diff --git a/.github/workflows/apt_deps.yml b/.github/workflows/apt_deps.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e1719e74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/apt_deps.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+name: Intall apt deps
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+    secrets:
+
+run-name: Installing Ubuntu dependencies
+
+jobs:
+  apt_deps:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+    - name: install deps with prebuilt SDL (no bazel)
+      run: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install libsdl1.2-dev libsdl-gfx1.2-dev libgmp3-dev autoconf automake libgl1-mesa-dev libglu1-mesa-dev
+    - name: install deps without prebuilt SDL (bazel)
+      run: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install autoconf automake libgl1-mesa-dev libglu1-mesa-dev libx11-dev libxext-dev libxrandr-dev libxrender-dev libasound-dev libalsaplayer-dev
diff --git a/.github/workflows/checkout.yml b/.github/workflows/checkout.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b8e9271e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/checkout.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+name: Initial clone
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+    secrets:
+
+run-name: Cloning ${{ github.ref_name }} and submodules
+
+jobs:
+  initial_clone:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v1
+    #- name: Checkout submodules
+    #  uses: textbook/git-checkout-submodule-action@2.0.0
+    - name: Checkout submodules
+      run: git submodule init && git submodule update
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 61dfba97..33dafc05 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -6,17 +6,18 @@ on: [push, pull_request]
 run-name: Run CI with ${{ github.ref_name }} by @${{ github.actor }}
 
 jobs:
+  checkout:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/checkout.yml
+  apt_deps:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/apt_deps.yml
+
   cpp:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
+    needs: [checkout, apt_deps]
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v1
-    #- name: Checkout submodules
-    #  uses: textbook/git-checkout-submodule-action@2.0.0
-    - name: Checkout submodules
-      run: git submodule init && git submodule update
-    - name: install deps
-      run: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install libsdl1.2-dev libsdl-gfx1.2-dev libgmp3-dev autoconf automake libgl1-mesa-dev libglu1-mesa-dev
     - name: install glict
       run: cd vendor/github.com/ivucica/glict/glict && ./autogen.sh && ./configure && make && sudo make install
     - name: autogen
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ jobs:
   bazel:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
+    needs: [checkout, apt_deps]
     steps:
     # Checks-out your repository under $GITHUB_WORKSPACE, which is the CWD for
     # the rest of the steps
@@ -60,10 +62,6 @@ jobs:
       # More useful with e.g. npm.
       run: echo "Stub action: merely printing a notice that there was a cache miss"
 
-    - name: Checkout submodules
-      run: git submodule init && git submodule update
-    - name: install deps
-      run: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install autoconf automake libgl1-mesa-dev libglu1-mesa-dev libx11-dev libxext-dev libxrandr-dev libxrender-dev libasound-dev libalsaplayer-dev
     - name: bazel build
       run: bazel build //:yatc
     - name: bazel test
@@ -72,6 +70,7 @@ jobs:
   bazel-buildbuddy:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
+    needs: checkout
     steps:
     # Checks-out your repository under $GITHUB_WORKSPACE, which is the CWD for
     # the rest of the steps