diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_release.yml b/.github/workflows/ci_release.yml
index f795ca4a86..71baf03050 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_release.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ on:
       - "v*"
   pull_request:
   workflow_dispatch:
-    # Inputs the workflow accepts.
     inputs:
       version:
         # Friendly description to be shown in the UI instead of 'name'
@@ -23,6 +22,20 @@ on:
           - major
 
 jobs:
+  # set up go version for use through pipelines, setting
+  # variable one time and setting outputs to access passing it
+  # to other jobs
+  setup:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      # upgrade go version throughout pipeline here
+      GO_VERSION: "1.21"
+    outputs:
+      go-version: ${{ steps.set-vars.outputs.go-version }}
+    steps:
+      - id: set-vars
+        run: echo "go-version=${{env.GO_VERSION}}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   # Dockerfile Linting
   hadolint:
     uses: celestiaorg/.github/.github/workflows/reusable_dockerfile_lint.yml@v0.2.8 # yamllint disable-line rule:line-length
@@ -48,7 +61,10 @@ jobs:
           markdownlint --config .markdownlint.yaml '**/*.md'
 
   go-ci:
+    needs: setup
     uses: ./.github/workflows/go-ci.yml
+    with:
+      go-version: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.go-version }}
 
   # If this was a workflow dispatch event, we need to generate and push a tag
   # for goreleaser to grab
@@ -86,7 +102,7 @@ jobs:
       - run: git fetch --force --tags
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v4
         with:
-          go-version: 1.21
+          go-version: ${{ needs.setup.outputs.go-version }}
       - name: Import GPG key
         id: import_gpg
         uses: crazy-max/ghaction-import-gpg@v4
diff --git a/.github/workflows/go-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/go-ci.yml
index 9d80281c6c..39405704eb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go-ci.yml
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@ name: Go CI
 
 on:
   workflow_call:
-
-env:
-  GO_VERSION: '1.21'
+    inputs:
+      go-version:
+        description: 'Go version'
+        required: true
+        type: string
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.head_ref || github.run_id }}
@@ -20,7 +22,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v4
         with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          go-version: ${{ inputs.go-version }}
 
       - name: golangci-lint
         uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v3.7.0
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v4
         with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          go-version: ${{ inputs.go-version }}
 
       - run: go mod tidy
 
@@ -61,7 +63,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: set up go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v4
         with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          go-version: ${{ inputs.go-version }}
 
       - name: run unit tests
         run: make test-unit
@@ -85,7 +87,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: set up go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v4
         with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          go-version: ${{ inputs.go-version }}
 
       - name: execute test run
         run: make test-unit-race
@@ -101,7 +103,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: set up go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v4
         with:
-          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          go-version: ${{ inputs.go-version }}
 
       - name: Swamp Tests
         run: make test-swamp