diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index e04967f..af52c6f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -12,15 +12,16 @@ permissions:
 jobs:
   release:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 30
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
-      - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+      - uses: actions/setup-go@v6
         with:
           go-version-file: go.mod
 
-      - uses: goreleaser/goreleaser-action@v6
+      - uses: goreleaser/goreleaser-action@v7
         with:
           distribution: goreleaser
           version: '~> v2'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate.yaml b/.github/workflows/validate.yaml
index 932c70b..2c7702b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate.yaml
@@ -2,15 +2,28 @@
 name: Validate
 
 on:
+  # Post-merge validation only. Feature branches are validated by their
+  # pull_request run, so a branch push with an open PR no longer triggers
+  # a duplicate (previously cancelled) push run.
   push:
-    # Always run when there are new commits
     branches:
-      - '**'
-  # Always run when there are pull requests
+      - master
+  # All pull requests.
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - '**'
 
+# Least-privilege token; the validate workflow only needs to read the repo.
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+# A push and its pull_request both trigger this workflow on the same
+# branch. Group them so only one full matrix runs, and cancel runs that
+# are superseded by a newer commit on the same branch/PR.
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.head_ref || github.ref_name }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
 jobs:
   build:
     name: Validate on ${{ matrix.os }}
@@ -22,13 +35,13 @@ jobs:
 
     timeout-minutes: 10
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - uses: actions/setup-go@v6
         with:
           go-version-file: go.mod
 
       - run: go test ./...
-      - run: go build ./cmd/desync
+      - run: go build -o cmd/desync/ ./cmd/desync
 
       - name: Race detector
         if: runner.os == 'Linux'