diff --git a/.github/actions/capiext/action.yml b/.github/actions/capiext/action.yml
index 4958775707..e8ea87e610 100644
--- a/.github/actions/capiext/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/capiext/action.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ inputs:
   builddir:
     required: false
     default: '.'
+  make:
+    required: false
+    default: 'make -s'
 
 outputs:
   key:
@@ -35,10 +38,13 @@ runs:
         path: ${{ inputs.builddir }}/spec/ruby/optional/capi/ext/
         key: ${{ steps.config.outputs.key }}
 
-    - name: Force rubyspec CAPI extension binaries up to date
+    - name: Run test-spec with previous CAPI extension binaries
       shell: bash
       run: |
-        touch ${{ inputs.builddir }}/spec/ruby/optional/capi/ext/*.$DLEXT
+        touch spec/ruby/optional/capi/ext/*.$DLEXT
+        [ ! -f spec/ruby/optional/capi/ext/\*.$DLEXT ]
+        ${{ inputs.make }} SPECOPTS=optional/capi test-spec
       env:
         DLEXT: ${{ steps.config.outputs.DLEXT }}
+      working-directory: ${{ inputs.builddir }}
       if: ${{ steps.cache.outputs.cache-hit }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/macos.yml b/.github/workflows/macos.yml
index 9205120e2a..d22ada6755 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/macos.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/macos.yml
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ jobs:
             os: macos-14
           - test_task: check
             os: macos-15
-            capi_check: true
+            capi_check: capi
           - test_task: check
             os: macos-13
       fail-fast: false
@@ -164,11 +164,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/capiext
         with:
           builddir: build
-        if: ${{ matrix.capi_check }}
-
-      - name: Check with previous CAPI extensions
-        run: |
-          make -s test-spec
         env:
           RUBY_TESTOPTS: '-v --tty=no'
         if: ${{ matrix.capi_check }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml b/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
index 2ce6a5728c..5c8a072a16 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ jobs:
           - test_task: test-bundled-gems
           - test_task: check
             os: ubuntu-24.04
-            capi_check: true
+            capi_check: capi
           # ubuntu-24.04-arm jobs don't start on ruby/ruby as of 2025-09-04
           #- test_task: check
           #  os: ubuntu-24.04-arm
@@ -157,11 +157,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/capiext
         with:
           builddir: build
-        if: ${{ matrix.capi_check }}
-
-      - name: Check with previous CAPI extensions
-        run: |
-          $SETARCH make -s test-spec
+          make: '$SETARCH make'
         env:
           RUBY_TESTOPTS: '-v --tty=no'
         if: ${{ matrix.capi_check }}