diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index a53bdca6ca..a24f20a20c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ on:
       - "!deploy/iso/**"
 env:
   GOPROXY: https://proxy.golang.org
-  GO_VERSION: 1.16.4
+  GO_VERSION: '1.16.6'
 jobs:
   build_minikube:
     runs-on: ubuntu-18.04
diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs.yml b/.github/workflows/docs.yml
index 69809f1667..7ca895ee57 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ on:
       - master  
 env:
   GOPROXY: https://proxy.golang.org
-  GO_VERSION: 1.16.6
+  GO_VERSION: '1.16.6'
 jobs:
   generate-docs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-18.04
diff --git a/.github/workflows/leaderboard.yml b/.github/workflows/leaderboard.yml
index ea5bf316ae..deee9681cc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/leaderboard.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/leaderboard.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ on:
   release:
     types: [published]
 env:
-  GO_VERSION: 1.16.6
+  GO_VERSION: '1.16.6'
 jobs:
   update-leaderboard:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/master.yml b/.github/workflows/master.yml
index 084025d355..6dddc2eea1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/master.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/master.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ on:
       - "!deploy/iso/**"
 env:
   GOPROXY: https://proxy.golang.org
-  GO_VERSION: 1.16.6
+  GO_VERSION: '1.16.6'
 jobs:
   # Runs before all other jobs
   # builds the minikube binaries
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr.yml b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
index 2ed1c051bb..ad8b8cd1c7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ on:
       - "!deploy/iso/**"
 env:
   GOPROXY: https://proxy.golang.org
-  GO_VERSION: 1.16.6
+  GO_VERSION: '1.16.6'
 jobs:
   # Runs before all other jobs
   # builds the minikube binaries
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr_verified.yaml b/.github/workflows/pr_verified.yaml
index e026d23a8c..40692f470e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr_verified.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr_verified.yaml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ on:
       - deleted
 env:
   GOPROXY: https://proxy.golang.org
-  GO_VERSION: 1.16.6
+  GO_VERSION: '1.16.6'
 
 jobs:
   # Runs before all other jobs
diff --git a/.github/workflows/time-to-k8s-public-chart.yml b/.github/workflows/time-to-k8s-public-chart.yml
index ff70bc6290..f1521149fb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/time-to-k8s-public-chart.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/time-to-k8s-public-chart.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ on:
     - cron: "0 2,14 * * *"
 env:
   GOPROXY: https://proxy.golang.org
-  GO_VERSION: 1.16.5
+  GO_VERSION: '1.16.6'
 jobs:
   time-to-k8s-public-chart:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/time-to-k8s.yml b/.github/workflows/time-to-k8s.yml
index cbeb2e0dee..ae2deee431 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/time-to-k8s.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/time-to-k8s.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ on:
     types: [released]
 env:
   GOPROXY: https://proxy.golang.org
-  GO_VERSION: 1.16.6
+  GO_VERSION: '1.16.6'
 jobs:
   benchmark:
     runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
diff --git a/.github/workflows/translations.yml b/.github/workflows/translations.yml
index 7e333c9975..9b82733ab7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/translations.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/translations.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ on:
       - "translations/**"
 env:
   GOPROXY: https://proxy.golang.org
-  GO_VERSION: 1.16.6
+  GO_VERSION: '1.16.6'
 jobs:
   unit_test:
     runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
diff --git a/.github/workflows/update-golang-version.yml b/.github/workflows/update-golang-version.yml
index 40141b3aaa..d750da4409 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update-golang-version.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-golang-version.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ on:
     - cron: "0 9 * * 1"
 env:
   GOPROXY: https://proxy.golang.org
-  GO_VERSION: 1.16.6
+  GO_VERSION: '1.16.6'
 jobs:
   bump-k8s-versions:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/update-k8s-versions.yml b/.github/workflows/update-k8s-versions.yml
index 2fed30d295..a8310e17fa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update-k8s-versions.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-k8s-versions.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ on:
     - cron: "0 8 * * 1"
 env:
   GOPROXY: https://proxy.golang.org
-  GO_VERSION: 1.16.6
+  GO_VERSION: '1.16.6'
 jobs:
   bump-k8s-versions:
     runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
diff --git a/hack/update/golang_version/update_golang_version.go b/hack/update/golang_version/update_golang_version.go
index 28710884e4..57a25e6965 100644
--- a/hack/update/golang_version/update_golang_version.go
+++ b/hack/update/golang_version/update_golang_version.go
@@ -47,57 +47,57 @@ var (
 	schema = map[string]update.Item{
 		".github/workflows/build.yml": {
 			Replace: map[string]string{
-				`GO_VERSION: '.*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
+				`GO_VERSION: .*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
 			},
 		},
 		".github/workflows/master.yml": {
 			Replace: map[string]string{
-				`GO_VERSION: '.*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
+				`GO_VERSION: .*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
 			},
 		},
 		".github/workflows/pr.yml": {
 			Replace: map[string]string{
-				`GO_VERSION: '.*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
+				`GO_VERSION: .*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
 			},
 		},
 		".github/workflows/docs.yml": {
 			Replace: map[string]string{
-				`GO_VERSION: '.*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
+				`GO_VERSION: .*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
 			},
 		},
 		".github/workflows/time-to-k8s.yml": {
 			Replace: map[string]string{
-				`GO_VERSION: '.*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
+				`GO_VERSION: .*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
 			},
 		},
 		".github/workflows/leaderboard.yml": {
 			Replace: map[string]string{
-				`GO_VERSION: '.*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
+				`GO_VERSION: .*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
 			},
 		},
 		".github/workflows/translations.yml": {
 			Replace: map[string]string{
-				`GO_VERSION: '.*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
+				`GO_VERSION: .*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
 			},
 		},
 		".github/workflows/update-k8s-versions.yml": {
 			Replace: map[string]string{
-				`GO_VERSION: '.*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
+				`GO_VERSION: .*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
 			},
 		},
 		".github/workflows/update-golang-version.yml": {
 			Replace: map[string]string{
-				`GO_VERSION: '.*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
+				`GO_VERSION: .*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
 			},
 		},
 		".github/workflows/time-to-k8s-public-chart.yml": {
 			Replace: map[string]string{
-				`GO_VERSION: '.*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
+				`GO_VERSION: .*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
 			},
 		},
 		".github/workflows/pr_verified.yaml": {
 			Replace: map[string]string{
-				`GO_VERSION: '.*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
+				`GO_VERSION: .*`: `GO_VERSION: '{{.StableVersion}}'`,
 			},
 		},
 		"go.mod": {