diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint.yml b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
index 0ad733dbe10..6326fc61476 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
@@ -25,4 +25,4 @@ jobs:
       - name: golangci-lint
         uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@ec5d18412c0aeab7936cb16880d708ba2a64e1ae # v6.2.0
         with:
-          version: v1.62
+          version: v1.63
diff --git a/.golangci.yml b/.golangci.yml
index bf4c9a0ebff..58ab321e501 100644
--- a/.golangci.yml
+++ b/.golangci.yml
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ linters:
     - errname
     - errorlint
     - exhaustive
+    - exptostd
     - fatcontext
     - forcetypeassert
     - gci
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ linters:
     - musttag
     - nakedret
     - nilerr
+    - nilnesserr
     - noctx
     - nolintlint
     - nosprintfhostport
@@ -97,6 +99,7 @@ linters:
     - unparam
     - unused
     - usestdlibvars
+    - usetesting
     - wastedassign
     - whitespace
     - zerologlint
diff --git a/cmd/schedule-builder/cmd/markdown_test.go b/cmd/schedule-builder/cmd/markdown_test.go
index 4700a092919..f736fd89a0b 100644
--- a/cmd/schedule-builder/cmd/markdown_test.go
+++ b/cmd/schedule-builder/cmd/markdown_test.go
@@ -453,11 +453,11 @@ func TestUpdatePatchSchedule(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	} {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			scheduleFile, err := os.CreateTemp("", "schedule-")
+			scheduleFile, err := os.CreateTemp(t.TempDir(), "schedule-")
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 			require.NoError(t, scheduleFile.Close())
 
-			eolFile, err := os.CreateTemp("", "eol-")
+			eolFile, err := os.CreateTemp(t.TempDir(), "eol-")
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 			require.NoError(t, eolFile.Close())
 
diff --git a/cmd/schedule-builder/cmd/root_test.go b/cmd/schedule-builder/cmd/root_test.go
index f0d68bf9e1e..261442855e0 100644
--- a/cmd/schedule-builder/cmd/root_test.go
+++ b/cmd/schedule-builder/cmd/root_test.go
@@ -246,13 +246,11 @@ func TestRun(t *testing.T) {
 	for tcCount, tc := range testcases {
 		t.Logf("Test case: %s", tc.name)
 
-		tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("/tmp", "schedule-test")
-		require.NoError(t, err)
+		tempDir := t.TempDir()
 
 		tc.options.outputFile = fmt.Sprintf("%s/output-%d.md", tempDir, tcCount)
 
-		err = run(tc.options)
+		err := run(tc.options)
 		tc.expect(err, tc.options.outputFile)
-		require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
 	}
 }
diff --git a/dependencies.yaml b/dependencies.yaml
index 950f58a4e46..c5dba246b36 100644
--- a/dependencies.yaml
+++ b/dependencies.yaml
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ dependencies:
 
   # golangci-lint-version
   - name: "golangci-lint"
-    version: v1.62
+    version: v1.63
     refPaths:
     - path: .github/workflows/lint.yml
       match: "version: v\\d+.\\d+?\\.?(\\d+)?"
diff --git a/pkg/binary/binary_test.go b/pkg/binary/binary_test.go
index 30382833983..702f36ec4b6 100644
--- a/pkg/binary/binary_test.go
+++ b/pkg/binary/binary_test.go
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ func GetTestHeaders() []TestHeader {
 
 // writeTestBinary Writes a test binary and returns the path.
 func writeTestBinary(t *testing.T, base64Data string) *os.File {
-	f, err := os.CreateTemp("", "test-binary-")
+	f, err := os.CreateTemp(t.TempDir(), "test-binary-")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	binData, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(base64Data)
diff --git a/pkg/binary/binary_unit_test.go b/pkg/binary/binary_unit_test.go
index c717f64a80f..eb2b39af442 100644
--- a/pkg/binary/binary_unit_test.go
+++ b/pkg/binary/binary_unit_test.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func TestContainsString(t *testing.T) {
-	tmpfile, err := os.CreateTemp("", "")
+	tmpfile, err := os.CreateTemp(t.TempDir(), "")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer os.Remove(tmpfile.Name())
 
diff --git a/pkg/notes/document/document_test.go b/pkg/notes/document/document_test.go
index 23e14b8628f..4b5c6079675 100644
--- a/pkg/notes/document/document_test.go
+++ b/pkg/notes/document/document_test.go
@@ -41,9 +41,7 @@ const (
 
