diff --git a/.github/actions/download_gmt_cache/action.yml b/.github/actions/download_gmt_cache/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..716f0398616
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/download_gmt_cache/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Download the cached GMT remote data files
+#
+# GMT downloads remote data files (e.g. Earth relief grids) on demand. To avoid
+# hitting the data servers in every job, the files are cached once by the
+# 'cache_data.yaml' workflow and uploaded as the 'gmt-cache' artifact. This action
+# downloads that artifact into the ~/.gmt directory.
+#
+# The job must check out the repository before using this action, and needs the
+# 'actions: read' permission to download artifacts from other workflow runs.
+name: Download GMT cache
+description: Download the cached GMT remote data files into the ~/.gmt directory.
+
+runs:
+  using: composite
+  steps:
+    - name: Download remote data from GitHub
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
+        # Download cached files to ~/.gmt directory and list them
+        gh run download --name gmt-cache --dir ~/.gmt/
+        # Change modification times of the two files, so GMT won't refresh it
+        touch ~/.gmt/gmt_data_server.txt ~/.gmt/gmt_hash_server.txt
+        ls -lhR ~/.gmt
+      env:
+        GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml b/.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml
index b8d4ad541f8..c1becd7f6f4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml
@@ -69,14 +69,7 @@ jobs:
 
       # Download cached remote files (artifacts) from GitHub
       - name: Download remote data from GitHub
-        run: |
-          # Download cached files to ~/.gmt directory and list them
-          gh run download --name gmt-cache --dir ~/.gmt/
-          # Change modification times of the two files, so GMT won't refresh it
-          touch ~/.gmt/gmt_data_server.txt ~/.gmt/gmt_hash_server.txt
-          ls -lhR ~/.gmt
-        env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        uses: ./.github/actions/download_gmt_cache
 
       # Install the package that we want to test
       - name: Install the package
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_docs.yml b/.github/workflows/ci_docs.yml
index 2200d7c35b0..d304230c95a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_docs.yml
@@ -123,14 +123,7 @@ jobs:
 
       # Download cached remote files (artifacts) from GitHub
       - name: Download remote data from GitHub
-        run: |
-          # Download cached files to ~/.gmt directory and list them
-          gh run download --name gmt-cache --dir ~/.gmt/
-          # Change modification times of the two files, so GMT won't refresh it
-          touch ~/.gmt/gmt_data_server.txt ~/.gmt/gmt_hash_server.txt
-          ls -lhR ~/.gmt
-        env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        uses: ./.github/actions/download_gmt_cache
 
       # Install the package that we want to test
       - name: Install the package
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_doctests.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci_doctests.yaml
index bad35d2bb1a..3c53bce5d78 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_doctests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_doctests.yaml
@@ -69,14 +69,7 @@ jobs:
 
       # Download cached remote files (artifacts) from GitHub
       - name: Download remote data from GitHub
-        run: |
-          # Download cached files to ~/.gmt directory and list them
-          gh run download --name gmt-cache --dir ~/.gmt/
-          # Change modification times of the two files, so GMT won't refresh it
-          touch ~/.gmt/gmt_data_server.txt ~/.gmt/gmt_hash_server.txt
-          ls -lhR ~/.gmt
-        env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        uses: ./.github/actions/download_gmt_cache
 
       # Install the package that we want to test
       - name: Install the package
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci_tests.yaml
index 68faa79a394..4fb1ee75f37 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_tests.yaml
@@ -145,14 +145,7 @@ jobs:
 
       # Download cached remote files (artifacts) from GitHub
       - name: Download remote data from GitHub
-        run: |
-          # Download files to ~/.gmt directory and list them
-          gh run download --name gmt-cache --dir ~/.gmt/
-          # Change modification times of the two files, so GMT won't refresh it
-          touch ~/.gmt/gmt_data_server.txt ~/.gmt/gmt_hash_server.txt
-          ls -lhR ~/.gmt
-        env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        uses: ./.github/actions/download_gmt_cache
 
       # Install the package that we want to test
       - name: Install the package
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_tests_dev.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci_tests_dev.yaml
index 9a46e59563f..f6af14b2744 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_tests_dev.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_tests_dev.yaml
@@ -156,14 +156,7 @@ jobs:
 
       # Download cached remote files (artifacts) from GitHub
       - name: Download remote data from GitHub
-        run: |
-          # Download cached files to ~/.gmt directory and list them
-          gh run download --name gmt-cache --dir ~/.gmt/
-          # Change modification times of the two files, so GMT won't refresh it
-          touch ~/.gmt/gmt_data_server.txt ~/.gmt/gmt_hash_server.txt
-          ls -lhR ~/.gmt
-        env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        uses: ./.github/actions/download_gmt_cache
 
       # Install the package that we want to test
       - name: Install the package
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_tests_legacy.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci_tests_legacy.yaml
index d73e10bd808..bf3306abc13 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_tests_legacy.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_tests_legacy.yaml
@@ -80,14 +80,7 @@ jobs:
 
       # Download cached remote files (artifacts) from GitHub
       - name: Download remote data from GitHub
-        run: |
-          # Download cached files to ~/.gmt directory and list them
-          gh run download --name gmt-cache --dir ~/.gmt/
-          # Change modification times of the two files, so GMT won't refresh it.
-          touch ~/.gmt/gmt_data_server.txt ~/.gmt/gmt_hash_server.txt
-          ls -lhR ~/.gmt
-        env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        uses: ./.github/actions/download_gmt_cache
 
       # Install the package that we want to test
       - name: Install the package