diff --git a/.github/workflows/go.yml b/.github/workflows/go.yml
index 81161f91a9..158c36249f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go.yml
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     outputs:
       # Expose matched filters as job 'packages' output variable
-      go_package_changes: ${{ steps.filter_go.outputs.changes }}
-      go_change_count: ${{ steps.length.outputs.GO_CHANGES_LENGTH }}
+      packages: ${{ steps.filter_go.outputs.changes }}
+      package_count: ${{ steps.length.outputs.FILTER_LENGTH }}
       solidity_changes: ${{ steps.filter_solidity.outputs.any_changed }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 0
           submodules: 'recursive'
 
-      # Check if any go files have been changed in each of the go packages
+      # For pull requests it's not necessary to checkout the code
       - uses: dorny/paths-filter@v2
         name: "Check for Go Changes"
         id: filter_go
@@ -130,31 +130,30 @@ jobs:
             core: 'core/**'
             tools: 'tools/**'
             ethergo: 'ethergo/**'
-
-      # Check for solidity changes, if anything has been changed here we need to regenerate core
       - name: Check For Solidity Changes
         id: filter_solidity
         uses: tj-actions/changed-files@v26.1
         with:
           files: |
             **/*.sol
+      - name: Run step if any of the listed files above change
+        if: steps.filter_solidity.outputs.any_changed == 'true'
+        run: |
+          echo "One or more files listed above has changed."
 
-
-      - id: Get go output changes length
+      - id: length
         run: |
-          # get length of go changes
-          export GO_CHANGES_LENGTH=$(echo GO_FILTERED_PATHS | jq '. | length')
-          echo "##[set-output name=GO_CHANGES_LENGTH;]$(echo GO_CHANGES_LENGTH)"
+          export FILTER_LENGTH=$(echo $FILTERED_PATHS | jq '. | length')
+          echo "##[set-output name=FILTER_LENGTH;]$(echo $FILTER_LENGTH)"
         env:
-          GO_FILTERED_PATHS: ${{ steps.filter_go.outputs.changes }}
-
+          FILTERED_PATHS: ${{ steps.filter_go.outputs.changes }}
 
   # make sure the build works
   build:
     name: Build
     needs: changes
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.platform }}
-    if: ${{ needs.changes.outputs.go_change_count > 0 }}
+    if: ${{ needs.changes.outputs.package_count > 0 }}
     strategy:
       matrix:
         go-version:
@@ -195,12 +194,12 @@ jobs:
     name: Lint
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: changes
-    if: ${{ needs.changes.outputs.go_change_count > 0 }}
+    if: ${{ needs.changes.outputs.package_count > 0 }}
     strategy:
       matrix:
         # Parse JSON array containing names of all filters matching any of changed files
         # e.g. ['package1', 'package2'] if both package folders contains changes
-        package: ${{ fromJSON(needs.changes.outputs.go_package_changes) }}
+        package: ${{ fromJSON(needs.changes.outputs.packages) }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v3
         with:
@@ -325,7 +324,6 @@ jobs:
         with:
           files: |
             *.go
-            *.json
 
       - uses: jwalton/gh-find-current-pr@v1
         id: find_pr