diff --git a/.github/scripts/generate-lockfile.sh b/.github/scripts/generate-lockfile.sh
index 11a505f..11ec856 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/generate-lockfile.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/generate-lockfile.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ set -e
 
 # allow overriding cargo binary
 : "${CARGO_BIN:=cargo}"
+echo "\`$CARGO_BIN --version\`: $($CARGO_BIN --version)"
+: "${CARGO_STABLE_BIN:=cargo +stable}"
+echo "\`$CARGO_STABLE_BIN --version\`: $($CARGO_STABLE_BIN --version)"
 
 RESOLVER_V3_MIN_VERSION='1.84.0'
 VERSION="$($CARGO_BIN --version | cut -d' ' -f2)"
@@ -19,12 +22,10 @@ LOWER_VERSION="$(echo -e "$RESOLVER_V3_MIN_VERSION\n$VERSION" | sort --version-s
 if [[ "$LOWER_VERSION" == "$RESOLVER_V3_MIN_VERSION" ]]; then
     $CARGO_BIN generate-lockfile
 else
+    # generate lockfile with resolver v3 using stable toolchain
+    $CARGO_STABLE_BIN generate-lockfile
+
+    # then make it MSRV-compatible
     # must declare workspace resolver, or it defaults to v1
     sed -Ei '/resolver ?=/ s/3/2/' Cargo.toml
-
-    $CARGO_BIN generate-lockfile
-
-    # manually downgrade dependencies to compatible versions
-    $CARGO_BIN update --package phf --precise 0.13.1
-    $CARGO_BIN update --package unicode-segmentation --precise 1.12.0
 fi
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index 8472770..0ef7eac 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -42,6 +42,14 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v7
 
+      # needed for generating lockfile using resolver v3
+      - name: Install stable Rust
+        if: ${{ matrix.rust == needs.get-msrv.outputs.msrv }}
+        uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@master
+        with:
+          toolchain: stable
+
+      # this overrides the default toolchain from the previous step
       - name: Install Rust
         uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@master
         with: