diff --git a/.github/workflows/functional_test_v2.yaml b/.github/workflows/functional_test_v2.yaml
index 3d72429d1..924a921f8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/functional_test_v2.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/functional_test_v2.yaml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ on:
         default: false
 
 env:
+  GO_VERSION: 1.22.10
   # Make sure to exit early if cache segment download times out after 2 minutes.
   # We limit cache download as a whole to 5 minutes.
   SEGMENT_DOWNLOAD_TIMEOUT_MINS: 2
@@ -48,17 +49,8 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ~1.22.5
-          cache: false
-      - name: Cache Go
-        id: go-cache
-        timeout-minutes: 5
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: |
-            ~/go/bin
-            ~/go/pkg/mod
-          key: go-cache-${{ runner.os }}-${{ hashFiles('**/go.sum') }}
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          cache-dependency-path: '**/go.sum'
       - name: Create kind cluster
         uses: helm/kind-action@v1.12.0
         with:
@@ -80,8 +72,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           K8S_VERSION: ${{ matrix.k8s-version }}
         run: |
-          cd functional_tests
-          TEARDOWN_BEFORE_SETUP=true UPDATE_EXPECTED_RESULTS=${{ env.UPLOAD_UPDATED_EXPECTED_RESULTS }} go test -v -tags ${{ matrix.test-job }}
+          TEARDOWN_BEFORE_SETUP=true UPDATE_EXPECTED_RESULTS=${{ env.UPLOAD_UPDATED_EXPECTED_RESULTS }} TAGS=${{ matrix.test-job }} make functionaltest
       - name: Collect Kubernetes Cluster debug info on failure
         if: always() && (steps.run-functional-tests.outcome == 'failure' || env.UPLOAD_KUBERNETES_DEBUG_INFO == 'true')
         id: collect-debug-info
@@ -119,17 +110,8 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ~1.21.8
-          cache: false
-      - name: Cache Go
-        id: go-cache
-        timeout-minutes: 5
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: |
-            ~/go/bin
-            ~/go/pkg/mod
-          key: go-cache-${{ runner.os }}-${{ hashFiles('**/go.sum') }}
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          cache-dependency-path: '**/go.sum'
       - name: Configure AWS credentials
         uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v4
         with:
@@ -149,8 +131,8 @@ jobs:
         env:
           HOST_ENDPOINT: 0.0.0.0
         run: |
-          cd functional_tests
-          TEARDOWN_BEFORE_SETUP=true go test -v -tags functional
+          TEARDOWN_BEFORE_SETUP=true TAGS=functional make functionaltest
+
   eks-upgrade-test:
     name: Test helm upgrade in EKS - credentials needed
     needs: kubernetes-test
@@ -182,17 +164,8 @@ jobs:
         run: cd base && git checkout HEAD^
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ~1.21.8
-          cache: false
-      - name: Cache Go
-        id: go-cache
-        timeout-minutes: 5
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: |
-            ~/go/bin
-            ~/go/pkg/mod
-          key: go-cache-${{ runner.os }}-${{ hashFiles('**/go.sum') }}
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          cache-dependency-path: '**/go.sum'
       - name: Configure AWS credentials
         uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v4
         with:
@@ -210,6 +183,7 @@ jobs:
           cd base && make cert-manager
       - name: Deploy previous version of the chart
         run: |
+          helm list | grep -q "^sock$" && echo "Found previous 'sock' release. Deleting..." && helm delete sock
           cd base && helm install sock helm-charts/splunk-otel-collector --set cloudProvider=aws --set distribution=eks --set splunkObservability.realm=us0 --set splunkObservability.accessToken=xxxxx
       - name: Update dependencies
         run: |
@@ -221,8 +195,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           HOST_ENDPOINT: 0.0.0.0
         run: |
-          cd functional_tests
-          go test -v -tags functional
+          TAGS=functional make functionaltest
 
   eks-upgrade-from-release-test:
     name: Test helm upgrade from release in EKS - credentials needed
@@ -245,17 +218,8 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 0
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ~1.21.8
-          cache: false
-      - name: Cache Go
-        id: go-cache
-        timeout-minutes: 5
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: |
-            ~/go/bin
-            ~/go/pkg/mod
-          key: go-cache-${{ runner.os }}-${{ hashFiles('**/go.sum') }}
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          cache-dependency-path: '**/go.sum'
       - name: Configure AWS credentials
         uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v4
         with:
@@ -273,6 +237,7 @@ jobs:
           cd base && make cert-manager
       - name: Deploy previous version of the chart
         run: |
+          helm list | grep -q "^sock$" && echo "Found previous 'sock' release. Deleting..." && helm delete sock
           cd base && helm install sock helm-charts/splunk-otel-collector --set cloudProvider=aws --set distribution=eks --set splunkObservability.realm=us0 --set splunkObservability.accessToken=xxxxx --set operator.enabled=true --set environment=dev
       - name: Update dependencies
         run: |
@@ -284,8 +249,8 @@ jobs:
         env:
           HOST_ENDPOINT: 0.0.0.0
         run: |
-          cd functional_tests
-          go test -v -tags functional
+          TAGS=functional make functionaltest
+
   gke-autopilot-test:
     name: Test helm install in GKE/Autopilot - credentials needed
     needs: kubernetes-test
@@ -300,17 +265,8 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ~1.21.8
-          cache: false
-      - name: Cache Go
-        id: go-cache
-        timeout-minutes: 5
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: |
-            ~/go/bin
-            ~/go/pkg/mod
-          key: go-cache-${{ runner.os }}-${{ hashFiles('**/go.sum') }}
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          cache-dependency-path: '**/go.sum'
       - uses: 'google-github-actions/auth@v2.1.7'
         with:
           project_id: ${{ secrets.GKE_PROJECT }}
@@ -330,8 +286,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           HOST_ENDPOINT: 0.0.0.0
         run: |
-          cd functional_tests
-          TEARDOWN_BEFORE_SETUP=true go test -v -tags functional
+          TEARDOWN_BEFORE_SETUP=true TAGS=functional make functionaltest
 
