diff --git a/.github/workflows/go.yml b/.github/workflows/go.yml
index 92fdd7b003d0..0694fc13806e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go.yml
@@ -382,10 +382,6 @@ jobs:
           path: |
             build/cache/go/mod
 
-      - name: Disable race checker
-        if: matrix.arch == 'arm'
-        run: echo GO_TEST_RACE= >>"$GITHUB_ENV"
-
       - name: Build
         run: |
           make bindata
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 32e7f7f29c8c..f928c7e02906 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -247,7 +247,11 @@ $(smoketests): k0s
 smoketests: $(smoketests)
 
 .PHONY: check-unit
+ifneq (, $(filter $(HOST_ARCH), arm))
+check-unit: GO_TEST_RACE ?=
+else
 check-unit: GO_TEST_RACE ?= -race
+endif
 check-unit: go.sum codegen
 	$(GO) test -tags=hack $(GO_TEST_RACE) -ldflags='$(LD_FLAGS)' `$(GO) list -tags=hack $(GO_CHECK_UNIT_DIRS)`