diff --git a/.github/workflows/CI.yml b/.github/workflows/CI.yml
index 56f144d0c07b..f2f70f00eb39 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/CI.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/CI.yml
@@ -21,8 +21,13 @@ jobs:
     - uses: Trass3r/setup-cpp@master
     - uses: hendrikmuhs/ccache-action@v1
       with:
-        max-size: 5G
+        max-size: 1G
         verbose: 2
+    - name: Cache special kernel build files
+      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      with:
+        path: '**/*.cmd'
+        key: build-files
     - name: build
       env:
         CCACHE_BASEDIR: ${{ github.workspace }}
@@ -74,7 +79,8 @@ jobs:
 
         # build kernel
         ccache -z
-        time make V=12 CC="ccache clang" -j$(($(nproc) + 1))  # V=1 for tracing
+        time make CC="ccache clang" -j$(($(nproc) + 1)) bzImage  # V=1 for tracing
+        time make CC="ccache clang" -j$(($(nproc) + 1))
         sudo make modules_install
         sudo depmod -a