   gke-autopilot-upgrade-test:
     name: Test helm upgrade in GKE/Autopilot - credentials needed
@@ -363,17 +318,8 @@ jobs:
         run: cd base && git checkout HEAD^
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ~1.21.8
-          cache: false
-      - name: Cache Go
-        id: go-cache
-        timeout-minutes: 5
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: |
-            ~/go/bin
-            ~/go/pkg/mod
-          key: go-cache-${{ runner.os }}-${{ hashFiles('**/go.sum') }}
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          cache-dependency-path: '**/go.sum'
       - uses: 'google-github-actions/auth@v2.1.7'
         with:
           project_id: ${{ secrets.GKE_PROJECT }}
@@ -398,8 +344,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           HOST_ENDPOINT: 0.0.0.0
         run: |
-          cd functional_tests
-          go test -v -tags functional
+          TAGS=functional make functionaltest
 
   aks-windows-test:
     name: Test helm install in AKS - credentials needed
@@ -415,17 +360,8 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ~1.21.8
-          cache: false
-      - name: Cache Go
-        id: go-cache
-        timeout-minutes: 5
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: |
-            ~/go/bin
-            ~/go/pkg/mod
-          key: go-cache-${{ runner.os }}-${{ hashFiles('**/go.sum') }}
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          cache-dependency-path: '**/go.sum'
       - name: Set up kubelogin for non-interactive login
         uses: azure/use-kubelogin@v1.2
         with:
@@ -446,8 +382,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           HOST_ENDPOINT: 0.0.0.0
         run: |
-          cd functional_tests
-          TEARDOWN_BEFORE_SETUP=true go test -v -tags functional
+          TEARDOWN_BEFORE_SETUP=true TAGS=functional make functionaltest
 
   gce-autopilot-test:
     name: Test helm install in GCE (kops) - credentials needed
@@ -463,17 +398,8 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
         with:
-          go-version: ~1.21.8
-          cache: false
-      - name: Cache Go
-        id: go-cache
-        timeout-minutes: 5
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: |
-            ~/go/bin
-            ~/go/pkg/mod
-          key: go-cache-${{ runner.os }}-${{ hashFiles('**/go.sum') }}
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          cache-dependency-path: '**/go.sum'
       - name: Update dependencies
         run: |
           make dep-update
@@ -486,5 +412,4 @@ jobs:
           HOST_ENDPOINT: 0.0.0.0
           KUBECONFIG: /tmp/kubeconfig
         run: |
-          cd functional_tests
-          TEARDOWN_BEFORE_SETUP=true go test -v -tags functional
+          TEARDOWN_BEFORE_SETUP=true TAGS=functional make functionaltest
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 595a3b1f6..4378a8f02 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -92,6 +92,14 @@ unittest: ## Run unittests on the Helm chart
 	@echo "Running unit tests on helm chart..."
 	cd helm-charts/splunk-otel-collector && helm unittest --strict -f "../../test/unittests/*.yaml" . || exit 1
 
+# Example Usage:
+#   make functionaltest
+#   make functionaltest SKIP_SETUP=true SKIP_TEARDOWN=true SKIP_TESTS=true TEARDOWN_BEFORE_SETUP=true TAGS="functional" UPDATE_EXPECTED_RESULTS=true KUBE_TEST_ENV="kind" KUBECONFIG="/path/to/kubeconfig"
+.PHONY: functionaltest
+functionaltest: ## Run functional tests for this Helm chart with optional tags and environment variables
+	@echo "Running functional tests for this helm chart..."
+	cd functional_tests && go test -v $(if $(TAGS),-tags $(TAGS)) || exit 1
+
 ##@ Changelog
 # Tasks related to changelog management
 
diff --git a/functional_tests/README.md b/functional_tests/README.md
index 065db968e..16867aac5 100644
--- a/functional_tests/README.md
+++ b/functional_tests/README.md
@@ -22,8 +22,15 @@ kind load docker-image ghcr.io/signalfx/splunk-otel-java/splunk-otel-java:v1.30.
 ## Config switches
 
 When running tests you can use the following env vars to help with local development:
-- `SKIP_SETUP`: skip setting up the chart and apps. Useful if they are already deployed.
-- `SKIP_TEARDOWN`: skip deleting the chart and apps as part of cleanup. Useful to keep around for local development.
-- `SKIP_TESTS`: skip running tests, just set up and tear down the cluster.
-- `TEARDOWN_BEFORE_SETUP`: delete all the deployments made by these tests before setting up.
-- `UPDATE_EXPECTED_RESULTS`: run golden.WriteMetrics() methods to generate new golden files for expected test results
+- `KUBECONFIG`: Path to the kubeconfig file for the test cluster.
+- `KUBE_TEST_ENV`: Set the type of cluster (e.g., `kind`, `eks`, `gce`).
+- `SKIP_SETUP`: Skip setting up the chart/apps (useful if already deployed).
+- `SKIP_TEARDOWN`: Skip cleanup (useful to keep apps for local dev).
+- `SKIP_TESTS`: Skip tests; only set up and tear down the cluster.
+- `TEARDOWN_BEFORE_SETUP`: Clean up deployments before setting up.
+- `TAGS`: Specify which tests to run (e.g., `TAGS="functional"`).
+- `UPDATE_EXPECTED_RESULTS`: Generate new golden files for test results.
+
+## Run
+
+From the root repository directory run `make functionaltest`.