diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate.yml b/.github/workflows/validate.yml
index 7e077c32807..11fd452c651 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ env:
   HELIDON_PIPELINES: 'true'
   MAVEN_HTTP_ARGS: '-Dmaven.wagon.httpconnectionManager.ttlSeconds=60 -Dmaven.wagon.http.retryHandler.count=3'
 
+strategy:
+  matrix:
+    java_version: [ ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }} latest ]
+
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
   cancel-in-progress: true
@@ -79,11 +83,11 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Set up JDK ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
+      - name: Set up JDK ${{ matrix.java_version }}
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4.1.0
         with:
           distribution: ${{ env.JAVA_DISTRO }}
-          java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
+          java-version: ${{ matrix.java_version }}
           cache: maven
       - name: Maven build
         run: etc/scripts/github-build.sh
@@ -99,7 +103,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4.1.0
         with:
           distribution: ${{ env.JAVA_DISTRO }}
-          java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
+          java-version: ${{ matrix.java_version }}
           cache: maven
       - name: Maven build
         run: |
@@ -115,11 +119,11 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Set up JDK ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
+      - name: Set up JDK ${{ matrix.java_version }}
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4.1.0
         with:
           distribution: ${{ env.JAVA_DISTRO }}
-          java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
+          java-version: ${{ matrix.java_version }}
           cache: maven
       - name: Maven build
         run: etc/scripts/mp-tck.sh
@@ -131,11 +135,11 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Set up JDK ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
+      - name: Set up JDK ${{ matrix.java_version }}
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4.1.0
         with:
           distribution: ${{ env.JAVA_DISTRO }}
-          java-version: ${{ env.JAVA_VERSION }}
+          java-version: ${{ matrix.java_version }}
           cache: maven
       - name: Test archetypes
         run: etc/scripts/test-archetypes.sh