diff --git a/.github/workflows/cross_ci.yml b/.github/workflows/cross_ci.yml
index c8d3f6ea19..5f62a68c22 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cross_ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cross_ci.yml
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ jobs:
           ls -lart examples/2048/2048.exe
 
   cross-windows:
-    runs-on: windows-2019
+    runs-on: windows-2025
     timeout-minutes: 25
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/.github/workflows/debug.yml b/.github/workflows/debug.yml
index 2db3a53f27..9a047052a9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/debug.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/debug.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ on: [workflow_dispatch]
 
 jobs:
   debug-msvc:
-    runs-on: windows-2019
+    runs-on: windows-2025
     timeout-minutes: 121
     env:
       VFLAGS: -cc msvc
diff --git a/.github/workflows/native_backend_ci.yml b/.github/workflows/native_backend_ci.yml
index 99dacf5149..41d98f6a3d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/native_backend_ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/native_backend_ci.yml
@@ -45,25 +45,17 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/native_backend_ci.yml'
 
 concurrency:
-  group: native_backend-${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/master' && github.sha || github.ref }}
+  group: native_backend-${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref}}
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
-  native-backend:
-    strategy:
-      matrix:
-        os: [ubuntu-24.04, windows-2019]
-    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+  native-backend-ubuntu:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Build V
-        if: runner.os != 'Windows'
-        run: make -j4 && ./v symlink
-      - name: Build V (Windows)
-        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
-        run: ./make.bat && ./v symlink
+        run: make && ./v symlink
       - name: Install linker
-        if: runner.os == 'Linux'
         run: v retry -- sudo apt -qq install binutils
       - name: Rebuild V with -g, for better stacktraces on compiler panics
         run: v -g self
@@ -71,3 +63,16 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           v vlib/v/gen/native/macho_test.v
           v vlib/v/gen/native/tests/native_test.v
+
+  native-backend-windows:
+    runs-on: windows-2019
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Build V (Windows)
+        run: ./make.bat && ./v symlink
+      - name: Rebuild V with -g, for better stacktraces on compiler panics
+        run: v -g self
+      - name: Run the native backend tests serially with more details
+        run: |
+          v vlib/v/gen/native/macho_test.v
+          v vlib/v/gen/native/tests/native_test.v
diff --git a/.github/workflows/sanitized_ci.yml b/.github/workflows/sanitized_ci.yml
index 9ffbff3a1b..283abfbbf8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/sanitized_ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/sanitized_ci.yml
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ jobs:
         run: ./v -silent build-examples
 
   sanitize-address-msvc:
-    runs-on: windows-2019
+    runs-on: windows-2025
     timeout-minutes: 30
     env:
       VFLAGS: -cc msvc
diff --git a/.github/workflows/symlink_ci.yml b/.github/workflows/symlink_ci.yml
index 7ff31cf219..bf9de91915 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/symlink_ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/symlink_ci.yml
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ jobs:
           v run hi.v
 
   symlink-windows:
-    runs-on: windows-2019
+    runs-on: windows-2025
     strategy:
       matrix:
         flags: ['', '-githubci']
diff --git a/.github/workflows/time_ci.yml b/.github/workflows/time_ci.yml
index 6d34a2427f..dd8b83af36 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/time_ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/time_ci.yml
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ jobs:
         run: TZ=Europe/Paris ./v test vlib/time/
 
   time-windows:
-    runs-on: windows-2019
+    runs-on: windows-2025
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Build V
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tools_ci.yml b/.github/workflows/tools_ci.yml
index c92653283e..5c42a6c111 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tools_ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tools_ci.yml
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ jobs:
         run: ./v -silent -W -cstrict test-self cmd
 
   tools-windows:
-    runs-on: windows-2019
+    runs-on: windows-2025
     strategy:
       matrix:
         cc: [tcc, gcc, msvc]