diff --git a/.github/workflows/beta-image.yml b/.github/workflows/beta-image.yml
index a87f3357..f58a5e97 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/beta-image.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/beta-image.yml
@@ -8,48 +8,44 @@ env:
   # IMAGE_NAME: ${{ github.repository }}
 
 jobs:
-  # define the job to build and publish docker images
-  build-and-push-docker-images:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+  #
+  # capture time at the beginning to ensure consistent tagging
+  capture-date:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    steps:
+      - name: Get build date
+        id: get_date
+        run: echo "BUILD_DATE=$(date +'%Y-%m-%d')" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+  # build images in parallel for a speed increase
+  build-and-push-php-image:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    needs: capture-date
 
     # steps to perform in the job
     steps:
       - name: Check out code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       # set up Docker build action
       # https://github.com/docker/setup-buildx-action
       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
         id: buildx
-        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v2
-
-      - name: Get build date
-        id: get_date
-        run: echo "BUILD_DATE=$(date +'%Y-%m-%d')" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
 
       # https://github.com/docker/metadata-action
       - name: Docker PHP meta
         id: meta_php
-        uses: docker/metadata-action@v4
+        uses: docker/metadata-action@v5
         with:
           images: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ github.actor }}/linguacafe-webserver
           tags: |
             type=ref,event=branch
             type=ref,suffix=-${{ env.BUILD_DATE}},event=branch
 
-      # https://github.com/docker/metadata-action
-      - name: Docker Python meta
-        id: meta_python
-        uses: docker/metadata-action@v4
-        with:
-          images: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ github.actor }}/linguacafe-python-service
-          tags: |
-            type=ref,event=branch
-            type=ref,suffix=-${{ env.BUILD_DATE}},event=branch
-
       # https://github.com/docker/login-action#github-container-registry
       - name: Log in to Github Packages
-        uses: docker/login-action@v2
+        uses: docker/login-action@v3
         with:
           registry: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}
           username: ${{ github.actor }}
@@ -58,9 +54,11 @@ jobs:
       # https://github.com/docker/build-push-action
       - name: Build and push PHP image to GitHub Container Registry
         id: docker_build_php
-        uses: docker/build-push-action@v3
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
         with:
           file: "./docker/PhpDockerfile"
+          cache-from: type=gha
+          cache-to: type=gha
           # extra platforms can be added here:
           platforms: |
             linux/amd64
@@ -73,12 +71,46 @@ jobs:
       - name: PHP Image digest
         run: echo ${{ steps.docker_build_php.outputs.digest }}
 
+  build-and-push-python-image:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    needs: capture-date
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      # set up Docker build action
+      # https://github.com/docker/setup-buildx-action
+      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        id: buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      # https://github.com/docker/metadata-action
+      - name: Docker Python meta
+        id: meta_python
+        uses: docker/metadata-action@v5
+        with:
+          images: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ github.actor }}/linguacafe-python-service
+          tags: |
+            type=ref,event=branch
+            type=ref,suffix=-${{ env.BUILD_DATE}},event=branch
+
+      # https://github.com/docker/login-action#github-container-registry
+      - name: Log in to Github Packages
+        uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        with:
+          registry: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}
+          username: ${{ github.actor }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.GHCR_LINGUA_PAT }}
+
       # https://github.com/docker/build-push-action
       - name: Build and push Python image to GitHub Container Registry
         id: docker_build_python
-        uses: docker/build-push-action@v3
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
         with:
           file: "./docker/PythonDockerfile"
+          cache-from: type=gha
+          cache-to: type=gha
           platforms: |
             linux/amd64
           # Note: tags have to be all lower-case