diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index 091b753..b37a625 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -36,10 +36,12 @@ jobs:
           cache: true
       - uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v7
         with:
-          # v1.61 was built against Go 1.23 and refuses to load a
-          # config that targets a newer toolchain — go.mod is on 1.25.
-          # Bumping to a v2.x release built against current Go.
-          version: v2.1.6
+          # Must be built against the same Go release as go.mod targets,
+          # otherwise the linter refuses to load with "Go language
+          # version used to build golangci-lint is lower than the
+          # targeted Go version". v2.5.0 is the first v2.x line built
+          # with Go 1.25; bump in lockstep with go.mod.
+          version: v2.5.0
           args: --timeout=5m
 
   build: