diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_all.yml b/.github/workflows/build_all.yml
index 0cae85189b..41d489d4d8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_all.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_all.yml
@@ -48,17 +48,16 @@ concurrency:
   
 
 jobs:
-  build_linux: # Separate so unit tests can wait on just Linux builds to complete.
+  build_linux:
     name: Build Linux
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
     # Don't run scheduled builds on forks:
     if: ${{ !cancelled() && (github.event_name != 'schedule' || github.repository == 'OrcaSlicer/OrcaSlicer') }}
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/build_deps.yml
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build_check_cache.yml
     with:
       os: ubuntu-24.04
       build-deps-only: ${{ inputs.build-deps-only || false }}
-      force-build: ${{ github.event_name == 'schedule' }}
     secrets: inherit
   build_all:
     name: Build Non-Linux
@@ -71,7 +70,7 @@ jobs:
             arch: arm64
     # Don't run scheduled builds on forks:
     if: ${{ !cancelled() && (github.event_name != 'schedule' || github.repository == 'OrcaSlicer/OrcaSlicer') }}
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/build_deps.yml
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build_check_cache.yml
     with:
       os: ${{ matrix.os }}
       arch: ${{ matrix.arch }}
@@ -113,7 +112,7 @@ jobs:
           path: build/tests/**/*.log
       - name: Publish Test Results
         if: always()
-        uses: EnricoMi/publish-unit-test-result-action/linux@v2
+        uses: EnricoMi/publish-unit-test-result-action@v2
         with:
           files: "ctest_results.xml"
   flatpak:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_check_cache.yml b/.github/workflows/build_check_cache.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..00b5f71ecd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_check_cache.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+name: Check Cache
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      os:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      arch:
+        required: false
+        type: string
+      build-deps-only:
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
+      force-build:
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
+  
+jobs:
+  check_cache: # determines if there is a cache and outputs variables used in caching process
+    name: Check Cache
+    runs-on: ${{ inputs.os }}
+    outputs:
+      cache-key: ${{ steps.set_outputs.outputs.cache-key }}
+      cache-path: ${{ steps.set_outputs.outputs.cache-path }}
+      valid-cache: ${{ steps.cache_deps.outputs.cache-hit }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        with:
+          lfs: 'true'
+        
+      - name: set outputs
+        id: set_outputs
+        env:
+          dep-folder-name: ${{ inputs.os != 'macos-14' && '/OrcaSlicer_dep' || '' }}
+          output-cmd: ${{ inputs.os == 'windows-latest' && '$env:GITHUB_OUTPUT' || '"$GITHUB_OUTPUT"'}}
+        run: |
+          echo cache-key=${{ inputs.os }}-cache-orcaslicer_deps-build-${{ hashFiles('deps/**') }} >> ${{ env.output-cmd }}
+          echo cache-path=${{ github.workspace }}/deps/build${{ env.dep-folder-name }} >> ${{ env.output-cmd }}
+            
+      - name: load cache
+        id: cache_deps
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: ${{ steps.set_outputs.outputs.cache-path }}
+          key: ${{ steps.set_outputs.outputs.cache-key }}
+          lookup-only: true
+        
+  build_deps: # call next step
+    name: Build Deps
+    needs: [check_cache]
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build_deps.yml
+    with:
+      cache-key: ${{ needs.check_cache.outputs.cache-key }}
+      cache-path: ${{ needs.check_cache.outputs.cache-path }}
+      valid-cache: ${{ needs.check_cache.outputs.valid-cache == 'true' }}
+      os: ${{ inputs.os }}
+      arch: ${{ inputs.arch }}
+      build-deps-only: ${{ inputs.build-deps-only }}
+      force-build: ${{ inputs.force-build }}
+    secrets: inherit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_deps.yml b/.github/workflows/build_deps.yml
index c6288330a1..b255b6abf7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_deps.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_deps.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 on:
   workflow_call:
     inputs:
+      cache-key:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      cache-path:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      valid-cache:
+        required: true
+        type: boolean
       os:
         required: true
         type: string
@@ -17,62 +26,55 @@ on:
 jobs:
   build_deps:
     name: Build Deps
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() && (inputs.build-deps-only || inputs.force-build || inputs.valid-cache != true) }}
     runs-on: ${{ inputs.os }}
-    outputs:
-      artifact-name: ${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}
-      artifact-path: ${{ env.DEPS_PATH }}
     env:
-      DO_BUILD: ${{ inputs.build-deps-only || inputs.force-build }}
-      DEPS_PATH: ${{ github.workspace }}/deps/build${{ inputs.os != 'macos-14' && '/OrcaSlicer_dep' || '' }}
-      ARTIFACT_NAME: OrcaSlicer_dep_${{ inputs.os }}_${{ inputs.arch }}
+      date:
     steps:
+
+      # Setup the environment
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
         with:
           lfs: 'true'
 
-      # Cached deps are just the final outputs, no intermediate files.
-      # So building XOR cache loading.
-      # We use `lookup-only` to skip pulling cache.
       - name: load cached deps
-        uses: actions/cache/restore@v5
-        id: cache-load
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
         with:
-          path: ${{ env.DEPS_PATH }}
-          key: ${{ inputs.os }}-${{ inputs.arch }}-cache-orcaslicer_deps-build-${{ hashFiles('deps/**') }}
-          lookup-only: ${{ env.DO_BUILD == 'true' }}  # Doing this instead of `if` preserves the outputs of this step
+          path: ${{ inputs.cache-path }}
+          key: ${{ inputs.cache-key }}
 
       - uses: lukka/get-cmake@latest
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() && (env.DO_BUILD == 'true' || steps.cache-load.outputs.cache-hit != 'true') }}
         with:
           cmakeVersion: "~3.28.0"  # use most recent 3.28.x version
 
       - name: setup dev on Windows
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() && (env.DO_BUILD == 'true' || steps.cache-load.outputs.cache-hit != 'true') && inputs.os == 'windows-latest' }}
+        if: inputs.os == 'windows-latest'
         uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v2
 
       - name: Get the date on Ubuntu and macOS
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() && (env.DO_BUILD == 'true' || steps.cache-load.outputs.cache-hit != 'true') && inputs.os != 'windows-latest' }}
+        if: inputs.os != 'windows-latest'
         run: echo "date=$(date +'%Y%m%d')" >> $GITHUB_ENV
         shell: bash
 
       - name: Get the date on Windows
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() && (env.DO_BUILD == 'true' || steps.cache-load.outputs.cache-hit != 'true') && inputs.os == 'windows-latest' }}
+        if: inputs.os == 'windows-latest'
         run: echo "date=$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd')" | Out-File -Append -FilePath $env:GITHUB_ENV -Encoding utf8
         shell: pwsh
 
+
+      # Build Dependencies
       - name: Build on Windows
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() && (env.DO_BUILD == 'true' || steps.cache-load.outputs.cache-hit != 'true') && inputs.os == 'windows-latest' }}
+        if: inputs.os == 'windows-latest'
         working-directory: ${{ github.workspace }}
         run: |
             choco install strawberryperl
             .\build_release_vs.bat deps
+            .\build_release_vs.bat pack
+            cd ${{ github.workspace }}/deps/build
 
-      # Windows and Linux don't need to delete any directories, because they only package up deps/build/OrcaSlicer_dep.
-      # But Mac has multiple and we're preserving their directory structure relationship.
-      # So the garbage siblings of OrcaSlicer_dep can be deleted to save artifact and cache space.
       - name: Build on Mac ${{ inputs.arch }}
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() && (env.DO_BUILD == 'true' || steps.cache-load.outputs.cache-hit != 'true') && inputs.os == 'macos-14' }}
+        if: inputs.os == 'macos-14'
         working-directory: ${{ github.workspace }}
         run: |
             brew install automake texinfo libtool
@@ -85,40 +87,53 @@ jobs:
             done
             brew install zstd
 
+
       - name: Apt-Install Dependencies
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() && (env.DO_BUILD == 'true' || steps.cache-load.outputs.cache-hit != 'true') && inputs.os == 'ubuntu-24.04' }}
+        if: inputs.os == 'ubuntu-24.04'
         uses: ./.github/actions/apt-install-deps
 
       - name: Build on Ubuntu
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() && (env.DO_BUILD == 'true' || steps.cache-load.outputs.cache-hit != 'true') && (inputs.os == 'ubuntu-20.04' || inputs.os == 'ubuntu-24.04') }}
+        if: inputs.os == 'ubuntu-20.04' || inputs.os == 'ubuntu-24.04'
         working-directory: ${{ github.workspace }}
         run: |
+            mkdir -p ${{ github.workspace }}/deps/build/destdir
             ./build_linux.sh -dr
+            cd deps/build
+            tar -czvf OrcaSlicer_dep_ubuntu_$(date +"%Y%m%d").tar.gz destdir
 
-      - name: Upload OrcaSlicer_dep director(ies) for use later
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() && ! env.ACT}}
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
-        with:
-          name: ${{ env.ARTIFACT_NAME }}
-          path: ${{ env.DEPS_PATH }}
-          retention-days: 10 # It's not too big, but we don't need it for a very long time.
-          if-no-files-found: error
 
-      - name: Save cache from main branch
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && steps.cache-load.outputs.cache-hit != 'true' }}
-        uses: actions/cache/save@v5
+      # Upload Artifacts
+      # - name: Upload Mac ${{ inputs.arch }} artifacts
+      #   if: inputs.os == 'macos-14'
+      #   uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
+      #   with:
+      #     name: OrcaSlicer_dep_mac_${{ env.date }}
+      #     path: ${{ github.workspace }}/deps/build/OrcaSlicer_dep*.tar.gz
+
+      - name: Upload Windows artifacts
+        if: inputs.os == 'windows-latest'
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
         with:
-          path: ${{ env.DEPS_PATH }}
-          key: ${{ steps.cache-load.outputs.cache-primary-key }}
+          name: OrcaSlicer_dep_win64_${{ env.date }}
+          path: ${{ github.workspace }}/deps/build/OrcaSlicer_dep*.zip
+
+      - name: Upload Ubuntu artifacts
+        if: ${{ ! env.ACT && inputs.os == 'ubuntu-20.04' || inputs.os == 'ubuntu-24.04' }}
+        env:
+          ubuntu-ver: ${{ (inputs.os == 'ubuntu-20.04' && '2004') || (inputs.os == 'ubuntu-24.04' && '2404') || '' }}
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
+        with:
+          name: OrcaSlicer_dep_ubuntu_${{ env.ubuntu-ver }}_${{ env.date }}
+          path: ${{ github.workspace }}/deps/build/OrcaSlicer_dep_ubuntu_*.tar.gz
 
   build_orca:
     name: Build OrcaSlicer
     needs: [build_deps]
-    if: ${{ !cancelled() && (!inputs.build-deps-only || inputs.force-build) }}
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() && !inputs.build-deps-only && (inputs.force-build || (inputs.valid-cache == true && needs.build_deps.result == 'skipped') || (inputs.valid-cache != true && success())) }}
     uses: ./.github/workflows/build_orca.yml
     with:
-      artifact-name: ${{ needs.build_deps.outputs.artifact-name }}
-      artifact-path: ${{ needs.build_deps.outputs.artifact-path }}
+      cache-key: ${{ inputs.cache-key }}
+      cache-path: ${{ inputs.cache-path }}
       os: ${{ inputs.os }}
       arch: ${{ inputs.arch }}
     secrets: inherit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_orca.yml b/.github/workflows/build_orca.yml
index d70b4c9200..aef491f006 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_orca.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_orca.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 on:
     workflow_call:
       inputs:
-        artifact-name:
+        cache-key:
           required: true
           type: string
-        artifact-path:
+        cache-path:
           required: true
           type: string
         os:
@@ -30,11 +30,12 @@ jobs:
         with:
           lfs: 'true'
 
-      - name: Download deps artifacts
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v7
+      - name: load cached deps
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
         with:
-          name: ${{ inputs.artifact-name }}
-          path: ${{ inputs.artifact-path }}
+          path: ${{ inputs.cache-path }}
+          key: ${{ inputs.cache-key }}
+          fail-on-cache-miss: true
 
       - uses: lukka/get-cmake@latest
         with:
@@ -180,14 +181,14 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Upload artifacts mac
         if: inputs.os == 'macos-14'
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
         with:
           name: OrcaSlicer_Mac_universal_${{ env.ver }}
           path: ${{ github.workspace }}/OrcaSlicer_Mac_universal_${{ env.ver }}.dmg
 
       - name: Upload OrcaSlicer_profile_validator DMG mac
         if: inputs.os == 'macos-14'
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
         with:
           name: OrcaSlicer_profile_validator_Mac_universal_DMG_${{ env.ver }}
           path: ${{ github.workspace }}/OrcaSlicer_profile_validator_Mac_universal_${{ env.ver }}.dmg
@@ -254,28 +255,28 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Upload artifacts Win zip
         if: inputs.os == 'windows-latest'
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
         with:
           name: OrcaSlicer_Windows_${{ env.ver }}_portable
           path: ${{ github.workspace }}/build/OrcaSlicer
 
       - name: Upload artifacts Win installer
         if: inputs.os == 'windows-latest'
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
         with:
           name: OrcaSlicer_Windows_${{ env.ver }}
           path: ${{ github.workspace }}/build/OrcaSlicer*.exe
 
       - name: Upload artifacts Win PDB
         if: inputs.os == 'windows-latest'
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
         with:
           name: PDB
           path: ${{ github.workspace }}/build/src/Release/Debug_PDB_${{ env.ver }}_for_developers_only.7z
 
       - name: Upload OrcaSlicer_profile_validator Win
         if: inputs.os == 'windows-latest'
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
         with:
           name: OrcaSlicer_profile_validator_Windows_${{ env.ver }}
           path: ${{ github.workspace }}/build/src/Release/OrcaSlicer_profile_validator.exe
@@ -335,7 +336,7 @@ jobs:
         # and doesn't preserve file permissions
       - name: Upload Test Artifact
         if: inputs.os == 'ubuntu-24.04'
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
         with:
           name: ${{ github.sha }}-tests
           overwrite: true
@@ -357,7 +358,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           ubuntu-ver: ${{ (inputs.os == 'ubuntu-20.04' && '2004') || (inputs.os == 'ubuntu-24.04' && '2404') || '' }}
           ubuntu-ver-str: ${{ (inputs.os == 'ubuntu-24.04' && '_Ubuntu2404') || '' }}
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
         with:
           name: OrcaSlicer_Linux_ubuntu_${{ env.ubuntu-ver }}_${{ env.ver }}
           path: './build/OrcaSlicer_Linux_AppImage${{ env.ubuntu-ver-str }}_${{ env.ver }}.AppImage'
@@ -366,7 +367,7 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ ! env.ACT && inputs.os == 'ubuntu-20.04' || inputs.os == 'ubuntu-24.04' }}
         env:
           ubuntu-ver: ${{ (inputs.os == 'ubuntu-20.04' && '2004') || (inputs.os == 'ubuntu-24.04' && '2404') || '' }}
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v5
         with:
           name: OrcaSlicer_profile_validator_Linux_ubuntu_${{ env.ubuntu-ver }}_${{ env.ver }}
           path: './build/src/Release/OrcaSlicer_profile_validator'
diff --git a/build_linux.sh b/build_linux.sh
index 3159557146..9a9a9160ba 100755
--- a/build_linux.sh
+++ b/build_linux.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function usage() {
     echo "   -p: boost ccache hit rate by disabling precompiled headers (default: ON)"
     echo "   -r: skip RAM and disk checks (low RAM compiling)"
     echo "   -s: build the Orca Slicer (optional)"
-    echo "   -t: build tests (optional)"
+    echo "   -t: build tests (optional), requires -s flag"
     echo "   -u: install system dependencies (asks for sudo password; build prerequisite)"
     echo "   -l: use Clang instead of GCC (default: GCC)"
     echo "   -L: use ld.lld as linker (if available)"