diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1c85943..45036ac 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+### Fixed
+
+- restore the GitHub cache before automatic configuration and `mk_all-check`, so those steps can reuse cached dependencies and build artifacts
+
 ## v1.6.1 - 2026-10-02
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9f6004f..45f533e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ however if you encounter an issue when using a different runner, please still op
 
 ## Caching `.lake` directory with GitHub's `actions\cache`
 By default, `lean-action` uses [`actions\cache`](https://github.com/actions/cache) to cache the `.lake` directory and speed up builds.
+The GitHub cache is restored before automatic configuration and `mk_all-check`, so those steps can reuse cached dependencies and build artifacts.
 
 > [!NOTE]
 GitHub caching is distinct from Mathlib caching with `lake exe cache get`
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index b0bc7ed..08b4171 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -225,6 +225,15 @@ runs:
       shell: bash
       working-directory: ${{ inputs.lake-package-directory }}
 
+    - uses: actions/cache/restore@caa296126883cff596d87d8935842f9db880ef25 # v5
+      if: ${{ inputs.use-github-cache == 'true' }}
+      with:
+        path: ${{ inputs.lake-package-directory }}/.lake
+        # cache key includes the operating system, the architecture (X86, X64, ARM, ARM64), the Lake manifest, and the git commit hash
+        key: lake-${{ runner.os }}-${{ runner.arch}}-${{ hashFiles(format('{0}/lean-toolchain', inputs.lake-package-directory)) }}-${{ hashFiles(format('{0}/lake-manifest.json', inputs.lake-package-directory)) }}-${{ github.sha }}
+        # if no cache hit, fall back to the cache from previous commit
+        restore-keys: lake-${{ runner.os }}-${{ runner.arch}}-${{ hashFiles(format('{0}/lean-toolchain', inputs.lake-package-directory)) }}-${{ hashFiles(format('{0}/lake-manifest.json', inputs.lake-package-directory)) }}
+
     - name: configure `lean-action`
       id: config
       env:
@@ -260,15 +269,6 @@ runs:
       shell: bash
       working-directory: ${{ inputs.lake-package-directory }}
 
-    - uses: actions/cache/restore@caa296126883cff596d87d8935842f9db880ef25 # v5
-      if: ${{ inputs.use-github-cache == 'true' }}
-      with:
-        path: ${{ inputs.lake-package-directory }}/.lake
-        # cache key includes the operating system, the architecture (X86, X64, ARM, ARM64), the Lake manifest, and the git commit hash
-        key: lake-${{ runner.os }}-${{ runner.arch}}-${{ hashFiles(format('{0}/lean-toolchain', inputs.lake-package-directory)) }}-${{ hashFiles(format('{0}/lake-manifest.json', inputs.lake-package-directory)) }}-${{ github.sha }}
-        # if no cache hit, fall back to the cache from previous commit
-        restore-keys: lake-${{ runner.os }}-${{ runner.arch}}-${{ hashFiles(format('{0}/lean-toolchain', inputs.lake-package-directory)) }}-${{ hashFiles(format('{0}/lake-manifest.json', inputs.lake-package-directory)) }}
-
     - name: detect mathlib
       # only detect Mathlib if the user did not provide the mathlib-cache input
       if: ${{ inputs.use-mathlib-cache == 'auto' }}