diff --git a/.github/workflows/posix.yml b/.github/workflows/posix.yml
index 13745f080..0ca8e513f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/posix.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/posix.yml
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ jobs:
         GITHUB_TOKEN: "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}"
       if: "github.ref != 'refs/heads/master'"
 
-  macOS:
+  expects-macos:
     runs-on: macos-10.15
     env:
       CFLAGS: -DCLI_COAP_SECURE_USE_COAP_DEFAULT_HANDLER=1 -DOPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MLE_MAX_CHILDREN=15 -DOPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_SCAN_DURATION=500
@@ -63,6 +63,78 @@ jobs:
         host ipv6.google.com ::1
         OT_OPTIONS=-DOT_READLINE=OFF OT_NATIVE_IP=1 OT_NODE_TYPE=rcp-cli ./script/test clean build expect
 
+  expects-linux:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-18.04
+    env:
+      CFLAGS: -DCLI_COAP_SECURE_USE_COAP_DEFAULT_HANDLER=1 -DOPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MLE_MAX_CHILDREN=15
+      CXXFLAGS: -DCLI_COAP_SECURE_USE_COAP_DEFAULT_HANDLER=1 -DOPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MLE_MAX_CHILDREN=15
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+    - name: Bootstrap
+      run: |
+        sudo apt-get --no-install-recommends install -y expect ninja-build lcov socat
+    - name: Run RCP Mode
+      run: |
+        ulimit -c unlimited
+        ./script/test prepare_coredump_upload
+        OT_OPTIONS='-DOT_READLINE=OFF -DOT_FULL_LOGS=ON -DOT_LOG_OUTPUT=PLATFORM_DEFINED' VIRTUAL_TIME=0 OT_NODE_TYPE=rcp ./script/test build expect
+    - name: Check Crash
+      if: ${{ failure() }}
+      run: |
+          CRASHED=$(./script/test check_crash | tail -1)
+          [[ $CRASHED -eq "1" ]] && echo "Crashed!" || echo "Not crashed."
+          echo "CRASHED_RCP=$CRASHED" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
+      if: ${{ failure() && env.CRASHED_RCP == '1' }}
+      with:
+        name: core-expect-rcp
+        path: |
+          ./ot-core-dump/*
+    - name: Generate Coverage
+      run: |
+        ./script/test generate_coverage gcc
+    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
+      with:
+        name: cov-expects-linux-1
+        path: tmp/coverage.info
+    - name: Run TUN Mode
+      run: |
+        sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/* && sudo apt-get update
+        sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y dnsmasq bind9-host ntp
+        sudo systemctl start dnsmasq ntp
+        host ipv6.google.com 127.0.0.1
+        echo 'listen-address=::1' | sudo tee /etc/dnsmasq.conf
+        echo 0 | sudo tee /proc/sys/net/ipv6/conf/all/disable_ipv6
+        sudo systemctl restart dnsmasq
+        host ipv6.google.com ::1
+        ulimit -c unlimited
+        ./script/test prepare_coredump_upload
+        OT_OPTIONS='-DOT_READLINE=OFF -DOT_FULL_LOGS=ON -DOT_LOG_OUTPUT=PLATFORM_DEFINED' OT_NATIVE_IP=1 VIRTUAL_TIME=0 OT_NODE_TYPE=rcp ./script/test clean build expect
+    - name: Check Crash
+      if: ${{ failure() }}
+      run: |
+          CRASHED=$(./script/test check_crash | tail -1)
+          [[ $CRASHED -eq "1" ]] && echo "Crashed!" || echo "Not crashed."
+          echo "CRASHED_TUN=$CRASHED" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
+      if: ${{ failure() && env.CRASHED_TUN == '1' }}
+      with:
+        name: core-expect-posix
+        path: |
+          ./ot-core-dump/*
+    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
+      if: ${{ failure() }}
+      with:
+        name: syslog-expect-posix
+        path: /var/log/syslog
+    - name: Generate Coverage
+      run: |
+        ./script/test generate_coverage gcc
+    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
+      with:
+        name: cov-expects-linux-2
+        path: tmp/coverage.info
+
   posix-cli:
     runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
     env:
@@ -243,6 +315,7 @@ jobs:
 
   upload-coverage:
     needs:
+    - expects-linux
     - posix-cli
     - posix-ncp
     - posix-ncp-rcp-migrate
diff --git a/.github/workflows/simulation.yml b/.github/workflows/simulation.yml
index ce943c178..bc7799ccd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/simulation.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/simulation.yml
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ jobs:
         ./script/test generate_coverage gcc
     - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
       with:
-        name: cov-cli-mtd
+        name: cov-cli-mtd-${{ matrix.message_use_heap }}
         path: tmp/coverage.info
 
   cli-time-sync:
@@ -286,8 +286,6 @@ jobs:
       CXXFLAGS: -DCLI_COAP_SECURE_USE_COAP_DEFAULT_HANDLER=1 -DOPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MLE_MAX_CHILDREN=15
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v2
-      with:
-        submodules: true
     - name: Bootstrap
       run: |
         sudo apt-get --no-install-recommends install -y expect ninja-build lcov socat
@@ -313,68 +311,7 @@ jobs:
         ./script/test generate_coverage gcc
     - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
       with:
-        name: cov-expects-1
-        path: tmp/coverage.info
-    - name: Run RCP Mode
-      run: |
-        ulimit -c unlimited
-        ./script/test prepare_coredump_upload
-        OT_OPTIONS='-DOT_READLINE=OFF -DOT_FULL_LOGS=ON -DOT_LOG_OUTPUT=PLATFORM_DEFINED' VIRTUAL_TIME=0 OT_NODE_TYPE=rcp ./script/test clean build expect
-    - name: Check Crash
-      if: ${{ failure() }}
-      run: |
-          CRASHED=$(./script/test check_crash | tail -1)
-          [[ $CRASHED -eq "1" ]] && echo "Crashed!" || echo "Not crashed."
-          echo "CRASHED_RCP=$CRASHED" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
-      if: ${{ failure() && env.CRASHED_RCP == '1' }}
-      with:
-        name: core-expect-rcp
-        path: |
-          ./ot-core-dump/*
-    - name: Generate Coverage
-      run: |
-        ./script/test generate_coverage gcc
-    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
-      with:
-        name: cov-expects-2
-        path: tmp/coverage.info
-    - name: Run TUN Mode
-      run: |
-        sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/* && sudo apt-get update
-        sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y dnsmasq bind9-host ntp
-        sudo systemctl start dnsmasq ntp
-        host ipv6.google.com 127.0.0.1
-        echo 'listen-address=::1' | sudo tee /etc/dnsmasq.conf
-        echo 0 | sudo tee /proc/sys/net/ipv6/conf/all/disable_ipv6
-        sudo systemctl restart dnsmasq
-        host ipv6.google.com ::1
-        ulimit -c unlimited
-        ./script/test prepare_coredump_upload
-        OT_OPTIONS='-DOT_READLINE=OFF -DOT_FULL_LOGS=ON -DOT_LOG_OUTPUT=PLATFORM_DEFINED' OT_NATIVE_IP=1 VIRTUAL_TIME=0 OT_NODE_TYPE=rcp ./script/test clean build expect
-    - name: Check Crash
-      if: ${{ failure() }}
-      run: |
-          CRASHED=$(./script/test check_crash | tail -1)
-          [[ $CRASHED -eq "1" ]] && echo "Crashed!" || echo "Not crashed."
-          echo "CRASHED_TUN=$CRASHED" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
-      if: ${{ failure() && env.CRASHED_TUN == '1' }}
-      with:
-        name: core-expect-posix
-        path: |
-          ./ot-core-dump/*
-    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
-      if: ${{ failure() }}
-      with:
-        name: syslog-expect-posix
-        path: /var/log/syslog
-    - name: Generate Coverage
-      run: |
-        ./script/test generate_coverage gcc
-    - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
-      with:
-        name: cov-expects-3
+        name: cov-expects
         path: tmp/coverage.info
 
   external-commissioner: