diff --git a/.github/workflows/l10n.yml b/.github/workflows/l10n.yml
index 9ffd6aaf742..57c4d51ef21 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/l10n.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/l10n.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ on:
 env:
   # * style job configuration
   STYLE_FAIL_ON_FAULT: true ## (bool) fail the build if a style job contains a fault (error or warning); may be overridden on a per-job basis
-
+  CARGO_INCREMENTAL: "0"
+  RUST_BACKTRACE: "1"
 permissions:
   contents: read # to fetch code (actions/checkout)
 
@@ -25,8 +26,6 @@ jobs:
   l10n_build_test:
     name: L10n/Build and Test
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.job.os }}
-    env:
-      CARGO_INCREMENTAL: 0
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
@@ -38,7 +37,6 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       with:
         persist-credentials: false
-    - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
     - uses: taiki-e/install-action@nextest
     - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
     - name: Run sccache-cache
@@ -75,8 +73,6 @@ jobs:
         ## Test l10n functionality
         cargo test -p uucore locale
         cargo test
-      env:
-        RUST_BACKTRACE: "1"
 
   l10n_fluent_syntax:
     name: L10n/Fluent Syntax Check
@@ -98,7 +94,7 @@ jobs:
       shell: bash
       run: |
 
-        fluent_dirs=$(find . -name "*.ftl" -type f -exec dirname {} \; | sort | uniq 2>/dev/null || true)
+        fluent_dirs=$(find . -name "*.ftl" -type f -exec dirname {} \; | sort | uniq 2>/dev/null || :)
 
         if [ -n "$fluent_dirs" ]; then
           echo "Found Fluent directories:"
@@ -133,13 +129,10 @@ jobs:
   l10n_clap_error_localization:
     name: L10n/Clap Error Localization Test
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    env:
-      CARGO_INCREMENTAL: 0
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       with:
         persist-credentials: false
-    - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
     - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
     - name: Run sccache-cache
       id: sccache-setup
@@ -206,8 +199,6 @@ jobs:
           echo "✗ ERROR: English clap error localization not working properly"
           exit 1
         fi
-      env:
-        RUST_BACKTRACE: "1"
 
     - name: Test French clap error localization
       shell: bash
@@ -271,8 +262,6 @@ jobs:
           echo "✗ No ANSI color codes found - colors may not be working"
           echo "::warning::ANSI color codes not detected in clap error output"
         fi
-      env:
-        RUST_BACKTRACE: "1"
 
     - name: Test clap localization with multiple utilities
       shell: bash
@@ -303,19 +292,14 @@ jobs:
           echo "✗ ERROR: Clap localization not working for enough utilities"
           exit 1
         fi
-      env:
-        RUST_BACKTRACE: "1"
 
   l10n_french_integration:
     name: L10n/French Integration Test
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    env:
-      CARGO_INCREMENTAL: 0
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       with:
         persist-credentials: false
-    - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
     - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
     - name: Run sccache-cache
       id: sccache-setup
@@ -418,14 +402,10 @@ jobs:
           echo "✗ ERROR: No French strings were detected, but commands executed successfully"
           exit 1
         fi
-      env:
-        RUST_BACKTRACE: "1"
 
   l10n_multicall_binary_install:
     name: L10n/Multi-call Binary Install Test
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.job.os }}
-    env:
-      CARGO_INCREMENTAL: 0
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
@@ -436,7 +416,6 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       with:
         persist-credentials: false
-    - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
     - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
     - name: Run sccache-cache
       id: sccache-setup
@@ -477,7 +456,7 @@ jobs:
 
         # First check if binary exists after build
         echo "Checking if coreutils was built..."
-        ls -la target/release-small/coreutils || echo "No coreutils binary in target/release-small/"
+        target/release-small/coreutils --version || echo "No coreutils binary in target/release-small/"
 
         make FEATURES="${{ matrix.job.features }}" PROFILE=release-small MULTICALL=y
 
@@ -486,7 +465,7 @@ jobs:
 
         echo "Running make install..."
         echo "Before install - checking what we have:"
-        ls -la target/release-small/coreutils 2>/dev/null || echo "No coreutils in target/release-small"
+        target/release-small/coreutils --version 2>/dev/null || echo "No coreutils in target/release-small"
 
         # Run make install with verbose output to see what happens
         echo "About to run: make install DESTDIR=\"$INSTALL_DIR\" PREFIX=/usr PROFILE=release-small MULTICALL=y"
@@ -506,9 +485,8 @@ jobs:
         echo "Current directory: $(pwd)"
         echo "INSTALL_DIR: $INSTALL_DIR"
         echo "Checking if build succeeded..."
-        if [ -f "target/release-small/coreutils" ]; then
+        if target/release-small/coreutils --version; then
           echo "✓ Build succeeded - coreutils binary exists in target/release-small/"
-          ls -la target/release-small/coreutils
         else
           echo "✗ Build failed - no coreutils binary in target/release-small/"
           echo "Contents of target/release-small/:"
@@ -542,7 +520,7 @@ jobs:
           find "$INSTALL_DIR" -type f 2>/dev/null | head -50
 
           # As a last resort, check if it's in the build directory
-          if [ -f "target/release/coreutils" ]; then
+          if "target/release/coreutils" --version; then
             echo "Using binary from build directory as fallback"
             COREUTILS_BIN="$(pwd)/target/release/coreutils"
             export COREUTILS_BIN
@@ -581,8 +559,6 @@ jobs:
   l10n_installation_test:
     name: L10n/Installation Test (Make & Cargo)
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.job.os }}
-    env:
-      CARGO_INCREMENTAL: 0
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
@@ -593,7 +569,6 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       with:
         persist-credentials: false
-    - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
     - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
     - name: Run sccache-cache
       id: sccache-setup
@@ -635,9 +610,8 @@ jobs:
 
