diff --git a/.github/workflows/maven.yml b/.github/workflows/maven.yml
index 15de9cda99..6d05d23547 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/maven.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/maven.yml
@@ -45,9 +45,10 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/cache@v4
         with:
           path: ~/.m2/repository/cached
-          key: maven-${{ hashFiles('**/pom.xml') }}
-          restore-keys: maven-
-          enableCrossOsArchive: true
+          key: maven-${{ runner.os }}-initial-${{ hashFiles('**/pom.xml') }}
+          restore-keys: |
+            maven-${{ runner.os }}-initial-
+            maven-${{ runner.os }}-
 
       - name: Set up Maven
         shell: bash
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Build Maven distributions
         shell: bash
-        run: ./mvnw verify -e -B -V -DdistributionFileName=apache-maven
+        run: ./mvnw verify -e -B -V -DdistributionFileName=apache-maven -Dmaven.repo.local=$HOME/.m2/repository/cached
 
       - name: List contents of target directory
         shell: bash
@@ -123,9 +124,18 @@ jobs:
           echo "MAVEN_HOME=$PWD/maven-local" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo "$PWD/maven-local/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
 
+      - name: Cache Maven packages
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: ~/.m2/repository/cached
+          key: maven-${{ runner.os }}-full-${{ hashFiles('**/pom.xml') }}
+          restore-keys: |
+            maven-${{ runner.os }}-full-
+            maven-${{ runner.os }}-
+
       - name: Build site with downloaded Maven
         shell: bash
-        run: mvn verify site -e -B -V -DdistributionFileName=apache-maven -Preporting
+        run: mvn verify site -e -B -V -Preporting -Dmaven.repo.local=$HOME/.m2/repository/cached
 
   integration-tests:
     needs: initial-build
@@ -174,9 +184,18 @@ jobs:
           echo "MAVEN_HOME=$PWD/maven-local" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo "$PWD/maven-local/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
 
+      - name: Cache Maven packages
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: ~/.m2/repository/cached
+          key: maven-${{ runner.os }}-its-${{ hashFiles('**/pom.xml') }}
+          restore-keys: |
+            maven-${{ runner.os }}-its
+            maven-${{ runner.os }}-
+
       - name: Run integration tests
         shell: bash
-        run: mvn install -e -B -V -Prun-its,embedded
+        run: mvn install -e -B -V -Prun-its,embedded -Dmaven.repo.local=$HOME/.m2/repository/local -Dmaven.repo.local.tail=$HOME/.m2/repository/cached
 
       - name: Upload test artifacts
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
diff --git a/its/core-it-suite/pom.xml b/its/core-it-suite/pom.xml
index c3d1ec5e25..c0a642f490 100644
--- a/its/core-it-suite/pom.xml
+++ b/its/core-it-suite/pom.xml
@@ -633,6 +633,28 @@ under the License.
         </plugins>
       </build>
     </profile>
+    <profile>
+      <id>maven-repo-local-tail</id>
+      <activation>
+        <property>
+          <name>maven.repo.local.tail</name>
+        </property>
+      </activation>
+      <build>
+        <plugins>
+          <plugin>
+            <artifactId>maven-surefire-plugin</artifactId>
+            <configuration>
+              <systemPropertyVariables>
+                <!-- Pass this through to the tests (if set!) to have them
+                  pick the right repository -->
+                <maven.repo.local.tail>${maven.repo.local.tail}</maven.repo.local.tail>
+              </systemPropertyVariables>
+            </configuration>
+          </plugin>
+        </plugins>
+      </build>
+    </profile>
     <profile>
       <id>maven-repo-local-layout</id>
       <activation>
diff --git a/its/core-it-suite/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/it/MavenITmng8181CentralRepoTest.java b/its/core-it-suite/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/it/MavenITmng8181CentralRepoTest.java
index 9f66ae7886..3aea83f526 100644
--- a/its/core-it-suite/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/it/MavenITmng8181CentralRepoTest.java
+++ b/its/core-it-suite/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/it/MavenITmng8181CentralRepoTest.java
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ public class MavenITmng8181CentralRepoTest extends AbstractMavenIntegrationTestC
         verifier.addCliArgument("--install-settings=install-settings.xml");
         verifier.addCliArgument("--settings=settings.xml");
         verifier.addCliArgument("-Dmaven.repo.local=" + testDir.toPath().resolve("target/local-repo"));
+        verifier.addCliArgument("-Dmaven.repo.local.tail=target/null");
         verifier.addCliArgument("-Dmaven.repo.central=http://repo1.maven.org/");
         verifier.addCliArgument("validate");
         assertThrows(VerificationException.class, verifier::execute);
diff --git a/its/core-it-support/maven-it-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/it/Verifier.java b/its/core-it-support/maven-it-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/it/Verifier.java
index 55e447e1fc..b7b81d3bb9 100644
--- a/its/core-it-support/maven-it-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/it/Verifier.java
+++ b/its/core-it-support/maven-it-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/it/Verifier.java
@@ -29,11 +29,17 @@ import org.apache.maven.shared.verifier.VerificationException;
 
 public class Verifier extends org.apache.maven.shared.verifier.Verifier {
     public Verifier(String basedir) throws VerificationException {
-        super(basedir);
+        this(basedir, false);
     }
 
     public Verifier(String basedir, boolean debug) throws VerificationException {
-        super(basedir, debug);
+        super(basedir, null, debug, defaultCliArguments());
+    }
+
+    static String[] defaultCliArguments() {
+        return new String[] {
+            "-e", "--batch-mode", "-Dmaven.repo.local.tail=" + System.getProperty("maven.repo.local.tail")
+        };
     }
 
     public String loadLogContent() throws IOException {
@@ -95,4 +101,8 @@ public class Verifier extends org.apache.maven.shared.verifier.Verifier {
     public static long textOccurencesInLog(List<String> lines, String text) {
         return lines.stream().filter(line -> stripAnsi(line).contains(text)).count();
     }
+
+    public void execute() throws VerificationException {
+        super.execute();
+    }
 }