diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7955dbf2775e..e9344042d551 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ MINIKUBE_RELEASES_URL=https://github.com/kubernetes/minikube/releases/download
 
 # latest from https://github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/releases
 # update this only by running `make update-golint-version`
-GOLINT_VERSION ?= v2.1.6
+GOLINT_VERSION ?= v2.6.2
 # see https://golangci-lint.run/docs/configuration/file/ for config details
-GOLINT_CONFIG ?= .golangci.yaml
+GOLINT_CONFIG ?= .golangci.min.yaml
 # Set this to --verbose to see details about the linters and formatters used
 GOLINT_VERBOSE ?=
 # Limit number of default jobs, to avoid the CI builds running out of memory
@@ -523,15 +523,16 @@ out/linters/golangci-lint-$(GOLINT_VERSION):
 ifeq ($(MINIKUBE_BUILD_IN_DOCKER),y)
 lint:
 	docker run --rm -v `pwd`:/app:Z -w /app golangci/golangci-lint:$(GOLINT_VERSION) \
-	golangci-lint run ${GOLINT_OPTIONS} ./..."
-	# --skip-dirs "cmd/drivers/kvm|cmd/drivers/hyperkit|pkg/drivers/kvm|pkg/drivers/hyperkit"
-	# The "--skip-dirs" parameter is no longer supported in the V2 version. If you need to skip the directory,
-	# add it under "linters.settings.exclusions.paths" in the ".golangci.yaml" file.
+	./out/linters/golangci-lint-$(GOLINT_VERSION) run ${GOLINT_OPTIONS} ./...
 else
 lint: out/linters/golangci-lint-$(GOLINT_VERSION) ## Run lint
 	./out/linters/golangci-lint-$(GOLINT_VERSION) run ${GOLINT_OPTIONS} ./...
 endif
 
+.PHONY: lint-max
+lint-max: out/linters/golangci-lint-$(GOLINT_VERSION) ## Run lint
+	./out/linters/golangci-lint-$(GOLINT_VERSION) run ${GOLINT_OPTIONS} --config .golangci.max.yaml ./...
+
 # lint-ci is slower version of lint and is meant to be used in ci (travis) to avoid out of memory leaks.
 .PHONY: lint-ci
 lint-ci: out/linters/golangci-lint-$(GOLINT_VERSION) ## Run lint-ci
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index c8c4e1dd6d11..b9169532a477 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ module k8s.io/minikube
 
 go 1.24.0
 
-toolchain go1.24.1
-
 require (
 	cloud.google.com/go/storage v1.56.1
 	github.com/Delta456/box-cli-maker/v2 v2.3.0
diff --git a/hack/go.mod b/hack/go.mod
index 842d598df6c3..9aea15d8b29b 100644
--- a/hack/go.mod
+++ b/hack/go.mod
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ module k8s.io/minikube/hack
 
 go 1.24.0
 
-toolchain go1.24.1
-
 replace github.com/docker/machine => github.com/minikube-machine/machine v0.0.0-20240815173309-ffb6b643c381
 
 require (
diff --git a/hack/prow/common.sh b/hack/prow/common.sh
index db1d71dd0922..4cc37fdf1b54 100755
--- a/hack/prow/common.sh
+++ b/hack/prow/common.sh
@@ -68,8 +68,10 @@ function install_dependencies() {
 		brew install pstree coreutils pidof
 		ln -s /usr/local/bin/gtimeout /usr/local/bin/timeout || true
 	fi
+	# do NOT change manually - only using make update-golang-version
+	GOLANG_VERSION_TO_INSTALL="1.24.6"
 	# install golang if not present
-	sudo hack/prow/installer/check_install_golang.sh /usr/local 1.24.5 || true
+	sudo -E hack/prow/installer/check_install_golang.sh /usr/local $GOLANG_VERSION_TO_INSTALL || true
 	# install gotestsum if not present
 	GOROOT="/usr/local/go" hack/prow/installer/check_install_gotestsum.sh || true
 	# install gopogh
diff --git a/hack/update/golang_version/golang_version.go b/hack/update/golang_version/golang_version.go
index 47723c7235a1..a09e0bac4fad 100644
--- a/hack/update/golang_version/golang_version.go
+++ b/hack/update/golang_version/golang_version.go
@@ -53,6 +53,11 @@ var (
 				`VERSION_TO_INSTALL=.*`: `VERSION_TO_INSTALL={{.StableVersion}}`,
 			},
 		},
+		"hack/prow/common.sh": {
+			Replace: map[string]string{
+				`GOLANG_VERSION_TO_INSTALL=.*`: `GOLANG_VERSION_TO_INSTALL={{.StableVersion}}`,
+			},
+		},
 		"hack/jenkins/installers/check_install_golang.ps1": {
 			Replace: map[string]string{
 				`GoVersion = ".*"`: `GoVersion = "{{.StableVersion}}"`,
diff --git a/hack/update/golint_version/golint_version.go b/hack/update/golint_version/golint_version.go
index 46e701ec6a08..a1e4c348ed11 100644
--- a/hack/update/golint_version/golint_version.go
+++ b/hack/update/golint_version/golint_version.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ var (
 	schema = map[string]update.Item{
 		"Makefile": {
 			Replace: map[string]string{
-				`GOLINT_VERSION \?= v1.*`: `GOLINT_VERSION ?= {{.StableVersion}}`,
+				`GOLINT_VERSION \?= v2.*`: `GOLINT_VERSION ?= {{.StableVersion}}`,
 			},
 		},
 	}