diff --git a/.github/workflows/__go-reconciled-tracing-custom-build-steps.yml b/.github/workflows/__go-reconciled-tracing-custom-build-steps.yml
index cb4933cf5..c86b7e9e4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/__go-reconciled-tracing-custom-build-steps.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/__go-reconciled-tracing-custom-build-steps.yml
@@ -93,7 +93,10 @@ jobs:
         TEST_MODE: true
     - shell: bash
       run: |
-        if [[ -v CODEQL_ACTION_DID_AUTOBUILD_GOLANG ]]; then
+        # Once we start running Bash 4.2 in all environments, we can replace the
+        # `! -z` flag with the more elegant `-v` which confirms that the variable
+        # is actually unset and not potentially set to a blank value.
+        if [[ ! -z "${CODEQL_ACTION_DID_AUTOBUILD_GOLANG}" ]]; then
           echo "Expected the Go autobuilder not to be run, but the" \
             "CODEQL_ACTION_DID_AUTOBUILD_GOLANG environment variable was set."
           exit 1
diff --git a/pr-checks/checks/go-reconciled-tracing-custom-build-steps.yml b/pr-checks/checks/go-reconciled-tracing-custom-build-steps.yml
index 7260d7d66..3b088b12f 100644
--- a/pr-checks/checks/go-reconciled-tracing-custom-build-steps.yml
+++ b/pr-checks/checks/go-reconciled-tracing-custom-build-steps.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ steps:
       TEST_MODE: true
   - shell: bash
     run: |
-      if [[ -v CODEQL_ACTION_DID_AUTOBUILD_GOLANG ]]; then
+      # Once we start running Bash 4.2 in all environments, we can replace the
+      # `! -z` flag with the more elegant `-v` which confirms that the variable
+      # is actually unset and not potentially set to a blank value.
+      if [[ ! -z "${CODEQL_ACTION_DID_AUTOBUILD_GOLANG}" ]]; then
         echo "Expected the Go autobuilder not to be run, but the" \
           "CODEQL_ACTION_DID_AUTOBUILD_GOLANG environment variable was set."
         exit 1