diff --git a/.github/workflows/go.yml b/.github/workflows/go.yml
index 7f270e62c472..af9af8dcffe0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go.yml
@@ -195,11 +195,8 @@ jobs:
         env:
           EMBEDDED_BINS_BUILDMODE: none
           TARGET_OS: windows
-          GO: go
-          GO_ENV: ''
         run: |
-          make --touch .k0sbuild.docker-image.k0s
-          make check-unit
+          make check-unit DOCKER=''
 
   smoketests:
     strategy:
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d5f5f90accbc..03d215872d55 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -22,21 +22,34 @@ GO_SRCS := $(shell find . -type f -name '*.go' -not -path './$(K0S_GO_BUILD_CACH
 GO_CHECK_UNIT_DIRS := . ./cmd/... ./pkg/... ./internal/... ./static/... ./hack/...
 
 DOCKER ?= docker
-# EMBEDDED_BINS_BUILDMODE can be either:
-#   docker	builds the binaries in docker
-#   none	does not embed any binaries
-
 # Disable Docker build integration if DOCKER is set to the empty string.
 ifeq ($(DOCKER),)
-  EMBEDDED_BINS_BUILDMODE ?= none
-  K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE =
-  GO ?= go
+  GO_ENV_REQUISITES ?=
+  GO_ENV ?= PATH=$(abspath $(K0S_GO_BUILD_CACHE))/go/bin:"$$PATH" \
+    GOBIN="$(abspath $(K0S_GO_BUILD_CACHE))/go/bin" \
+    GOCACHE="$(abspath $(K0S_GO_BUILD_CACHE))/go/build" \
+    GOMODCACHE="$(abspath $(K0S_GO_BUILD_CACHE))/go/mod"
+  GO ?= $(GO_ENV) go
 else
-  EMBEDDED_BINS_BUILDMODE ?= docker
-  K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE = .k0sbuild.docker-image.k0s
+  GO_ENV_REQUISITES ?= .k0sbuild.docker-image.k0s
+  GO_ENV ?= $(DOCKER) run --rm \
+    -v '$(realpath $(K0S_GO_BUILD_CACHE))':/run/k0s-build \
+    -v '$(CURDIR)':/go/src/github.com/k0sproject/k0s \
+    -w /go/src/github.com/k0sproject/k0s \
+    -e GOOS \
+    -e CGO_ENABLED \
+    -e CGO_CFLAGS \
+    -e GOARCH \
+    --user $(BUILD_UID):$(BUILD_GID) \
+    -- '$(shell cat .k0sbuild.docker-image.k0s)'
   GO ?= $(GO_ENV) go
 endif
 
+# EMBEDDED_BINS_BUILDMODE can be either:
+#   docker	builds the binaries in docker
+#   none	does not embed any binaries
+EMBEDDED_BINS_BUILDMODE ?= docker
+
 # k0s runs on linux even if it's built on mac or windows
 TARGET_OS ?= linux
 BUILD_UID ?= $(shell id -u)
@@ -81,17 +94,6 @@ endif
 LD_FLAGS += $(BUILD_GO_LDFLAGS_EXTRA)
 
 GOLANG_IMAGE ?= $(golang_buildimage)
-K0S_GO_BUILD_CACHE_VOLUME_PATH=$(realpath $(K0S_GO_BUILD_CACHE))
-GO_ENV ?= $(DOCKER) run --rm \
-	-v '$(K0S_GO_BUILD_CACHE_VOLUME_PATH)':/run/k0s-build \
-	-v '$(CURDIR)':/go/src/github.com/k0sproject/k0s \
-	-w /go/src/github.com/k0sproject/k0s \
-	-e GOOS \
-	-e CGO_ENABLED \
-	-e CGO_CFLAGS \
-	-e GOARCH \
-	--user $(BUILD_UID):$(BUILD_GID) \
-	-- '$(shell cat $(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE))'
 
 # https://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/make.html#index-spaces_002c-in-variable-values
 nullstring :=
@@ -114,12 +116,12 @@ all: k0s k0s.exe
 $(K0S_GO_BUILD_CACHE):
 	mkdir -p -- '$@'
 
-$(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE): build/Dockerfile embedded-bins/Makefile.variables | $(K0S_GO_BUILD_CACHE)
+.k0sbuild.docker-image.k0s: build/Dockerfile embedded-bins/Makefile.variables | $(K0S_GO_BUILD_CACHE)
 	$(DOCKER) build --progress=plain --iidfile '$@' \
 	  --build-arg BUILDIMAGE=$(GOLANG_IMAGE) \
-	  -t $(patsubst .%,%,$(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE)) - <build/Dockerfile
+	  -t k0sbuild.docker-image.k0s - <build/Dockerfile
 
