diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint.yaml b/.github/workflows/lint.yaml
index 145146b374..f55a0c1aa4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint.yaml
@@ -46,5 +46,5 @@ jobs:
       - name: golangci-lint
         uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v6.1.0
         with:
-          version: v1.59.1 # should match the version in Makefile
+          version: v1.63.4 # should match the version in Makefile
           args: --timeout=10m
diff --git a/.github/workflows/presubmit-compositions.yaml b/.github/workflows/presubmit-compositions.yaml
index e32a4eb8c6..e64aaa0854 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/presubmit-compositions.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/presubmit-compositions.yaml
@@ -42,10 +42,10 @@ jobs:
           go-version-file: 'go.mod'
           cache: false # because of https://github.com/golangci/golangci-lint-action/issues/135
       - name: golangci-lint
-        uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v6 # v3.7.1
+        uses: golangci/golangci-lint-action@v6.1.0
         with:
           working-directory: ./experiments/compositions/composition
-          version: v1.59.1 # should match the version in Makefile
+          version: v1.63.4 # should match the version in Makefile
           args: --timeout=10m
   verify-goimports:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.golangci.yaml b/.golangci.yaml
index 9ed5c54641..dfa4a752d8 100644
--- a/.golangci.yaml
+++ b/.golangci.yaml
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ linters:
     - depguard
     - errcheck
     - errorlint
-    # - exportloopref
     # - forcetypeassert
     # - gci
     # - gocritic
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7be2495bcd..a022224748 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ UNMANAGED_DETECTOR_IMG ?= gcr.io/${PROJECT_ID}/cnrm/unmanageddetector:${SHORT_SH
 GOLANGCI_LINT_CACHE := /tmp/golangci-lint
 # When updating this, make sure to update the corresponding action in
 # ./github/workflows/lint.yaml
-GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION := v1.59.1
+GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION := v1.63.4
 
 # Use Docker BuildKit when building images to allow usage of 'setcap' in
 # multi-stage builds (https://github.com/moby/moby/issues/38132)
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ fmt:
 
 .PHONY: lint
 lint:
+	mkdir -p ${GOLANGCI_LINT_CACHE}
 	docker run --rm -v $(shell pwd):/app \
 		-v ${GOLANGCI_LINT_CACHE}:/root/.cache/golangci-lint \
 		-w /app golangci/golangci-lint:${GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION}-alpine \
diff --git a/experiments/compositions/composition/.golangci.yml b/experiments/compositions/composition/.golangci.yml
index b615720033..7dd617b960 100644
--- a/experiments/compositions/composition/.golangci.yml
+++ b/experiments/compositions/composition/.golangci.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ linters:
   enable:
     - dupl
     - errcheck
-    - exportloopref
     - goconst
     - gocyclo
     - gofmt
diff --git a/experiments/compositions/composition/Makefile b/experiments/compositions/composition/Makefile
index c69060ae29..6eeda5349e 100644
--- a/experiments/compositions/composition/Makefile
+++ b/experiments/compositions/composition/Makefile
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ test: manifests generate fmt vet envtest ## Run tests.
 	KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS="$(shell $(ENVTEST) use $(ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION) --bin-dir $(LOCALBIN) -p path)" $(GOPREFIX) go test ./... -coverprofile cover.out
 
 GOLANGCI_LINT = $(shell pwd)/bin/golangci-lint
-GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION ?= v1.54.2
+GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION ?= v1.63.4
 golangci-lint:
 	@[ -f $(GOLANGCI_LINT) ] || { \
 	set -e ;\
diff --git a/experiments/compositions/composition/cmd/inline/main.go b/experiments/compositions/composition/cmd/inline/main.go
index 9c86791586..32fdb1990e 100644
--- a/experiments/compositions/composition/cmd/inline/main.go
+++ b/experiments/compositions/composition/cmd/inline/main.go
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func (s *InlineSyncer) CopyToFileSystem() error {
 	}
 
 	if template == "" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("template not found for expander: " + s.expanderName)
+		return fmt.Errorf("template not found for expander: %s", s.expanderName)
 	}
 
