diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-toolchains.yml b/.github/workflows/build-toolchains.yml
index b762bf59..064fea8c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-toolchains.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-toolchains.yml
@@ -55,10 +55,12 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           tar -xf ct-ng.tar
       - name: download tarballs
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
+        uses: actions/cache/restore@v3
         with:
-          name: src.tar
+          path: src.tar
+          key: src.tar-${{ hashFiles('.local/share/crosstool-ng/packages') }}-${{ hashFiles('.local/share/crosstool-ng/samples') }}
       - name: extract tarballs
+        continue-on-error: true
         run: |
           tar -xvf src.tar
       - name: prereq Linux
diff --git a/.github/workflows/continuous-integration-workflow.yml b/.github/workflows/continuous-integration-workflow.yml
index dcb37031..7870eb53 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/continuous-integration-workflow.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/continuous-integration-workflow.yml
@@ -61,6 +61,19 @@ jobs:
       - name: "extract ct-ng"
         run: |
           tar -xf ct-ng.tar
+      - name: cache tarballs
+        id: cache
+        uses: actions/cache@v3
+        with:
+          path: src.tar
+          key: src.tar-${{ hashFiles('.local/share/crosstool-ng/packages') }}-${{ hashFiles('.local/share/crosstool-ng/samples') }}
+          restore-keys: |
+            src.tar-${{ hashFiles('.local/share/crosstool-ng/packages') }}-
+            src.tar-
+      - name: extract tarballs
+        run: |
+          tar -xvf src.tar || true
+          touch stamp
       - name: "prereq Linux"
         if: ${{ runner.os == 'Linux' }}
         run: |
@@ -82,12 +95,8 @@ jobs:
                 ct-ng olddefconfig; \
                 ct-ng source; \
           done
+          find src -type f -not -newer stamp -delete -print
           tar -cvf src.tar src
-      - name: "upload sources"
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
-        with:
-          name: src.tar
-          path: src.tar
 
   toolchains:
     needs: [crosstool, tarballs]
diff --git a/scripts/functions b/scripts/functions
index 94fd1e9e..841dce2c 100644
--- a/scripts/functions
+++ b/scripts/functions
@@ -956,6 +956,7 @@ CT_GetFile()
         # Do we already have it in *our* tarballs dir?
         if [ -r "${CT_TARBALLS_DIR}/${basename}${ext}" ]; then
             CT_DoLog DEBUG "Already have '${CT_TARBALLS_DIR}/${basename}${ext}'"
+            touch "${CT_TARBALLS_DIR}/${basename}${ext}" # for CI
             return 0
         fi