45,9 @@ jobs:
         uses: smartcontractkit/.github/apps/go-test-caching@feat/go-test-binary-comparison
         with:
           pipeline-step: "build"
+          build-concurrency: "32"
           test-suite: ${{ matrix.type.test-suite }}
           module-directory: ${{ matrix.type.module-directory }}
-          tag-filter: ${{ matrix.type.tag-filter }}
-          build-concurrency: "32"
           github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
       - name: Run Tests
@@ -65,21 +56,19 @@ jobs:
           CL_DATABASE_URL: ${{ env.DB_URL }}
         with:
           pipeline-step: "run"
+          run-all-tests: "true"
+          run-concurrency: "24"
           test-suite: ${{ matrix.type.test-suite }}
           module-directory: ${{ matrix.type.module-directory }}
           tag-filter: ${{ matrix.type.tag-filter }}
           github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          run-all-tests: "true"
-          run-concurrency: "32"
 
       - name: Update Test Index
         uses: smartcontractkit/.github/apps/go-test-caching@feat/go-test-binary-comparison
         with:
           pipeline-step: "update"
+          force-update-index: "true"
           test-suite: ${{ matrix.type.test-suite }}
-          module-directory: ${{ matrix.type.module-directory }}
-          tag-filter: ${{ matrix.type.tag-filter }}
-          run-concurrency: "32"
           github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}