diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7dd9b87d..b8c6f760 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ test: manifests generate fmt vet envtest ginkgo ## Run tests.
 .PHONY: gowork
 gowork: export GOWORK=
 gowork: ## Generate go.work file to support our multi module repository
-	test -f go.work || go work init
+	test -f go.work || GOTOOLCHAIN=$(GOTOOLCHAIN_VERSION) go work init
 	go work use .
 	go work use ./api
 	go work sync
@@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ ENVTEST ?= $(LOCALBIN)/setup-envtest
 ## Tool Versions
 KUSTOMIZE_VERSION ?= v3.8.7
 CONTROLLER_TOOLS_VERSION ?= v0.11.1
+GOTOOLCHAIN_VERSION ?= go1.21.0
 
 KUSTOMIZE_INSTALL_SCRIPT ?= "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kubernetes-sigs/kustomize/master/hack/install_kustomize.sh"
 .PHONY: kustomize $(KUSTOMIZE)