diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index a0d900e0..3fbca13e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -18,36 +18,36 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        version: ['1.8', '1.9', '1.10.0-beta3', 'nightly']
+        version: ['1.8', '1.9', '1.10'] # 'nightly'
         os: [ubuntu-latest, macOS-latest, windows-latest]
         arch: [x64]
         llvm_args: ['']
         include:
           # starting with Julia 1.10, we can enable opaque pointers
-          - version: '1.10.0-beta3'
+          - version: '1.10'
             os: 'ubuntu-latest'
             arch: 'x64'
             llvm_args: '--opaque-pointers'
-          - version: '1.10.0-beta3'
+          - version: '1.10'
             os: 'macOS-latest'
             arch: 'x64'
             llvm_args: '--opaque-pointers'
-          - version: '1.10.0-beta3'
-            os: 'windows-latest'
-            arch: 'x64'
-            llvm_args: '--opaque-pointers'
-          - version: 'nightly'
-            os: 'ubuntu-latest'
-            arch: 'x64'
-            llvm_args: '--opaque-pointers'
-          - version: 'nightly'
-            os: 'macOS-latest'
-            arch: 'x64'
-            llvm_args: '--opaque-pointers'
-          - version: 'nightly'
+          - version: '1.10'
             os: 'windows-latest'
             arch: 'x64'
             llvm_args: '--opaque-pointers'
+          #- version: 'nightly'
+          #  os: 'ubuntu-latest'
+          #  arch: 'x64'
+          #  llvm_args: '--opaque-pointers'
+          #- version: 'nightly'
+          #  os: 'macOS-latest'
+          #  arch: 'x64'
+          #  llvm_args: '--opaque-pointers'
+          #- version: 'nightly'
+          #  os: 'windows-latest'
+          #  arch: 'x64'
+          #  llvm_args: '--opaque-pointers'
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
@@ -82,48 +82,48 @@ jobs:
           file: lcov.info
 
   # fetching builds from Buildkite with assertions enabled
-  assert_test:
-    name: Julia-master ${{ matrix.build }} ${{ matrix.llvm_args }}
-    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        build: ['x86_64-linux-gnuassert']
-        os: ['ubuntu-latest']
-        arch: ['x64']
-        llvm_args: ['', '--opaque-pointers']
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Download Julia
-        env:
-          BUILDKITE_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.BUILDKITE_TOKEN }}
-        run: |
-          ./.github/download_build.sh build_${{ matrix.build }} julia.tar.gz
-          tar -xf julia.tar.gz -C ../
-          rm julia.tar.gz
-          echo $PWD/../julia-*/bin >> $GITHUB_PATH
-
-      # set-up packages
-      - uses: actions/cache@v4
-        env:
-          cache-name: cache-artifacts
-        with:
-          path: ~/.julia/artifacts
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-test-${{ env.cache-name }}-${{ hashFiles('**/Project.toml') }}
-          restore-keys: |
-            ${{ runner.os }}-test-${{ env.cache-name }}-
-            ${{ runner.os }}-test-
-            ${{ runner.os }}-
-      - uses: julia-actions/julia-buildpkg@v1
-
-      - name: Run tests
-        uses: julia-actions/julia-runtest@v1
-        env:
-          JULIA_LLVM_ARGS: ${{ matrix.llvm_args }}
-
-      # post-process
-      - uses: julia-actions/julia-processcoverage@v1
-      - uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4
-        with:
-          file: lcov.info
+  #assert_test:
+  #  name: Julia-master ${{ matrix.build }} ${{ matrix.llvm_args }}
+  #  runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+  #  strategy:
+  #    fail-fast: false
+  #    matrix:
+  #      build: ['x86_64-linux-gnuassert']
+  #      os: ['ubuntu-latest']
+  #      arch: ['x64']
+  #      llvm_args: ['', '--opaque-pointers']
+  #  steps:
+  #    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+  #
+  #    - name: Download Julia
+  #      env:
+  #        BUILDKITE_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.BUILDKITE_TOKEN }}
+  #      run: |
+  #        ./.github/download_build.sh build_${{ matrix.build }} julia.tar.gz
+  #        tar -xf julia.tar.gz -C ../
+  #        rm julia.tar.gz
+  #        echo $PWD/../julia-*/bin >> $GITHUB_PATH
+  #
+  #    # set-up packages
+  #    - uses: actions/cache@v4
+  #      env:
+  #        cache-name: cache-artifacts
+  #      with:
+  #        path: ~/.julia/artifacts
+  #        key: ${{ runner.os }}-test-${{ env.cache-name }}-${{ hashFiles('**/Project.toml') }}
+  #        restore-keys: |
+  #          ${{ runner.os }}-test-${{ env.cache-name }}-
+  #          ${{ runner.os }}-test-
+  #          ${{ runner.os }}-
+  #    - uses: julia-actions/julia-buildpkg@v1
+  #
+  #    - name: Run tests
+  #      uses: julia-actions/julia-runtest@v1
+  #      env:
+  #        JULIA_LLVM_ARGS: ${{ matrix.llvm_args }}
+  #
+  #    # post-process
+  #    - uses: julia-actions/julia-processcoverage@v1
+  #    - uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4
+  #      with:
+  #        file: lcov.info
diff --git a/Project.toml b/Project.toml
index cfeb47e7..3ae5983e 100644
--- a/Project.toml
+++ b/Project.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 name = "GPUCompiler"
 uuid = "61eb1bfa-7361-4325-ad38-22787b887f55"
 authors = ["Tim Besard <tim.besard@gmail.com>"]
-version = "0.25.0"
+version = "0.26.0"
 
