diff --git a/.github/workflows/generated-files.yaml b/.github/workflows/generated-files.yaml
index 48befb0ae69..920a3e25749 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/generated-files.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/generated-files.yaml
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@93397bea11091df50f3d7e59dc26a7711a8bcfbe # v4.1.0
         with:
-          go-version-file: 'go.mod'
+          # renovate: datasource=golang-version depName=go
+          go-version: '1.21.1'
       - name: Go version
         run: go version
       - name: Validate that generated files are up to date.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/gotests.yml b/.github/workflows/gotests.yml
index a7375ff1dd0..22b7b3ccf87 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/gotests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/gotests.yml
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ jobs:
     - name: Install Go
       uses: actions/setup-go@93397bea11091df50f3d7e59dc26a7711a8bcfbe # v4.1.0
       with:
-        go-version-file: 'go/src/github.com/cilium/tetragon/go.mod'
+        # renovate: datasource=golang-version depName=go
+        go-version: '1.21.1'
 
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/podinfo-test.yaml b/.github/workflows/podinfo-test.yaml
index dfcc8ca4690..f9c8fa83387 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/podinfo-test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/podinfo-test.yaml
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ jobs:
     - name: Install Go
       uses: actions/setup-go@93397bea11091df50f3d7e59dc26a7711a8bcfbe # v4.1.0
       with:
-        go-version-file: 'go.mod'
+        # renovate: datasource=golang-version depName=go
+        go-version: '1.21.1'
 
     - name: Install Kind and create cluster
       uses: helm/kind-action@dda0770415bac9fc20092cacbc54aa298604d140 # v1.8.0
diff --git a/.github/workflows/run-e2e-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/run-e2e-tests.yaml
index d1fc5230891..c8371563c31 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/run-e2e-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/run-e2e-tests.yaml
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ jobs:
     - name: Install Go
       uses: actions/setup-go@93397bea11091df50f3d7e59dc26a7711a8bcfbe # v4.1.0
       with:
-        go-version-file: 'go/src/github.com/cilium/tetragon/go.mod'
+        # renovate: datasource=golang-version depName=go
+        go-version: '1.21.1'
 
     - name: Set Up Job Variables
       id: vars
diff --git a/.github/workflows/static-checks.yaml b/.github/workflows/static-checks.yaml
index 8e08e6ae676..5d88e4a626c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/static-checks.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/static-checks.yaml
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@93397bea11091df50f3d7e59dc26a7711a8bcfbe # v4.1.0
         with:
-          go-version-file: 'go.mod'
+          # renovate: datasource=golang-version depName=go
+          go-version: '1.21.1'
           # using golangci-lint cache instead
           cache: false
 
@@ -46,7 +47,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@93397bea11091df50f3d7e59dc26a7711a8bcfbe # v4.1.0
         with:
-          go-version-file: 'go.mod'
+          # renovate: datasource=golang-version depName=go
+          go-version: '1.21.1'
 
       - name: Check gofmt formatting
         run: |
@@ -75,7 +77,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@93397bea11091df50f3d7e59dc26a7711a8bcfbe # v4.1.0
         with:
-          go-version-file: 'go.mod'
+          # renovate: datasource=golang-version depName=go
+          go-version: '1.21.1'
 
       - name: Check module vendoring
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/vmtests.yml b/.github/workflows/vmtests.yml
index e6778bf2806..ae9029483c9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/vmtests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/vmtests.yml
@@ -18,16 +18,17 @@ jobs:
       group: ${{ github.ref }}-vmtest-build
       cancel-in-progress: true
     steps:
+    - name: Install Go
+      uses: actions/setup-go@93397bea11091df50f3d7e59dc26a7711a8bcfbe # v4.1.0
+      with:
+        # renovate: datasource=golang-version depName=go
+        go-version: '1.21.1'
+
     - name: Checkout code
       uses: actions/checkout@b4ffde65f46336ab88eb53be808477a3936bae11 # v4.1.1
       with:
         path: go/src/github.com/cilium/tetragon/
 
-    - name: Install Go
-      uses: actions/setup-go@93397bea11091df50f3d7e59dc26a7711a8bcfbe # v4.1.0
-      with:
-        go-version-file: 'go/src/github.com/cilium/tetragon/go.mod'
-
     - name: Install build dependencies
       run: |
         sudo apt install libelf-dev netcat-traditional libcap-dev gcc