diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-linux.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-linux.yml
index 968cf4630..4e3884ef5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-linux.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-linux.yml
@@ -3,17 +3,23 @@ name: CI Linux
 on:
   workflow_call:
   workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      force_debug_with_tmate:
+        type: boolean
+        description: 'Run the build with tmate session'
+        required: false
+        default: false
+      debug_with_tmate:
+        type: boolean
+        description: 'Run the build with a tmate session ONLY in case of failure'
+        required: false
+        default: false
   pull_request:
   merge_group:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
 
-  schedule:
-    # At minute 0 past every 6th hour. (see https://crontab.guru)
-    # this job is to keep the ccache cache warm
-    - cron: '0 */6 * * *'
-
 concurrency:
   # A PR number if a pull request and otherwise the commit hash. This cancels
   # queued and in-progress runs for the same PR (presubmit) or commit
@@ -30,7 +36,7 @@ jobs:
     env:
       CACHE_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/.container-cache
       # either the PR number or `branch-N` where N always increments
-      CACHE_KEY: linux-build-test-cpp-asserts-manylinux-v2-${{ github.event.number || format('{0}-{1}', github.ref_name, github.run_number) }}
+      CACHE_KEY: linux-build-test-cpp-asserts-manylinux-v2-${{ format('{0}-{1}', github.ref_name, github.run_number) }}
     steps:
       - name: Set unified TZ
         uses: szenius/set-timezone@v2.0
@@ -51,8 +57,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install deps
         run: |
+          dnf install -y almalinux-release-devel epel-release
           yum remove -y openssl-devel zlib-devel || true
-          yum install -y protobuf-devel protobuf-compiler
+          yum install -y protobuf-devel protobuf-compiler tmate
 
       - name: Sync source deps
         run: |
@@ -90,11 +97,18 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Save cache
         uses: actions/cache/save@v3
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() && github.event_name != 'pull_request' }}
+        if: ${{ !cancelled() && github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref_name == 'main' }}
         with:
           path: ${{ env.CACHE_DIR }}
           key: ${{ env.CACHE_KEY }}
 
+      - name: Start tmate session
+        if: ${{ (failure() && inputs.debug_with_tmate) || inputs.force_debug_with_tmate }}
+        uses: mxschmitt/action-tmate@v3.18
+        with:
+          limit-access-to-actor: true
+          install-dependencies: false
+
   test_linux:
     name: E2E Test linux
     needs: build_and_ctest
@@ -118,8 +132,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Extract artifact
         run: |
-          mkdir iree-install
-          tar -xf iree-dist-linux.tar -C iree-install
+          tar -xvf iree-dist-linux.tar
           bash build_tools/download_peano.sh
 
       - name: Create venv and install dependencies
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-macos.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-macos.yml
index cf05c9376..a727778b8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-macos.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-macos.yml
@@ -3,15 +3,23 @@ name: CI MacOS
 on:
   workflow_call:
   workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      force_debug_with_tmate:
+        type: boolean
+        description: 'Run the build with tmate session'
+        required: false
+        default: false
+      debug_with_tmate:
+        type: boolean
+        description: 'Run the build with a tmate session ONLY in case of failure'
+        required: false
+        default: false
   pull_request:
   merge_group:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
 
-  schedule:
-    - cron: '0 */6 * * *'
-
 concurrency:
   group: ci-build-test-cpp-macos-${{ github.event.number || github.sha }}
   cancel-in-progress: true
@@ -26,7 +34,7 @@ jobs:
         runs-on: [macos-12, macos-14]
     env:
       CACHE_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/.container-cache
-      CACHE_KEY: ${{ matrix.runs-on }}-build-test-cpp-asserts-v1-${{ github.event.number || format('{0}-{1}', github.ref_name, github.run_number) }}
+      CACHE_KEY: ${{ matrix.runs-on }}-build-test-cpp-asserts-v1-${{ format('{0}-{1}', github.ref_name, github.run_number) }}
     steps:
       - name: Set unified TZ
         uses: szenius/set-timezone@v2.0
@@ -73,7 +81,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Create artifacts
         if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
         run: |
-          tar cf iree-dist-${{ matrix.runs-on }}.tar -C iree-install .
+          tar cf iree-dist-${{ matrix.runs-on }}.tar iree-install
 
       - name: Upload artifacts
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
@@ -85,7 +93,13 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Save cache
         uses: actions/cache/save@v3
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() && github.event_name != 'pull_request' }}
+        if: ${{ !cancelled() && github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref_name == 'main' }}
         with:
           path: ${{ env.CACHE_DIR }}
           key: ${{ env.CACHE_KEY }}
+
+      - name: Start tmate session
+        if: ${{ (failure() && inputs.debug_with_tmate) || inputs.force_debug_with_tmate }}
+        uses: mxschmitt/action-tmate@v3.18
+        with:
+          limit-access-to-actor: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-windows.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-windows.yml
index de71a4f9a..080ff1c51 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-windows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-windows.yml
@@ -3,15 +3,23 @@ name: CI Windows
 on:
   workflow_call:
   workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      force_debug_with_tmate:
+        type: boolean
+        description: 'Run the build with tmate session'
+        required: false
+        default: false
+      debug_with_tmate:
+        type: boolean
+        description: 'Run the build with a tmate session ONLY in case of failure'
+        required: false
+        default: false
   pull_request:
   merge_group:
   push:
     branches:
       - main
 
-  schedule:
-    - cron: '0 */6 * * *'
-
 concurrency:
   group: ci-build-test-cpp-windows-${{ github.event.number || github.sha }}
   cancel-in-progress: true
@@ -29,7 +37,7 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: true
     env:
       CACHE_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/.container-cache
-      CACHE_KEY: windows-build-test-cpp-asserts-v1-${{ github.event.number || format('{0}-{1}', github.ref_name, github.run_number) }}
+      CACHE_KEY: windows-build-test-cpp-asserts-v1-${{ format('{0}-{1}', github.ref_name, github.run_number) }}
     steps:
       - name: Set unified TZ
         uses: szenius/set-timezone@v2.0
@@ -81,7 +89,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Create artifacts
         if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
         run: |
-          tar cf iree-dist-windows.tar -C iree-install .
+          tar cf iree-dist-windows.tar iree-install
 
       - name: Upload artifacts
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
@@ -93,11 +101,17 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Save cache
         uses: actions/cache/save@v3
-        if: ${{ !cancelled() && github.event_name != 'pull_request' }}
+        if: ${{ !cancelled() && github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref_name == 'main' }}
         with:
           path: ${{ env.CACHE_DIR }}
           key: ${{ env.CACHE_KEY }}
 
+      - name: Start tmate session
+        if: ${{ (failure() && inputs.debug_with_tmate) || inputs.force_debug_with_tmate }}
+        uses: mxschmitt/action-tmate@v3.18
+        with:
+          limit-access-to-actor: true
+
   test_windows:
     name: E2E Test windows
     runs-on: windows-phoenix
@@ -117,8 +131,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Extract artifact
         run: |
-          mkdir iree-install
-          tar -xf iree-dist-windows.tar -C iree-install
+          tar -xf iree-dist-windows.tar
           bash build_tools/download_peano.sh
 
       - name: Create venv and install dependencies