 [deps]
 ExprTools = "e2ba6199-217a-4e67-a87a-7c52f15ade04"
diff --git a/src/metal.jl b/src/metal.jl
index e82c9ade..b3e18159 100644
--- a/src/metal.jl
+++ b/src/metal.jl
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 # implementation of the GPUCompiler interfaces for generating Metal code
 
-const Metal_LLVM_Tools_jll = LazyModule("Metal_LLVM_Tools_jll", UUID("0418c028-ff8c-56b8-a53e-0f9676ed36fc"))
-
 ## target
 
 export MetalCompilerTarget
@@ -47,21 +45,11 @@ runtime_slug(job::CompilerJob{MetalCompilerTarget}) = "metal-macos$(job.config.t
 isintrinsic(@nospecialize(job::CompilerJob{MetalCompilerTarget}), fn::String) =
     return startswith(fn, "air.")
 
-const LLVMMETALFUNCCallConv   = LLVM.API.LLVMCallConv(102)
-const LLVMMETALKERNELCallConv = LLVM.API.LLVMCallConv(103)
-
 function finish_module!(@nospecialize(job::CompilerJob{MetalCompilerTarget}), mod::LLVM.Module, entry::LLVM.Function)
     entry_fn = LLVM.name(entry)
 
     # update calling conventions
-    for f in functions(mod)
-        #callconv!(f, LLVMMETALFUNCCallConv)
-        # XXX: this makes InstCombine erase kernel->func calls.
-        #      do we even need this? if we do, do so in metallib-instead.
-    end
     if job.config.kernel
-        callconv!(entry, LLVMMETALKERNELCallConv)
-
         entry = pass_by_reference!(job, mod, entry)
 
         add_input_arguments!(job, mod, entry)
@@ -110,6 +98,49 @@ function validate_ir(job::CompilerJob{MetalCompilerTarget}, mod::LLVM.Module)
     check_ir_values(mod, LLVM.DoubleType())
 end
 
+# hide `noreturn` function attributes, which cause issues with the back-end compiler,
+# probably because of thread-divergent control flow as we've encountered with CUDA.
+# note that it isn't enough to remove the function attribute, because the Metal LLVM
+# compiler re-optimizes and will rediscover the property. to avoid this, we inline
+# all functions that are marked noreturn, i.e., until LLVM cannot rediscover it.
+function hide_noreturn!(mod::LLVM.Module)
+    noreturn_attr = EnumAttribute("noreturn", 0)
+    noinline_attr = EnumAttribute("noinline", 0)
+    alwaysinline_attr = EnumAttribute("alwaysinline", 0)
+
+    any_noreturn = false
+    for f in functions(mod)
+        attrs = function_attributes(f)
+        if noreturn_attr in collect(attrs)
+            delete!(attrs, noreturn_attr)
+            delete!(attrs, noinline_attr)
+            push!(attrs, alwaysinline_attr)
+            any_noreturn = true
+        end
+    end
+    any_noreturn || return false
+
+    if use_newpm
+        @dispose pb=PassBuilder() mpm=NewPMModulePassManager(pb) begin
+            add!(mpm, AlwaysInlinerPass())
+            add!(mpm, NewPMFunctionPassManager) do fpm
+                add!(fpm, SimplifyCFGPass())
+                add!(fpm, InstCombinePass())
+            end
+            run!(mpm, mod)
+        end
+    else
+        @dispose pm=ModulePassManager() begin
+            always_inliner!(pm)
+            cfgsimplification!(pm)
+            instruction_combining!(pm)
+            run!(pm, mod)
+        end
+    end
+
+    return true
+end
+
 function finish_ir!(@nospecialize(job::CompilerJob{MetalCompilerTarget}), mod::LLVM.Module,
                                   entry::LLVM.Function)
     entry_fn = LLVM.name(entry)
@@ -121,6 +152,8 @@ function finish_ir!(@nospecialize(job::CompilerJob{MetalCompilerTarget}), mod::L
         add_argument_metadata!(job, mod, entry)
 
         add_module_metadata!(job, mod)
+
+        hide_noreturn!(mod)
     end
 
     # lower LLVM intrinsics that AIR doesn't support
@@ -154,73 +187,8 @@ end
 
 @unlocked function mcgen(job::CompilerJob{MetalCompilerTarget}, mod::LLVM.Module,
                          format=LLVM.API.LLVMObjectFile)
-    strip_debuginfo!(mod)  # XXX: is this needed?
-
-    # hide `noreturn` function attributes, which cause issues with the back-end compiler,
-    # probably because of thread-divergent control flow as we've encountered with CUDA.
-    # note that it isn't enough to remove the function attribute, because the Metal LLVM
-    # compiler re-optimizes and will rediscover the property. to avoid this, we inline
-    # all functions that are marked noreturn, i.e., until LLVM cannot rediscover it.
-    let
-        noreturn_attr = EnumAttribute("noreturn", 0)
-        noinline_attr = EnumAttribute("noinline", 0)
-        alwaysinline_attr = EnumAttribute("alwaysinline", 0)
-
-        any_noreturn = false
-        for f in functions(mod)
-            attrs = function_attributes(f)
-            if noreturn_attr in collect(attrs)
-                delete!(attrs, noreturn_attr)
-                delete!(attrs, noinline_attr)
-                push!(attrs, alwaysinline_attr)
-                any_noreturn = true
-            end
-        end
-
-        if any_noreturn
-            if use_newpm
-                @dispose pb=PassBuilder() mpm=NewPMModulePassManager(pb) begin
-                    add!(mpm, AlwaysInlinerPass())
-                    add!(mpm, NewPMFunctionPassManager) do fpm
-                        add!(fpm, SimplifyCFGPass())
-                        add!(fpm, InstCombinePass())
-                    end
-                    run!(mpm, mod)
-                end
-            else
-                @dispose pm=ModulePassManager() begin
-                    always_inliner!(pm)
-                    cfgsimplification!(pm)
-                    instruction_combining!(pm)
-                    run!(pm, mod)
-                end
-            end
-        end
-    end
-
-    # translate to metallib
-    input = tempname(cleanup=false) * ".bc"
-    translated = tempname(cleanup=false) * ".metallib"
-    write(input, mod)
-    let cmd = `$(Metal_LLVM_Tools_jll.metallib_as()) -o $translated $input`
-        proc = run(ignorestatus(cmd))
-        if !success(proc)
-            error("""Failed to translate LLVM code to MetalLib.
-                     If you think this is a bug, please file an issue and attach $(input).""")
-        end
-    end
-
-    output = if format == LLVM.API.LLVMObjectFile
-        read(translated)
-    else
-        # disassemble
-        read(`$(Metal_LLVM_Tools_jll.metallib_dis()) -o - $translated`, String)
-    end
-
-    rm(input)
-    rm(translated)
-
-    return output
+    # our LLVM version does not support emitting Metal libraries
+    return nothing
 end
 
 
diff --git a/test/Project.toml b/test/Project.toml
index c8fa51a6..ebfd27d3 100644
--- a/test/Project.toml
+++ b/test/Project.toml
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ Aqua = "4c88cf16-eb10-579e-8560-4a9242c79595"
 Cthulhu = "f68482b8-f384-11e8-15f7-abe071a5a75f"
 InteractiveUtils = "b77e0a4c-d291-57a0-90e8-8db25a27a240"
 LLVM = "929cbde3-209d-540e-8aea-75f648917ca0"
-Metal_LLVM_Tools_jll = "0418c028-ff8c-56b8-a53e-0f9676ed36fc"
 REPL = "3fa0cd96-eef1-5676-8a61-b3b8758bbffb"
 ReTestItems = "817f1d60-ba6b-4fd5-9520-3cf149f6a823"
 SPIRV_LLVM_Translator_unified_jll = "85f0d8ed-5b39-5caa-b1ae-7472de402361"
diff --git a/test/metal_tests.jl b/test/metal_tests.jl
index 81978486..6a6efd5b 100644
--- a/test/metal_tests.jl
+++ b/test/metal_tests.jl
@@ -1,23 +1,12 @@
 @testitem "Metal" setup=[Metal, Helpers] begin
 
-using Metal_LLVM_Tools_jll, LLVM
+using LLVM
 
 ############################################################################################
 
 @testset "IR" begin
 
 @testset "kernel functions" begin
-@testset "calling convention" begin
-    kernel() = return
-
-    ir = sprint(io->Metal.code_llvm(io, kernel, Tuple{}; dump_module=true))
-    @test !occursin("cc103", ir)
-
-    ir = sprint(io->Metal.code_llvm(io, kernel, Tuple{};
-                                    dump_module=true, kernel=true))
-    @test occursin("cc103", ir)
-end
-
 @testset "byref aggregates" begin
     kernel(x) = return
 
@@ -94,21 +83,4 @@ end
 
 end
 
-############################################################################################
-
-Sys.isapple() && @testset "asm" begin
-
-@testset "smoke test" begin
-    kernel() = return
-
-    asm = sprint(io->Metal.code_native(io, kernel, Tuple{};
-                                    dump_module=true, kernel=true))
-    @test occursin("[header]", asm)
-    @test occursin("[program]", asm)
-    @test occursin(r"name: \w*kernel\w*", asm)
-    @test occursin(r"define void @\w*kernel\w*", asm)
-end
-
-end
-
 end