diff --git a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.tools b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.tools
index c2ae7dc896..a380475044 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.tools
+++ b/.github/workflows/Dockerfile.tools
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 FROM registry.gitlab.com/openwrt/buildbot/buildworker-3.4.1
 
-COPY --chown=buildbot:buildbot tools.tar /tools.tar
+COPY --chown=buildbot staging_dir/host /prebuilt_tools/staging_dir/host
+COPY --chown=buildbot build_dir/host /prebuilt_tools/build_dir/host
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-tools.yml b/.github/workflows/build-tools.yml
index ba19e12330..1507b0b056 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-tools.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-tools.yml
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ jobs:
         if: inputs.generate_prebuilt_artifacts == true
         shell: su buildbot -c "sh -e {0}"
         working-directory: openwrt
-        run: tar --mtime=now -cf tools.tar staging_dir/host build_dir/host
+        run: tar -cf tools.tar staging_dir/host build_dir/host
 
       - name: Upload prebuilt tools
         if: inputs.generate_prebuilt_artifacts == true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index de168c0cb9..62a4441a3b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -137,6 +137,16 @@ jobs:
           echo "TARGET=$TARGET" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
           echo "SUBTARGET=$SUBTARGET" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
+      - name: Prepare prebuilt tools
+        shell: su buildbot -c "sh -e {0}"
+        working-directory: openwrt
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p staging_dir build_dir
+          ln -s /prebuilt_tools/staging_dir/host staging_dir/host
+          ln -s /prebuilt_tools/build_dir/host build_dir/host
+
+          ./scripts/ext-tools.sh --refresh
+
       - name: Update & Install feeds
         if: inputs.include_feeds == true
         shell: su buildbot -c "sh -e {0}"
@@ -221,11 +231,6 @@ jobs:
           wget -O - https://downloads.cdn.openwrt.org/${{ env.TOOLCHAIN_PATH }}/targets/${{ env.TARGET }}/${{ env.SUBTARGET }}/${{ env.TOOLCHAIN_FILE }}.tar.xz \
             | tar --xz -xf -
 
-      - name: Extract prebuilt tools
-        shell: su buildbot -c "sh -e {0}"
-        working-directory: openwrt
-        run: ./scripts/ext-tools.sh --tools /tools.tar
-
       - name: Configure testing kernel
         if: inputs.testing == true
         shell: su buildbot -c "sh -e {0}"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-kernel-patches.yml b/.github/workflows/check-kernel-patches.yml
index e5b619064f..7e0fe5071a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-kernel-patches.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-kernel-patches.yml
@@ -84,10 +84,15 @@ jobs:
           echo "TARGET=$TARGET" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
           echo "SUBTARGET=$SUBTARGET" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
-      - name: Extract prebuilt tools
+      - name: Prepare prebuilt tools
         shell: su buildbot -c "sh -e {0}"
         working-directory: openwrt
-        run: ./scripts/ext-tools.sh --tools /tools.tar
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p staging_dir build_dir
+          ln -sf /prebuilt_tools/staging_dir/host staging_dir/host
+          ln -sf /prebuilt_tools/build_dir/host build_dir/host
+
+          ./scripts/ext-tools.sh --refresh
 
       - name: Configure testing kernel
         if: inputs.testing == true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/push-containers.yml b/.github/workflows/push-containers.yml
index 56e0daa611..4045dfaa29 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/push-containers.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/push-containers.yml
@@ -70,6 +70,10 @@ jobs:
           name: linux-buildbot-prebuilt-tools
           path: openwrt
 
+      - name: Extract prebuild tools
+        working-directory: openwrt
+        run: tar -xf tools.tar
+
       - name: Login to GitHub Container Registry
         uses: docker/login-action@v2
         with: