diff --git a/.github/workflows/go-test.yaml b/.github/workflows/go-test.yaml
index b2149622..5a905287 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go-test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go-test.yaml
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ jobs:
 
     env:
       GOPATH: /home/runner/work/nats-server
-      GO111MODULE: "off"
 
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
@@ -19,32 +18,15 @@ jobs:
           path: src/github.com/nats-io/nats-server
 
       - name: Setup Go
-        uses: actions/setup-go@v1
+        uses: actions/setup-go@v2
         with:
           go-version: ${{matrix.go}}
 
-      - name: Install deps
-        shell: bash --noprofile --norc -x -eo pipefail {0}
-        run: |
-          go get -u honnef.co/go/tools/cmd/staticcheck
-          go get -u github.com/client9/misspell/cmd/misspell
+      - name: Install tools
+        run: make install-tools
 
       - name: Lint
-        shell: bash --noprofile --norc -x -eo pipefail {0}
-        run: |
-          GO_LIST=$(go list ./...)
-          go build
-          $(exit $(go fmt $GO_LIST | wc -l))
-          go vet $GO_LIST
-          find . -type f -name "*.go" | grep -v "/vendor/" | xargs $GOPATH/bin/misspell -error -locale US
-          $GOPATH/bin/staticcheck $GO_LIST
+        run: make lint
 
       - name: Run tests
-        shell: bash --noprofile --norc -x -eo pipefail {0}
-        run: |
-          set -e
-          go test -i ./...
-          go test -v -run=TestNoRace --failfast -p=1 ./...
-          # coverage via cov.sh disabled while just testing the waters
-          go test -v -race -p=1 --failfast ./...
-          set +e
+        run: make test-no-race test
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 208aa62f..1eb24a52 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -9,27 +9,16 @@ addons:
   apt:
     packages:
     - rpm
-env:
-- GO111MODULE=off
 go_import_path: github.com/nats-io/nats-server
 install:
-- go get github.com/nats-io/nats.go/
-- go get github.com/nats-io/nkeys
-- go get github.com/nats-io/jwt
-- go get -u honnef.co/go/tools/cmd/staticcheck
-- go get -u github.com/client9/misspell/cmd/misspell
+- make install-tools
 before_script:
-- GO_LIST=$(go list ./...)
-- go build
-- $(exit $(go fmt $GO_LIST | wc -l))
-- go vet $GO_LIST
-- find . -type f -name "*.go" | grep -v "/vendor/" | xargs misspell -error -locale US
-- staticcheck $GO_LIST
+- make lint
 script:
 - set -e
-- if [[ $TRAVIS_TAG ]]; then go test -v -run=TestVersionMatchesTag ./server; fi
-- if [[ ! $TRAVIS_TAG ]]; then go test -v -run=TestNoRace --failfast -p=1 ./...; fi
-- if [[ ! $TRAVIS_TAG ]]; then if [[ "$TRAVIS_GO_VERSION" =~ 1.15 ]]; then ./scripts/cov.sh TRAVIS; else go test -v -race -p=1 --failfast ./...; fi; fi
+- if [[ $TRAVIS_TAG ]]; then make test-tag; fi
+- if [[ ! $TRAVIS_TAG ]]; then make test-no-race; fi
+- if [[ ! $TRAVIS_TAG ]]; then if [[ "$TRAVIS_GO_VERSION" =~ 1.15 ]]; then ./scripts/cov.sh TRAVIS; else make test; fi; fi
 - set +e
 
 deploy:
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ef7df809
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+export GO111MODULE := off
+
+.PHONY: install-tools
+install-tools:
+	go get -u honnef.co/go/tools/cmd/staticcheck
+	go get -u github.com/client9/misspell/cmd/misspell
+
+.PHONY: lint
+lint: goPkgs := $(shell GO111MODULE=$(GO111MODULE) go list ./...)
+lint:
+	if [ -n "$$(gofmt -l .)" ]; then exit 1; fi
+	find . -type f -name "*.go" | grep -v "/vendor/" | xargs misspell -error -locale US
+	go vet $(goPkgs)
+	staticcheck $(goPkgs)
+
+.PHONY: test-no-race
+test-no-race:
+	if [ "$$(ulimit -n)" -lt "8192" ]; then exit 1; fi
+	go test -v -run=TestNoRace -failfast -p=1 ./...
+.PHONY: test
+test:
+	if [ "$$(ulimit -n)" -lt "8192" ]; then exit 1; fi
+	go test -v -race -p=1 -failfast ./...
+.PHONY: test-tag
+test-tag:
+	if [ "$$(ulimit -n)" -lt "8192" ]; then exit 1; fi
+	go test -v -run=TestVersionMatchesTag ./server