diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 7de7a822a..5f529b548 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -7,23 +7,25 @@ env:
   DOTNET_SKIP_FIRST_TIME_EXPERIENCE: 1
 
 jobs:
-  ci:
+  build:
     runs-on: windows-2025
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        FIREBIRD_SELECTION: [FB30, FB40, FB50]
-        TEST_SUITE: [Tests-FirebirdClient-Default-Compression-CryptRequired, Tests-FirebirdClient-Default-NoCompression-CryptRequired, Tests-FirebirdClient-Default-Compression-CryptDisabled, Tests-FirebirdClient-Default-NoCompression-CryptDisabled, Tests-FirebirdClient-Embedded, Tests-EFCore, Tests-EFCore-Functional, Tests-EF6]
-    timeout-minutes: 120
+    timeout-minutes: 30
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v5
-        
+
       - name: .NET 10.0
         uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v5
         with:
           dotnet-version: 10.0.x
 
+      - name: NuGet Cache
+        uses: actions/cache@v5
+        with:
+          path: ~/.nuget/packages
+          key: nuget-${{ hashFiles('**/*.csproj', '**/Directory.Build.props', '**/Versions.props') }}
+          restore-keys: nuget-
+
       - name: Build
         run: |
           try {
@@ -36,6 +38,63 @@ jobs:
           }
         shell: powershell
 
+      - name: Upload Build Output
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v7
+        with:
+          name: build-output
+          path: '.\\out\\'
+
+      - name: Upload Test Binaries
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v7
+        with:
+          name: test-binaries
+          path: '.\\src\\**\\bin\\'
+
+  test:
+    needs: build
+    runs-on: windows-2025
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          # Full coverage on FB50 (latest)
+          - { FIREBIRD_SELECTION: FB50, TEST_SUITE: Tests-FirebirdClient-Default-Compression-CryptRequired }
+          - { FIREBIRD_SELECTION: FB50, TEST_SUITE: Tests-FirebirdClient-Default-NoCompression-CryptRequired }
+          - { FIREBIRD_SELECTION: FB50, TEST_SUITE: Tests-FirebirdClient-Default-Compression-CryptDisabled }
+          - { FIREBIRD_SELECTION: FB50, TEST_SUITE: Tests-FirebirdClient-Default-NoCompression-CryptDisabled }
+          - { FIREBIRD_SELECTION: FB50, TEST_SUITE: Tests-FirebirdClient-Embedded }
+          - { FIREBIRD_SELECTION: FB50, TEST_SUITE: Tests-EFCore }
+          - { FIREBIRD_SELECTION: FB50, TEST_SUITE: Tests-EFCore-Functional }
+          - { FIREBIRD_SELECTION: FB50, TEST_SUITE: Tests-EF6 }
+          # Compatibility check on FB40
+          - { FIREBIRD_SELECTION: FB40, TEST_SUITE: Tests-FirebirdClient-All }
+          - { FIREBIRD_SELECTION: FB40, TEST_SUITE: Tests-EFCore }
+          - { FIREBIRD_SELECTION: FB40, TEST_SUITE: Tests-EF6 }
+          # Compatibility check on FB30
+          - { FIREBIRD_SELECTION: FB30, TEST_SUITE: Tests-FirebirdClient-All }
+          - { FIREBIRD_SELECTION: FB30, TEST_SUITE: Tests-EFCore }
+    timeout-minutes: 120
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v5
+
+      - name: .NET 10.0
+        uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v5
+        with:
+          dotnet-version: 10.0.x
+
+      - name: Download Test Binaries
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
+        with:
+          name: test-binaries
+          path: '.\\src\\'
+
+      - name: Firebird Cache
+        uses: actions/cache@v5
+        with:
+          path: 'C:\firebird'
+          key: firebird-${{ matrix.FIREBIRD_SELECTION }}
+
       - name: Tests
         run: |
           try {
@@ -49,9 +108,3 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           }
         shell: powershell
-
-      - name: Publish Artifacts
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        with:
-          name: 'ci_${{ matrix.TEST_SUITE }}_${{ matrix.FIREBIRD_SELECTION }}_${{ env.CONFIGURATION }}'
-          path: '.\\out\\'
diff --git a/build.ps1 b/build.ps1
index 308363e27..9f00025ea 100644
--- a/build.ps1
+++ b/build.ps1
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ function Clean() {
 }
 
