diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-linux.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-linux.yml
index f6c269978..af8de1b7a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-linux.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-linux.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: true
     env:
       CACHE_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/.container-cache
-      CACHE_KEY: linux-build-test-cpp-asserts-manylinux-v2-${{ github.event.number || github.ref_name }}
+      # 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) }}
     steps:
       - name: Set unified TZ
         uses: szenius/set-timezone@v2.0
@@ -104,6 +105,7 @@ jobs:
           # required to run gh with privileges
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
         run: |
+          ccache -sv
           gh extension install actions/gh-actions-cache
           gh actions-cache delete ${{ env.CACHE_KEY }} --confirm -R ${{ github.repository }}
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-macos.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-macos.yml
index a94d84b69..24393e676 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-macos.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-macos.yml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ 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 || github.ref_name }}
+      CACHE_KEY: ${{ matrix.runs-on }}-build-test-cpp-asserts-v1-${{ github.event.number || format('{0}-{1}', github.ref_name, github.run_number) }}
     steps:
       - name: Set unified TZ
         uses: szenius/set-timezone@v2.0
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
         run: |
+          ccache -sv
           gh extension install actions/gh-actions-cache
           gh actions-cache delete ${{ env.CACHE_KEY }} --confirm -R ${{ github.repository }}
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-windows.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-windows.yml
index 07e5e3248..ff7914aa7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-windows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-windows.yml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: true
     env:
       CACHE_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/.container-cache
-      CACHE_KEY: windows-build-test-cpp-asserts-v1-${{ github.event.number || github.ref_name }}
+      CACHE_KEY: windows-build-test-cpp-asserts-v1-${{ github.event.number || format('{0}-{1}', github.ref_name, github.run_number) }}
     steps:
       - name: Set unified TZ
         uses: szenius/set-timezone@v2.0
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
         run: |
+          ccache -sv
           gh extension install actions/gh-actions-cache
           gh actions-cache delete ${{ env.CACHE_KEY }} --confirm -R ${{ github.repository }}