 func TestFileMetadata(t *testing.T) {
 	// Given
-	dir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+	dir := t.TempDir()
 
 	for _, file := range []string{
 		"kubernetes-client-darwin-386.tar.gz",
@@ -146,9 +144,7 @@ func TestDocument_RenderMarkdownTemplateFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			dir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "")
-			require.NoError(t, err)
-			defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+			dir := t.TempDir()
 
 			if tt.templateExist {
 				fileName := strings.Split(tt.templateSpec, ":")[1]
@@ -159,7 +155,7 @@ func TestDocument_RenderMarkdownTemplateFailure(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 
 			doc := Document{}
-			_, err = doc.RenderMarkdownTemplate("", "", "", tt.templateSpec)
+			_, err := doc.RenderMarkdownTemplate("", "", "", tt.templateSpec)
 			require.Error(t, err, "Unexpected success")
 		})
 	}
@@ -167,9 +163,7 @@ func TestDocument_RenderMarkdownTemplateFailure(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestCreateDownloadsTable(t *testing.T) {
 	// Given
-	dir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+	dir := t.TempDir()
 	setupTestDir(t, dir)
 
 	// When
@@ -529,9 +523,7 @@ func TestDocument_RenderMarkdownTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 			templateSpec := tt.templateSpec
 			var dir string
 			if tt.hasDownloads || tt.userTemplate {
-				dir, err = os.MkdirTemp("", "")
-				require.NoError(t, err, "Creating tmpDir")
-				defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+				dir = t.TempDir()
 
 				setupTestDir(t, dir)
 
diff --git a/pkg/notes/options/options_test.go b/pkg/notes/options/options_test.go
index 942d8619b9e..906f7d15abd 100644
--- a/pkg/notes/options/options_test.go
+++ b/pkg/notes/options/options_test.go
@@ -92,16 +92,14 @@ func newTestOptions(t *testing.T) *testOptions {
 //     First commit
 func newTestRepo(t *testing.T) *testRepo {
 	// Setup the bare repo as base
-	bareTempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "k8s-test-bare-")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	bareTempDir := t.TempDir()
 
 	bareRepo, err := git.PlainInit(bareTempDir, true)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NotNil(t, bareRepo)
 
 	// Clone from the bare to be able to add our test data
-	cloneTempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "k8s-test-clone-")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	cloneTempDir := t.TempDir()
 	cloneRepo, err := git.PlainInit(cloneTempDir, false)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
diff --git a/pkg/release/images_test.go b/pkg/release/images_test.go
index d423248f0a6..c96219f6625 100644
--- a/pkg/release/images_test.go
+++ b/pkg/release/images_test.go
@@ -221,11 +221,7 @@ func TestPublish(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "failure no images-path",
 			prepare: func(*releasefakes.FakeImageImpl) (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "publish-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
+				return t.TempDir(), func() {}
 			},
 			shouldError: true,
 		},
@@ -339,11 +335,7 @@ func TestValidate(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		{ // failure no images-path
 			prepare: func(*releasefakes.FakeImageImpl) (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "publish-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
+				return t.TempDir(), func() {}
 			},
 			shouldError: true,
 		},
@@ -391,8 +383,7 @@ func TestValidate(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func newImagesPath(t *testing.T) string {
-	tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "publish-test-")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	tempDir := t.TempDir()
 
 	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(
 		filepath.Join(tempDir, release.ImagesPath),
diff --git a/pkg/release/provenance_test.go b/pkg/release/provenance_test.go
index f37ca51ffb2..2baef75a597 100644
--- a/pkg/release/provenance_test.go
+++ b/pkg/release/provenance_test.go
@@ -29,9 +29,7 @@ import (
 
 func TestGetBuildSubjects(t *testing.T) {
 	// create a test dir with stuff
-	dir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "provenance-test-")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+	dir := t.TempDir()
 	require.NoError(t, os.Mkdir(filepath.Join(dir, ImagesPath), os.FileMode(0o755)))
 
 	testFiles := map[string]struct {
@@ -80,9 +78,7 @@ func TestGetBuildSubjects(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestGetStagingSubjects(t *testing.T) {
 	// create a test dir with stuff
-	dir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "provenance-test-")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+	dir := t.TempDir()
 	require.NoError(t, os.Mkdir(filepath.Join(dir, "second"), os.FileMode(0o755)))
 