 function Build() {
-	dotnet clean "$baseDir\src\NETProvider.slnx" -c $Configuration -v m
 	dotnet build "$baseDir\src\NETProvider.slnx" -c $Configuration -p:ContinuousIntegrationBuild=true -v m
 }
 
diff --git a/tests.ps1 b/tests.ps1
index 6af9ac102..a852d5014 100644
--- a/tests.ps1
+++ b/tests.ps1
@@ -47,21 +47,36 @@ function Prepare() {
 	$selectedConfiguration = $FirebirdConfiguration[$FirebirdSelection]
 	$fbDownload = $selectedConfiguration.Download
 	$fbDownloadName = $fbDownload -Replace '.+/(.+)$','$1'
-	if (Test-Path $firebirdDir) {
-		rm -Force -Recurse $firebirdDir
+
+	if (Test-Path "$firebirdDir\firebird.exe") {
+		echo "Using cached Firebird from $firebirdDir"
+	}
+	else {
+		if (Test-Path $firebirdDir) {
+			rm -Force -Recurse $firebirdDir
+		}
+		mkdir $firebirdDir | Out-Null
+
+		pushd $firebirdDir
+		try {
+			echo "Downloading $fbDownload"
+			Invoke-RestMethod -Uri $fbDownload -OutFile $fbDownloadName
+			echo "Extracting $fbDownloadName"
+			7z x -bsp0 -bso0 $fbDownloadName
+			rm $fbDownloadName
+		}
+		finally {
+			popd
+		}
 	}
-	mkdir $firebirdDir | Out-Null
+
+	cp -Recurse -Force $firebirdDir\* $testsProviderDir
 
 	pushd $firebirdDir
 	try {
-		echo "Downloading $fbDownload"
-		Invoke-RestMethod -Uri $fbDownload -OutFile $fbDownloadName 
-		echo "Extracting $fbDownloadName"
-		7z x -bsp0 -bso0 $fbDownloadName
-		rm $fbDownloadName
-		cp -Recurse -Force .\* $testsProviderDir
-
-		ni firebird.log -ItemType File | Out-Null
+		if (-not (Test-Path firebird.log)) {
+			ni firebird.log -ItemType File | Out-Null
+		}
 
 		echo "Starting Firebird"
 		$process = Start-Process -FilePath $selectedConfiguration.Executable -ArgumentList $selectedConfiguration.Args -PassThru
@@ -88,7 +103,6 @@ function Cleanup() {
 		# give OS time to release all files
 		sleep -Milliseconds 100
 	}
-	rm -Force -Recurse $firebirdDir
 
 	Write-Host "=== END ==="
 }
@@ -119,6 +133,13 @@ function Tests-FirebirdClient-Default-NoCompression-CryptDisabled() {
 function Tests-FirebirdClient-Embedded() {
 	Tests-FirebirdClient 'Embedded' $False 'Disabled'
 }
+function Tests-FirebirdClient-All() {
+	Tests-FirebirdClient-Default-Compression-CryptRequired
+	Tests-FirebirdClient-Default-NoCompression-CryptRequired
+	Tests-FirebirdClient-Default-Compression-CryptDisabled
+	Tests-FirebirdClient-Default-NoCompression-CryptDisabled
+	Tests-FirebirdClient-Embedded
+}
 function Tests-FirebirdClient($serverType, $compression, $wireCrypt) {
 	pushd $testsProviderDir
 	try {