diff --git a/.github/workflows/server-32bit.yml b/.github/workflows/server-32bit.yml
index f851a378e19..b634474cb14 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/server-32bit.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/server-32bit.yml
@@ -67,8 +67,10 @@ jobs:
         docker run --rm \
           -v $PWD/:/rdk \
           --env GOFLAGS="-tags=no_tflite,no_pigpio -buildvcs=false" \
+          --env INDEX=${{ matrix.index }} \
+          --env NBINS=5 \
           ghcr.io/viamrobotics/viam-server:armv7 \
-          sh -c "go version && go list -json ./... | etc/splitter.py ${{ matrix.index }} --nbins 5 --command \"go test\" --fail-empty"
+          make test-go-split
   build:
     needs: [test, lint]
     runs-on: buildjet-4vcpu-ubuntu-2204-arm
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9adee1a1e3b..83ce99d3991 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ test-no-race: test-go-no-race test-web
 test-go: tool-install
 	PATH=$(PATH_WITH_TOOLS) ./etc/test.sh race
 
+test-go-split:
+	# run one shard of the test suite using splitter.py
+	go list -json ./... | etc/splitter.py $(INDEX) --nbins $(NBINS) --command "go test" --fail-empty
+
 test-go-no-race: tool-install
 	PATH=$(PATH_WITH_TOOLS) ./etc/test.sh