 	testFiles := map[string]struct {
diff --git a/pkg/release/publish_test.go b/pkg/release/publish_test.go
index 0652d7b2095..8873436943c 100644
--- a/pkg/release/publish_test.go
+++ b/pkg/release/publish_test.go
@@ -43,12 +43,10 @@ func TestPublishVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range []struct {
-		bucket  string
-		gcsRoot string
-		version string
-		prepare func(
-			*releasefakes.FakePublisherClient,
-		) (buildDir string, cleanup func())
+		bucket        string
+		gcsRoot       string
+		version       string
+		prepare       func(*releasefakes.FakePublisherClient)
 		privateBucket bool
 		fast          bool
 		shouldError   bool
@@ -58,34 +56,17 @@ func TestPublishVersion(t *testing.T) {
 			gcsRoot: "release",
 			version: testVersion,
 			fast:    true,
-			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "publish-version-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
-
+			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) {
 				mock.GSUtilOutputReturnsOnCall(0, olderTestVersion, nil)
 				mock.GSUtilOutputReturnsOnCall(1, testVersion, nil)
 				mock.GetURLResponseReturns(testVersion, nil)
-
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
 			},
 			shouldError: false,
 		},
 		{ // failure GetMarkerPath
-			bucket:  release.ProductionBucket,
-			version: testVersion,
-			fast:    true,
-			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "publish-version-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
-
-				mock.GetMarkerPathReturns("", err)
-
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
-			},
+			bucket:      release.ProductionBucket,
+			version:     testVersion,
+			fast:        true,
 			shouldError: true,
 		},
 		{ // success update on private bucket
@@ -93,16 +74,9 @@ func TestPublishVersion(t *testing.T) {
 			gcsRoot:       "release",
 			version:       testVersion,
 			privateBucket: true,
-			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "publish-version-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
-
+			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) {
 				mockVersionMarkers(mock)
 				mock.GSUtilOutputReturnsOnCall(5, testVersion, nil)
-
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
 			},
 			shouldError: false,
 		},
@@ -111,16 +85,9 @@ func TestPublishVersion(t *testing.T) {
 			gcsRoot:       "release",
 			version:       testVersion,
 			privateBucket: true,
-			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "publish-version-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
-
+			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) {
 				mockVersionMarkers(mock)
 				mock.GSUtilOutputReturnsOnCall(5, "", errors.New(""))
-
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
 			},
 			shouldError: true,
 		},
@@ -129,16 +96,9 @@ func TestPublishVersion(t *testing.T) {
 			gcsRoot:       "release",
 			version:       testVersion,
 			privateBucket: true,
-			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "publish-version-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
-
+			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) {
 				mockVersionMarkers(mock)
 				mock.GSUtilOutputReturnsOnCall(5, "wrong", nil)
-
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
 			},
 			shouldError: true,
 		},
@@ -147,16 +107,9 @@ func TestPublishVersion(t *testing.T) {
 			gcsRoot:       "release",
 			version:       testVersion,
 			privateBucket: false,
-			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "publish-version-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
-
+			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) {
 				mockVersionMarkers(mock)
 				mock.GetURLResponseReturns(testVersion, nil)
-
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
 			},
 			shouldError: false,
 		},
@@ -165,15 +118,9 @@ func TestPublishVersion(t *testing.T) {
 			gcsRoot:       "release",
 			version:       testVersion,
 			privateBucket: false,
-			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "publish-version-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
+			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) {
 				mockVersionMarkers(mock)
 				mock.GetURLResponseReturns("", errors.New(""))
-
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
 			},
 			shouldError: true,
 		},
@@ -182,40 +129,27 @@ func TestPublishVersion(t *testing.T) {
 			gcsRoot:       "release",
 			version:       testVersion,
 			privateBucket: false,
-			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "publish-version-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
-
+			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) {
 				mock.GSUtilReturnsOnCall(0, errors.New(""))
-
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
 			},
 			shouldError: true,
 		},
 		{ // failure no semver version
-			bucket:  release.ProductionBucket,
-			gcsRoot: "release",
-			version: "wrong",
-			prepare: func(mock *releasefakes.FakePublisherClient) (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "publish-version-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
-
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
-			},
+			bucket:      release.ProductionBucket,
+			gcsRoot:     "release",
+			version:     "wrong",
 			shouldError: true,
 		},
 	} {
 		sut := release.NewPublisher()
 		clientMock := &releasefakes.FakePublisherClient{}
 		sut.SetClient(clientMock)
-		buildDir, cleanup := tc.prepare(clientMock)
+		if tc.prepare != nil {
+			tc.prepare(clientMock)
+		}
 
