diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 63f56b8..7a3bdd3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -144,15 +144,34 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
+      # Detect runner flavor and pick cache mode
+      - name: Select Buildx cache backend
+        run: |
+          if [ "${ACT:-}" = "true" ]; then
+            echo "CACHE_TO=type=local,dest=/tmp/.buildx-cache,mode=max" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+            echo "CACHE_FROM=type=local,src=/tmp/.buildx-cache" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          else
+            echo "CACHE_TO=type=gha,mode=max" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+            echo "CACHE_FROM=type=gha" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          fi
+
+      # (Only needed for local cache on act_runner)
+      - name: Prepare local Buildx cache dir
+        if: ${{ env.ACT == 'true' }}
+        run: mkdir -p /tmp/.buildx-cache
+        
       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+        with:
+          # optional: helps debugging cache issues
+          buildkitd-flags: --debug
 
       - name: Build image (no push)
         uses: docker/build-push-action@v5
         with:
           context: .
-          push: false
           tags: keywarden:ci
-          # speeds up builds by caching layers on GH Actions
-          cache-from: type=gha
-          cache-to: type=gha,mode=max
\ No newline at end of file
+          push: false         # or true, if you want to push
+          load: false         # set true if you need the image in the job afterward
+          cache-from: ${{ env.CACHE_FROM }}
+          cache-to: ${{ env.CACHE_TO }}
\ No newline at end of file