         # Verify installation
         echo "Testing make-installed binaries..."
-        if [ -f "$MAKE_INSTALL_DIR/usr/bin/coreutils" ]; then
+        if "$MAKE_INSTALL_DIR/usr/bin/coreutils" --version; then
           echo "✓ coreutils binary installed via make successfully"
-          "$MAKE_INSTALL_DIR/usr/bin/coreutils" --version
         else
           echo "✗ coreutils binary not found after make install"
           exit 1
@@ -736,9 +710,8 @@ jobs:
 
         # Verify installation
         echo "Testing cargo-installed binaries..."
-        if [ -f "$CARGO_INSTALL_DIR/bin/coreutils" ]; then
+        if "$CARGO_INSTALL_DIR/bin/coreutils" --version; then
           echo "✓ coreutils binary installed successfully"
-          "$CARGO_INSTALL_DIR/bin/coreutils" --version
         else
           echo "✗ coreutils binary not found after cargo install"
           exit 1
@@ -778,7 +751,7 @@ jobs:
         echo "Checking structure of coreutils-l10n-repo:"
         ls -la coreutils-l10n-repo/ | head -10
         echo "Looking for locales directory:"
-        find coreutils-l10n-repo -name "*.ftl" -type f 2>/dev/null | head -10 || true
+        find coreutils-l10n-repo -name "*.ftl" -type f 2>/dev/null | head -10 || :
         echo "Checking specific utilities:"
         ls -la coreutils-l10n-repo/src/uu/ls/locales/ 2>/dev/null || echo "No ls directory in correct location"
         find coreutils-l10n-repo -path "*/ls/*.ftl" 2>/dev/null | head -5 || echo "No ls ftl files found"
@@ -812,7 +785,7 @@ jobs:
 
         # Debug: Show what was actually installed
         echo "Files installed in locale directory:"
-        find "$LOCALE_DIR" -name "*.ftl" 2>/dev/null | head -10 || true
+        find "$LOCALE_DIR" -name "*.ftl" 2>/dev/null | head -10 || :
 
         # Fallback: If no files were installed from l10n repo, try copying from main repo
         if [ -z "$(find "$LOCALE_DIR" -name "*.ftl" 2>/dev/null)" ]; then
@@ -822,11 +795,11 @@ jobs:
             if [ -d "$util_dir/locales" ]; then
               echo "Copying locales for $util_name from main repo..."
               mkdir -p "$LOCALE_DIR/$util_name"
-              cp "$util_dir/locales"/*.ftl "$LOCALE_DIR/$util_name/" 2>/dev/null || true
+              cp "$util_dir/locales"/*.ftl "$LOCALE_DIR/$util_name/" 2>/dev/null || :
             fi
           done
           echo "Files after fallback:"
-          find "$LOCALE_DIR" -name "*.ftl" 2>/dev/null | head -10 || true
+          find "$LOCALE_DIR" -name "*.ftl" 2>/dev/null | head -10 || :
         fi
 
         echo "✓ Additional locale files installed"
@@ -841,7 +814,7 @@ jobs:
         LOCALE_DIR="$CARGO_INSTALL_DIR/share/locales"
 
         echo "Checking installed binary..."
-        if [ ! -f "$CARGO_INSTALL_DIR/bin/coreutils" ]; then
+        if ! "$CARGO_INSTALL_DIR/bin/coreutils" --version; then
           echo "✗ coreutils binary not found"
           exit 1
         fi
@@ -926,13 +899,10 @@ jobs:
   l10n_locale_support_verification:
     name: L10n/Locale Support Verification
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    env:
-      CARGO_INCREMENTAL: 0
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       with:
         persist-credentials: false
-    - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
     - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
     - name: Run sccache-cache
       id: sccache-setup
@@ -969,7 +939,7 @@ jobs:
 
         # Debug: Show what was installed
         echo "Contents of installation directory:"
-        find "$INSTALL_DIR" -type f -name "coreutils" -o -name "ls" 2>/dev/null | head -20 || true
+        find "$INSTALL_DIR" -type f -name "coreutils" -o -name "ls" 2>/dev/null | head -20 || :
         echo "Looking for binaries in: $INSTALL_DIR/usr/bin/"
         ls -la "$INSTALL_DIR/usr/bin/" || echo "Directory not found"
 
@@ -1157,19 +1127,14 @@ jobs:
         fi
 
         echo "✓ All locale-specific functionality tests passed"
-      env:
-        RUST_BACKTRACE: "1"
 
   l10n_embedded_locale_regression_test:
     name: L10n/Embedded Locale Regression Test
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    env:
-      CARGO_INCREMENTAL: 0
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       with:
         persist-credentials: false
-    - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
     - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
     - name: Run sccache-cache
       id: sccache-setup
@@ -1196,7 +1161,6 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       with:
         persist-credentials: false
-    - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
     - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
       with:
         # Use different cache key for each build to avoid conflicts
@@ -1228,7 +1192,6 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       with:
         persist-credentials: false
-    - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
     - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
       with:
         # Use different cache key for each build to avoid conflicts
@@ -1260,7 +1223,6 @@ jobs:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       with:
         persist-credentials: false
-    - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
     - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
       with:
         # Use different cache key for each build to avoid conflicts
@@ -1290,13 +1252,10 @@ jobs:
   l10n_locale_embedding_cargo_install:
     name: L10n/Locale Embedding - Cargo Install
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    env:
-      CARGO_INCREMENTAL: 0
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       with:
         persist-credentials: false
-    - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
     - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
       with:
         key: cargo-install-locale-embedding