 		err := sut.PublishVersion(
-			"release", tc.version, buildDir, tc.bucket, tc.gcsRoot,
+			"release", tc.version, t.TempDir(), tc.bucket, tc.gcsRoot,
 			nil, tc.privateBucket, tc.fast,
 		)
 		if tc.shouldError {
@@ -223,7 +157,6 @@ func TestPublishVersion(t *testing.T) {
 		} else {
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 		}
-		cleanup()
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/release/release_test.go b/pkg/release/release_test.go
index 21337db50b4..2e772f9ad53 100644
--- a/pkg/release/release_test.go
+++ b/pkg/release/release_test.go
@@ -60,8 +60,7 @@ func TestGetToolRefSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestReadDockerVersion(t *testing.T) {
-	baseTmpDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "ahhh")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	baseTmpDir := t.TempDir()
 
 	release := "kubernetes"
 	version := "1.1.1"
@@ -73,7 +72,7 @@ func TestReadDockerVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	var b bytes.Buffer
 
 	// Create version file
-	err = os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(baseTmpDir, BuildDir, ReleaseTarsPath, "kubernetes", "version"), versionBytes, os.FileMode(0o644))
+	err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(baseTmpDir, BuildDir, ReleaseTarsPath, "kubernetes", "version"), versionBytes, os.FileMode(0o644))
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	// Create a zip archive.
@@ -95,8 +94,6 @@ func TestReadDockerVersion(t *testing.T) {
 		os.FileMode(0o644),
 	))
 
-	defer cleanupTmps(t, baseTmpDir)
-
 	type args struct {
 		path string
 	}
@@ -231,12 +228,6 @@ func TestIsDirtyBuild(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func cleanupTmps(t *testing.T, dir ...string) {
-	for _, each := range dir {
-		require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(each))
-	}
-}
-
 func TestURLPrefixForBucket(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, bucket := range []string{"bucket", "", ProductionBucket} {
 		res := URLPrefixForBucket(bucket)
@@ -248,13 +239,12 @@ func TestURLPrefixForBucket(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestCopyBinaries(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tc := range []struct {
-		prepare  func() (rootPath string, cleanup func())
+		prepare  func() (rootPath string)
 		validate func(error, string)
 	}{
 		{ // success client
-			prepare: func() (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "test-copy-binaries-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
+			prepare: func() string {
+				tempDir := t.TempDir()
 
 				binDir := filepath.Join(
 					tempDir, "client", "linux-amd64", "kubernetes", "client", "bin",
@@ -262,13 +252,11 @@ func TestCopyBinaries(t *testing.T) {
 				require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(binDir, os.FileMode(0o755)))
 
 				for _, f := range []string{"1", "2", "3"} {
-					_, err = os.Create(filepath.Join(binDir, f))
+					_, err := os.Create(filepath.Join(binDir, f))
 					require.NoError(t, err)
 				}
 
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
+				return tempDir
 			},
 			validate: func(err error, testDir string) {
 				require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -283,27 +271,23 @@ func TestCopyBinaries(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{ // success client skip non-dir
-			prepare: func() (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "test-copy-binaries-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
+			prepare: func() string {
+				tempDir := t.TempDir()
 
 				require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(
 					tempDir, "client", "linux-amd64", "kubernetes", "client", "bin",
 				), os.FileMode(0o755)))
 
-				_, err = os.Create(filepath.Join(tempDir, "client", "some-file"))
+				_, err := os.Create(filepath.Join(tempDir, "client", "some-file"))
 				require.NoError(t, err)
 
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
+				return tempDir
 			},
 			validate: func(err error, _ string) { require.NoError(t, err) },
 		},
 		{ // success server
-			prepare: func() (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "test-copy-binaries-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
+			prepare: func() string {
+				tempDir := t.TempDir()
 
 				require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(
 					tempDir, "client", "linux-amd64", "kubernetes", "client", "bin",
@@ -312,16 +296,13 @@ func TestCopyBinaries(t *testing.T) {
 					tempDir, "server", "linux-amd64", "kubernetes", "server", "bin",
 				), os.FileMode(0o755)))
 
