diff --git a/.github/workflows/node-matrix.yml b/.github/workflows/node-matrix.yml
index 8297666c5..2a2deea3b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/node-matrix.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/node-matrix.yml
@@ -165,7 +165,16 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@93cb6efe18208431cddfb8368fd83d5badbf9bfd  # v5.0.1
         with:
           persist-credentials: false
+      # The 23.x/25.x legs miss the actions/node-versions manifest and fetch nodejs.org/dist
+      # live, where setup-node retries only 5xx (actions/setup-node#1136) — a DNS/reset blip
+      # kills the leg with no diagnostic and reddens trunk on a non-nub cause. Retry once.
       - uses: actions/setup-node@a0853c24544627f65ddf259abe73b1d18a591444  # v5
+        id: setup-node
+        continue-on-error: true
+        with:
+          node-version: ${{ matrix.node }}
+      - if: steps.setup-node.outcome == 'failure'
+        uses: actions/setup-node@a0853c24544627f65ddf259abe73b1d18a591444  # v5
         with:
           node-version: ${{ matrix.node }}
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@d3f86a106a0bac45b974a628896c90dbdf5c8093  # v4