diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate.yml b/.github/workflows/validate.yml
index 0522874ba..037a9f72d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate.yml
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 2
       - uses: actions/setup-go@v6
         with:
-          go-version: "${{ env.GO_VERSION }}"
+          go-version: stable # modernize@latest may require latest Go.
       - name: install deps
         run: |
           sudo apt -q update