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
+				return tempDir
 			},
 			validate: func(err error, _ string) { require.NoError(t, err) },
 		},
 		{ // success node
-			prepare: func() (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "test-copy-binaries-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
+			prepare: func() string {
+				tempDir := t.TempDir()
 
 				require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(
 					tempDir, "client", "linux-amd64", "kubernetes", "client", "bin",
@@ -330,16 +311,13 @@ func TestCopyBinaries(t *testing.T) {
 					tempDir, "node", "linux-amd64", "kubernetes", "node", "bin",
 				), os.FileMode(0o755)))
 
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
+				return tempDir
 			},
 			validate: func(err error, _ string) { require.NoError(t, err) },
 		},
 		{ // failure wrong server dir
-			prepare: func() (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "test-copy-binaries-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
+			prepare: func() string {
+				tempDir := t.TempDir()
 
 				require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(
 					tempDir, "client", "linux-amd64", "kubernetes", "client", "bin",
@@ -348,16 +326,13 @@ func TestCopyBinaries(t *testing.T) {
 					tempDir, "server", "linux-amd64", "kubernetes", "wrong", "bin",
 				), os.FileMode(0o755)))
 
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
+				return tempDir
 			},
 			validate: func(err error, _ string) { require.Error(t, err) },
 		},
 		{ // failure wrong node dir
-			prepare: func() (string, func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "test-copy-binaries-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
+			prepare: func() string {
+				tempDir := t.TempDir()
 
 				require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(
 					tempDir, "client", "linux-amd64", "kubernetes", "client", "bin",
@@ -366,19 +341,17 @@ func TestCopyBinaries(t *testing.T) {
 					tempDir, "node", "linux-amd64", "kubernetes", "wrong", "bin",
 				), os.FileMode(0o755)))
 
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
+				return tempDir
 			},
 			validate: func(err error, _ string) { require.Error(t, err) },
 		},
 		{ // empty dirs should error
-			prepare:  func() (string, func()) { return "", func() {} },
+			prepare:  func() string { return "" },
 			validate: func(err error, _ string) { require.Error(t, err) },
 		},
 	} {
 		// Given
-		rootPath, cleanup := tc.prepare()
+		rootPath := tc.prepare()
 		stageDir := filepath.Join(rootPath, StagePath)
 
 		// When
@@ -386,19 +359,17 @@ func TestCopyBinaries(t *testing.T) {
 
 		// Then
 		tc.validate(err, stageDir)
-		cleanup()
 	}
 }
 
 func TestWriteChecksums(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tc := range []struct {
-		prepare  func() (rootPath string, cleanup func())
+		prepare  func() (rootPath string)
 		validate func(err error, rootPath string)
 	}{
 		{ // success
-			prepare: func() (rootPath string, cleanup func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "write-checksum-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
+			prepare: func() (rootPath string) {
+				tempDir := t.TempDir()
 
 				rootSHAs := []byte{1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128}
 				for i, v := range rootSHAs {
@@ -417,9 +388,7 @@ func TestWriteChecksums(t *testing.T) {
 					))
 				}
 
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
+				return tempDir
 			},
 			validate: func(err error, rootPath string) {
 				require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -468,25 +437,18 @@ func TestWriteChecksums(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 
 		{ // success no content
-			prepare: func() (rootPath string, cleanup func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "write-checksum-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
-
-				return tempDir, func() {
-					require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-				}
+			prepare: func() (rootPath string) {
+				return t.TempDir()
 			},
 			validate: func(err error, _ string) {
 				require.NoError(t, err)
 			},
 		},
 		{ // failure dir not existing
-			prepare: func() (rootPath string, cleanup func()) {
-				tempDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "write-checksum-test-")
-				require.NoError(t, err)
+			prepare: func() (rootPath string) {
+				tempDir := t.TempDir()
 				require.NoError(t, os.RemoveAll(tempDir))
-
-				return tempDir, func() {}
+				return tempDir
 			},
 			validate: func(err error, _ string) {
 				require.Error(t, err)
@@ -494,13 +456,12 @@ func TestWriteChecksums(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	} {
 		// Given
-		rootPath, cleanup := tc.prepare()
+		rootPath := tc.prepare()
 
 		// When
 		err := WriteChecksums(rootPath)
 
 		// Then
 		tc.validate(err, rootPath)
-		cleanup()
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/release/repository_test.go b/pkg/release/repository_test.go
index 4717ba4a6b9..26eeeb32779 100644
--- a/pkg/release/repository_test.go
+++ b/pkg/release/repository_test.go
@@ -38,10 +38,9 @@ type sut struct {
 }
 
 func newSUT(t *testing.T) *sut {
-	dir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "k8s-test-")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	dir := t.TempDir()
 
-	_, err = gogit.PlainInit(dir, false)
+	_, err := gogit.PlainInit(dir, false)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NoError(t, os.Chdir(dir))
 
@@ -55,14 +54,9 @@ func newSUT(t *testing.T) *sut {
 	return &sut{repo, mock, dir, t}
 }
 
-func (s *sut) cleanup() {
-	require.NoError(s.t, os.RemoveAll(s.dir))
-}
-
 func TestGetTagSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 	// Given
 	sut := newSUT(t)
-	defer sut.cleanup()
 	sut.mock.DescribeReturns("v1.0.0", nil)
 
 	// When
@@ -76,7 +70,6 @@ func TestGetTagSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 func TestGetTagFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	// Given
 	sut := newSUT(t)
-	defer sut.cleanup()
 	sut.mock.DescribeReturns("", errors.New(""))
 
 	// When
@@ -90,7 +83,6 @@ func TestGetTagFailure(t *testing.T) {
 func TestCheckStateSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 	// Given
 	sut := newSUT(t)
-	defer sut.cleanup()
 	sut.mock.CurrentBranchReturns("branch", nil)
 	sut.mock.RemotesReturns([]*git.Remote{
 		git.NewRemote("origin", []string{"github.com:org/repo"}),
@@ -109,7 +101,6 @@ func TestCheckStateSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 func TestCheckStateFailedNoRemoteFound(t *testing.T) {
 	// Given
 	sut := newSUT(t)
-	defer sut.cleanup()
 	sut.mock.CurrentBranchReturns("branch", nil)
 	sut.mock.RemotesReturns([]*git.Remote{
 		git.NewRemote("origin", []string{"some-other-url"}),
@@ -125,7 +116,6 @@ func TestCheckStateFailedNoRemoteFound(t *testing.T) {
 func TestCheckStateFailedRemoteFailed(t *testing.T) {
 	// Given
 	sut := newSUT(t)
-	defer sut.cleanup()
 	sut.mock.CurrentBranchReturns("branch", nil)
 	sut.mock.RemotesReturns(nil, errors.New(""))
 
@@ -139,7 +129,6 @@ func TestCheckStateFailedRemoteFailed(t *testing.T) {
 func TestCheckStateFailedWrongBranch(t *testing.T) {
 	// Given
 	sut := newSUT(t)
-	defer sut.cleanup()
 	sut.mock.CurrentBranchReturns("wrong", nil)
 
 	// When
@@ -152,7 +141,6 @@ func TestCheckStateFailedWrongBranch(t *testing.T) {
 func TestCheckStateFailedBranchFailed(t *testing.T) {
 	// Given
 	sut := newSUT(t)
-	defer sut.cleanup()
 	sut.mock.CurrentBranchReturns("", errors.New(""))
 
 	// When
@@ -165,7 +153,6 @@ func TestCheckStateFailedBranchFailed(t *testing.T) {
 func TestCheckStateFailedLsRemote(t *testing.T) {
 	// Given
 	sut := newSUT(t)
-	defer sut.cleanup()
 	sut.mock.CurrentBranchReturns("branch", nil)
 	sut.mock.RemotesReturns([]*git.Remote{
 		git.NewRemote("origin", []string{"github.com:org/repo"}),
@@ -182,7 +169,6 @@ func TestCheckStateFailedLsRemote(t *testing.T) {
 func TestCheckStateFailedBranchHeadRetrievalFails(t *testing.T) {
 	// Given
 	sut := newSUT(t)
-	defer sut.cleanup()
 	sut.mock.CurrentBranchReturns("branch", nil)
 	sut.mock.RemotesReturns([]*git.Remote{
 		git.NewRemote("origin", []string{"github.com:org/repo"}),
@@ -200,7 +186,6 @@ func TestCheckStateFailedBranchHeadRetrievalFails(t *testing.T) {
 func TestCheckStateFailedBranchHeadRetrievalNotEqual(t *testing.T) {
 	// Given
 	sut := newSUT(t)
-	defer sut.cleanup()
 	sut.mock.CurrentBranchReturns("branch", nil)
 	sut.mock.RemotesReturns([]*git.Remote{
 		git.NewRemote("origin", []string{"github.com:org/repo"}),