diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-core.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-core.yml
index 7ac82ab7908..c38ecd918ae 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-core.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-core.yml
@@ -154,19 +154,74 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v4.2.1
 
       - name: Change Modtime of Files (cache optimization)
-        if: ${{ needs.filter.outputs.should-run-ci-core == 'true' }}
         shell: bash
         run: |
           find . -type f,d -exec touch -r {} -d '1970-01-01T00:00:01' {} \; || true
-      
-      - name: Setup CI Core Environment
+
+      - name: Setup NodeJS
         if: ${{ needs.filter.outputs.should-run-ci-core == 'true' }}
-        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-ci-core-tests
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-nodejs
         with:
-          db-url: ${{ env.DB_URL }}
-          evm-ref-override: ${{ github.event.inputs.evm-ref }}
-          build-cache-version: ${{ matrix.type.cmd }}
+          prod: "true"
+
+      - name: Setup Go
+        if: ${{ needs.filter.outputs.should-run-ci-core == 'true' }}
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-go
+        with:
+          # race/fuzz tests don't benefit repeated caching, so restore from develop's build cache
           restore-build-cache-only: ${{ matrix.type.cmd == 'go_core_fuzz' }}
+          build-cache-version: ${{ matrix.type.cmd }}
+
+      - name: Replace chainlink-evm deps
+        if: ${{ needs.filter.outputs.should-run-ci-core == 'true' && inputs.evm-ref != ''}}
+        shell: bash
+        run: go get github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink-integrations/evm/relayer@${{ inputs.evm-ref }}
+
+      - name: Setup Solana
+        if: ${{ needs.filter.outputs.should-run-ci-core == 'true' }}
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-solana
+
+      - name: Setup wasmd
+        if: ${{ needs.filter.outputs.should-run-ci-core == 'true' }}
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-wasmd
+
+      - name: Setup Postgres
+        if: ${{ needs.filter.outputs.should-run-ci-core == 'true' }}
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-postgres
+
+      - name: Touching core/web/assets/index.html
+        if: ${{ needs.filter.outputs.should-run-ci-core == 'true' }}
+        run: mkdir -p core/web/assets && touch core/web/assets/index.html
+
+      - name: Download Go vendor packages
+        if: ${{ needs.filter.outputs.should-run-ci-core == 'true' }}
+        run: go mod download
+
+      - name: Build binary
+        if: ${{ needs.filter.outputs.should-run-ci-core == 'true' }}
+        run: go build -o chainlink.test .
+
+      - name: Setup DB
+        if: ${{ needs.filter.outputs.should-run-ci-core == 'true' }}
+        run: ./chainlink.test local db preparetest
+        env:
+          CL_DATABASE_URL: ${{ env.DB_URL }}
+
+      - name: Install LOOP Plugins
+        if: ${{ needs.filter.outputs.should-run-ci-core == 'true' }}
+        run: |
+          pushd $(go list -m -f "{{.Dir}}" github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink-feeds)
+          go install ./cmd/chainlink-feeds
+          popd
+          pushd $(go list -m -f "{{.Dir}}" github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink-data-streams)
+          go install ./mercury/cmd/chainlink-mercury
+          popd
+          pushd $(go list -m -f "{{.Dir}}" github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink-solana)
+          go install ./pkg/solana/cmd/chainlink-solana
+          popd
+          pushd $(go list -m -f "{{.Dir}}" github.com/smartcontractkit/chainlink-starknet/relayer)
+          go install ./pkg/chainlink/cmd/chainlink-starknet
+          popd
 
       - name: Increase Timeouts for Fuzz/Race
         # Increase timeouts for scheduled runs only