 	// Get crdp.spec.stages[name]
diff --git a/experiments/compositions/composition/internal/controller/composition_controller.go b/experiments/compositions/composition/internal/controller/composition_controller.go
index d856852e0b..ff0ce4a9e6 100644
--- a/experiments/compositions/composition/internal/controller/composition_controller.go
+++ b/experiments/compositions/composition/internal/controller/composition_controller.go
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ func (r *CompositionReconciler) validateExpanderConfig(ctx context.Context, logg
 	if result.Status != pb.Status_SUCCESS {
 		logger.Error(nil, "expander.Validate() Status is not Success", "expander",
 			expander.Name, "status", result.Status, "message", result.Error.Message)
-		err = fmt.Errorf(result.Error.Message)
+		err = fmt.Errorf("%s", result.Error.Message)
 		return "ValidateStatusFailed", err
 	}
 	return "", nil
diff --git a/experiments/compositions/expanders/cel-expander/Makefile b/experiments/compositions/expanders/cel-expander/Makefile
index 5107111d11..4798623836 100644
--- a/experiments/compositions/expanders/cel-expander/Makefile
+++ b/experiments/compositions/expanders/cel-expander/Makefile
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ GOLANGCI_LINT = $(LOCALBIN)/golangci-lint-$(GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION)
 ## Tool Versions
 KUSTOMIZE_VERSION ?= v5.3.0
 CONTROLLER_TOOLS_VERSION ?= v0.14.0
-GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION ?= v1.54.2
+GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION ?= v1.63.4
 
 .PHONY: kustomize
 kustomize: $(KUSTOMIZE) ## Download kustomize locally if necessary.
diff --git a/experiments/compositions/expanders/helm-expander/Makefile b/experiments/compositions/expanders/helm-expander/Makefile
index b341b944f1..71134f38ac 100644
--- a/experiments/compositions/expanders/helm-expander/Makefile
+++ b/experiments/compositions/expanders/helm-expander/Makefile
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ GOLANGCI_LINT = $(LOCALBIN)/golangci-lint-$(GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION)
 ## Tool Versions
 KUSTOMIZE_VERSION ?= v5.3.0
 CONTROLLER_TOOLS_VERSION ?= v0.14.0
-GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION ?= v1.54.2
+GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION ?= v1.63.4
 
 .PHONY: kustomize
 kustomize: $(KUSTOMIZE) ## Download kustomize locally if necessary.
diff --git a/experiments/compositions/facade/Makefile b/experiments/compositions/facade/Makefile
index 3e9011d2b8..1b24cddb8f 100644
--- a/experiments/compositions/facade/Makefile
+++ b/experiments/compositions/facade/Makefile
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ test: manifests generate fmt vet envtest ## Run tests.
 	KUBEBUILDER_ASSETS="$(shell $(ENVTEST) use $(ENVTEST_K8S_VERSION) --bin-dir $(LOCALBIN) -p path)" go test ./... -coverprofile cover.out
 
 GOLANGCI_LINT = $(shell pwd)/bin/golangci-lint
-GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION ?= v1.54.2
+GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION ?= v1.63.4
 golangci-lint:
 	@[ -f $(GOLANGCI_LINT) ] || { \
 	set -e ;\
diff --git a/pkg/controller/direct/common/compare.go b/pkg/controller/direct/common/compare.go
index cec125b78c..d40166bbfe 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/direct/common/compare.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/direct/common/compare.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ var BasicDiff = func(fieldName protoreflect.Name, a, b proto.Message) (bool, err
 		return true, nil
 	}
 	if !aField.Kind().IsValid() {
-		return false, fmt.Errorf("unimplemented kind: " + aField.Kind().String())
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("unimplemented kind: %s", aField.Kind().String())
 	}
 
 	diff := false