diff --git a/.github/env/Linux/gradle.properties b/.github/env/Linux/gradle.properties
deleted file mode 100644
index 33ccecf..0000000
--- a/.github/env/Linux/gradle.properties
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-# https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-github-hosted-runners/about-github-hosted-runners#supported-runners-and-hardware-resources
-org.gradle.parallel=true
-org.gradle.workers.max=2
-org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx6g
diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/check-ci.yml
index e1af622..6b82dd5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-ci.yml
@@ -8,28 +8,33 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   checks:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v2
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Setup JDK 8
+        id: setup-java-8
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+        with:
+          distribution: 'temurin'
+          java-version: '8'
 
-      # note: this uses Zulu and not AdoptOpenJDK or other. should make sure we build and test on the same one...
       - name: Setup JDK
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v1
+        id: setup-java-21
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
-          java-version: '8.0.282'
+          distribution: 'temurin'
+          java-version: '21'
 
-      - name: Setup gradle properties
-        run: |
-          mkdir -p $HOME/.gradle
-          cp .github/env/${{ runner.os }}/gradle.properties $HOME/.gradle/gradle.properties
+      - name: Setup Gradle
+        uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@v4
+
+      - name: Set JAVA_HOME
+        run: echo "JAVA_HOME=${{ steps.setup-java-21.outputs.path }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
       - name: Check
-        uses: burrunan/gradle-cache-action@v1
-        with:
-          job-id: checks
-          arguments: check
-          gradle-version: wrapper
+        run: ./gradlew --continue check
 
       - name: Publish Test Results
         uses: scacap/action-surefire-report@v1