diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-k3s.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-k3s.yaml
index 5335c6474785..7d388de9060e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-k3s.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-k3s.yaml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ jobs:
   build:
     name: Build
     runs-on: ${{ inputs.arch }} # defaults to ubuntu-latest, for arm64 use ubuntu-24.04-arm
-    timeout-minutes: 30
+    timeout-minutes: 20
     steps:
     - name: Checkout K3s
       uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -27,11 +27,6 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1 SKIP_IMAGE=1 SKIP_AIRGAP=1 SKIP_VALIDATE=1 GOCOVER=1 make
         sha256sum dist/artifacts/k3s | sed 's|dist/artifacts/||' > dist/artifacts/k3s.sha256sum
-    - name: Build K3s binary (windows)
-      if: inputs.arch == 'ubuntu-latest'
-      run: |
-        DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1 SKIP_IMAGE=1 SKIP_AIRGAP=1 SKIP_VALIDATE=1 GOCOVER=1 GOOS=windows make
-        sha256sum dist/artifacts/k3s.exe | sed 's|dist/artifacts/||' > dist/artifacts/k3s.exe.sha256sum
     - name: Build K3s image
       if: inputs.upload-image == true
       run: make package-image
@@ -50,3 +45,20 @@ jobs:
       with:
         name: k3s-arm64
         path: dist/artifacts/k3s*
+  build-windows:
+    name: Build (windows)
+    if: inputs.arch == 'ubuntu-latest'
+    runs-on: ${{ inputs.arch }} # defaults to ubuntu-latest, for arm64 use ubuntu-24.04-arm
+    timeout-minutes: 20
+    steps:
+    - name: Checkout K3s
+      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+    - name: Build K3s binary
+      run: |
+        DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1 SKIP_IMAGE=1 SKIP_AIRGAP=1 SKIP_VALIDATE=1 GOCOVER=1 GOOS=windows make
+        sha256sum dist/artifacts/k3s.exe | sed 's|dist/artifacts/||' > dist/artifacts/k3s.exe.sha256sum
+    - name: "Upload K3s Artifacts"
+      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+      with:
+        name: k3s-windows
+        path: dist/artifacts/k3s*
diff --git a/.github/workflows/install.yaml b/.github/workflows/install.yaml
index fb44e7992839..b997908d8419 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/install.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/install.yaml
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: "Download k3s binary"
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
-          name: k3s
+          name: k3s-windows
           path: dist/artifacts/
       - name: "Run K3s"
         timeout-minutes: 5