-go.sum: go.mod $(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE)
+go.sum: go.mod $(GO_ENV_REQUISITES)
 	$(GO) mod tidy && touch -c -- '$@'
 
 # List of all the custom APIs that k0s defines.
@@ -132,7 +134,7 @@ $(foreach gv,$(api_group_versions),$(eval $(foreach t,$(api_group_version_target
 # Run controller-gen for each API group version.
 controller_gen_targets := $(foreach gv,$(api_group_versions),pkg/apis/$(gv)/.controller-gen.stamp)
 codegen_targets := $(controller_gen_targets)
-$(controller_gen_targets): $(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE) hack/tools/boilerplate.go.txt hack/tools/Makefile.variables
+$(controller_gen_targets): $(GO_ENV_REQUISITES) hack/tools/boilerplate.go.txt hack/tools/Makefile.variables
 	rm -rf 'static/_crds/$(dir $(@:pkg/apis/%/.controller-gen.stamp=%))'
 	gendir="$$(mktemp -d .controller-gen.tmp.XXXXXX)" \
 	  && trap "rm -rf -- $$gendir" INT EXIT \
@@ -146,7 +148,7 @@ $(controller_gen_targets): $(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE) hack/tools/boilerplate.go.txt
 # Run register-gen for each API group version.
 register_gen_targets := $(foreach gv,$(api_group_versions),pkg/apis/$(gv)/zz_generated.register.go)
 codegen_targets += $(register_gen_targets)
-$(register_gen_targets): $(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE) hack/tools/boilerplate.go.txt embedded-bins/Makefile.variables
+$(register_gen_targets): $(GO_ENV_REQUISITES) hack/tools/boilerplate.go.txt embedded-bins/Makefile.variables
 	CGO_ENABLED=0 $(GO) run k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/register-gen@v$(kubernetes_version:1.%=0.%) \
 	  --go-header-file=hack/tools/boilerplate.go.txt \
 	  --output-file='_$(notdir $@).tmp' \
@@ -161,7 +163,7 @@ $(register_gen_targets): $(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE) hack/tools/boilerplate.go.txt e
 clientset_input_dirs := $(foreach gv,$(api_group_versions),pkg/apis/$(gv))
 codegen_targets += pkg/client/clientset/.client-gen.stamp
 pkg/client/clientset/.client-gen.stamp: $(shell find $(clientset_input_dirs) -type f -name '*.go' -not -name '*_test.go' -not -name 'zz_generated*')
-pkg/client/clientset/.client-gen.stamp: $(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE) hack/tools/boilerplate.go.txt embedded-bins/Makefile.variables
+pkg/client/clientset/.client-gen.stamp: $(GO_ENV_REQUISITES) hack/tools/boilerplate.go.txt embedded-bins/Makefile.variables
 	gendir="$$(mktemp -d .client-gen.tmp.XXXXXX)" \
 	  && trap "rm -rf -- $$gendir" INT EXIT \
 	  && CGO_ENABLED=0 $(GO) run k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/client-gen@v$(kubernetes_version:1.%=0.%) \
@@ -182,7 +184,7 @@ codegen_targets += pkg/assets/zz_generated_offsets_$(TARGET_OS).go
 zz_os = $(patsubst pkg/assets/zz_generated_offsets_%.go,%,$@)
 pkg/assets/zz_generated_offsets_linux.go: .bins.linux.stamp
 pkg/assets/zz_generated_offsets_windows.go: .bins.windows.stamp
-pkg/assets/zz_generated_offsets_linux.go pkg/assets/zz_generated_offsets_windows.go: $(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE) go.sum
+pkg/assets/zz_generated_offsets_linux.go pkg/assets/zz_generated_offsets_windows.go: $(GO_ENV_REQUISITES) go.sum
 	GOOS=${GOHOSTOS} $(GO) run -tags=hack hack/gen-bindata/cmd/main.go -o bindata_$(zz_os) -pkg assets \
 	     -gofile pkg/assets/zz_generated_offsets_$(zz_os).go \
 	     -prefix embedded-bins/staging/$(zz_os)/ embedded-bins/staging/$(zz_os)/bin
@@ -190,12 +192,11 @@ endif
 
 k0s: TARGET_OS = linux
 k0s: BUILD_GO_CGO_ENABLED = 1
-k0s: $(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE)
 
 k0s.exe: TARGET_OS = windows
 k0s.exe: BUILD_GO_CGO_ENABLED = 0
 
-k0s.exe k0s: go.sum $(codegen_targets) $(GO_SRCS) $(shell find static/manifests/calico static/manifests/windows -type f)
+k0s.exe k0s: $(GO_ENV_REQUISITES) go.sum $(codegen_targets) $(GO_SRCS) $(shell find static/manifests/calico static/manifests/windows -type f)
 	rm -f -- '$@'
 	CGO_ENABLED=$(BUILD_GO_CGO_ENABLED) CGO_CFLAGS='$(BUILD_CGO_CFLAGS)' GOOS=$(TARGET_OS) $(GO) build $(BUILD_GO_FLAGS) -ldflags='$(LD_FLAGS)' -o '$@' main.go
 ifneq ($(EMBEDDED_BINS_BUILDMODE),none)
@@ -225,14 +226,14 @@ lint-copyright:
 
 .PHONY: lint-go
 lint-go: GOLANGCI_LINT_FLAGS ?=
-lint-go: $(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE) go.sum bindata
+lint-go: $(GO_ENV_REQUISITES) go.sum bindata
 	CGO_ENABLED=0 $(GO) install github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/cmd/golangci-lint@v$(golangci-lint_version)
 	CGO_CFLAGS='$(BUILD_CGO_CFLAGS)' $(GO_ENV) golangci-lint run --verbose --build-tags=$(subst $(space),$(comma),$(BUILD_GO_TAGS)) $(GOLANGCI_LINT_FLAGS) $(GO_LINT_DIRS)
 
 .PHONY: lint
 lint: lint-copyright lint-go
 
-airgap-images.txt: k0s $(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE)
+airgap-images.txt: k0s $(GO_ENV_REQUISITES)
 	$(GO_ENV) ./k0s airgap list-images --all > '$@'
 
 airgap-image-bundle-linux-amd64.tar: TARGET_PLATFORM := linux/amd64
@@ -265,7 +266,7 @@ else
 check-unit: GO_TEST_RACE ?= -race
 endif
 check-unit: BUILD_GO_TAGS += hack
-check-unit: $(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE) go.sum bindata
+check-unit: $(GO_ENV_REQUISITES) go.sum bindata
 	CGO_CFLAGS='$(BUILD_CGO_CFLAGS)' $(GO) test -tags=$(subst $(space),$(comma),$(BUILD_GO_TAGS)) $(GO_TEST_RACE) -ldflags='$(LD_FLAGS)' `$(GO) list -tags=$(subst $(space),$(comma),$(BUILD_GO_TAGS)) $(GO_CHECK_UNIT_DIRS)`
 
 .PHONY: clean-gocache
@@ -274,7 +275,7 @@ clean-gocache:
 	rm -rf -- '$(K0S_GO_BUILD_CACHE)/go'
 
 .PHONY: clean-docker-image
-clean-docker-image: IID_FILES = $(K0S_BUILD_IMAGE_FILE)
+clean-docker-image: IID_FILES = .k0sbuild.docker-image.k0s
 clean-docker-image:
 	$(clean-iid-files)
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b3b8d018851d..aae3d3c902ab 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ The requirements for building k0s from source are as follows:
 All of the compilation steps are performed inside Docker containers, no
 installation of Go is required.
 
-The k0s binary can be built in two different ways:
+The k0s binary can be built in different ways:
 
 The "k0s" way, self-contained, all binaries compiled from source, statically
 linked and embedded:
@@ -147,14 +147,23 @@ linked and embedded:
 make
 ```
 
-The "package maintainer" way, without any embedded binaries (requires that the
-required binaries are provided separately at runtime):
+The "package maintainer" way, without building and embedding the required
+binaries. This assumes necessary binaries are provided separately at runtime:
 
 ```shell
 make EMBEDDED_BINS_BUILDMODE=none
 ```
 
-The embedded binaries can be built on their own:
+As mentioned previously, Docker build integration is enabled by default.
+Building k0s without Docker using the system toolchain can be done as follows:
+
+```shell
+make DOCKER='' EMBEDDED_BINS_BUILDMODE=none
+```
+
+Note that the k0s build system does not currently support building the embedded
+binaries using the system toolchain. However, the embedded binaries can be built
+independently using Docker:
 
 ```shell
 make -C embedded-bins