diff --git a/.github/workflows/kal.yml b/.github/workflows/kal.yml
index 618256e88..17b6281f5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/kal.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/kal.yml
@@ -20,9 +20,5 @@ jobs:
           persist-credentials: false
       - name: Set up Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@d35c59abb061a4a6fb18e82ac0862c26744d6ab5 # tag=v5.5.0
-      - name: Install Golang CI Lint
-        run: go install github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/v2/cmd/golangci-lint@v2.2.1
-      - name: Build KAL
-        run: golangci-lint custom
-      - name: run api linter
-        run: ./bin/golangci-kube-api-linter run -c ./.golangci-kal.yml ./...
+      - name: Run API Linter
+        run: make api-lint
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ba66ef46b..120f0d404 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -160,8 +160,12 @@ lint-fix: golangci-lint ## Run golangci-lint linter and perform fixes
 ci-lint: golangci-lint
 	$(GOLANGCI_LINT) run --timeout 15m0s
 
+.PHONY: api-lint
+api-lint: golangci-api-lint
+	$(GOLANGCI_API_LINT) run -c .golangci-kal.yml --timeout 15m0s ./...
+
 .PHONY: verify
-verify: vet fmt-verify generate ci-lint verify-all
+verify: vet fmt-verify generate ci-lint api-lint verify-all
 	git --no-pager diff --exit-code config api client-go
 
 .PHONY: verify-crds
@@ -365,6 +369,7 @@ KUSTOMIZE ?= $(LOCALBIN)/kustomize
 CONTROLLER_GEN ?= $(LOCALBIN)/controller-gen
 ENVTEST ?= $(LOCALBIN)/setup-envtest
 GOLANGCI_LINT = $(LOCALBIN)/golangci-lint
+GOLANGCI_API_LINT = $(LOCALBIN)/golangci-kube-api-linter
 HELM = $(PROJECT_DIR)/bin/helm
 YQ = $(PROJECT_DIR)/bin/yq
 KUBECTL_VALIDATE = $(PROJECT_DIR)/bin/kubectl-validate
@@ -399,6 +404,11 @@ golangci-lint: $(GOLANGCI_LINT) ## Download golangci-lint locally if necessary.
 $(GOLANGCI_LINT): $(LOCALBIN)
 	$(call go-install-tool,$(GOLANGCI_LINT),github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/v2/cmd/golangci-lint,$(GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION))
 
+.PHONY: golangci-api-lint
+golangci-api-lint: golangci-lint $(GOLANGCI_API_LINT) ## Download golangci-lint locally if necessary before building KAL
+$(GOLANGCI_API_LINT):
+	$(GOLANGCI_LINT) custom
+
 .PHONY: yq
 yq: ## Download yq locally if necessary.
 	GOBIN=$(PROJECT_DIR)/bin GO111MODULE=on go install github.com/mikefarah/yq/v4@v4.45.1