diff --git a/.github/workflows/conformance.yml b/.github/workflows/conformance.yml
index f653c1a0f..a61d9f2b1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/conformance.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/conformance.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,32 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/conformance.yml'
 
 jobs:
+  # Does this pull request's own diff touch the paths below? This forge matches a
+  # workflow's `paths:` against the push, so a merge of main into a branch fires the
+  # workflow whatever the pull request changes; every job here waits on this answer.
+  # A push to main, a schedule, or anything the script cannot determine answers
+  # `true` (scripts/pr-touches-paths.py).
+  relevant:
+    name: does this change touch it
+    runs-on: linux-arm64
+    outputs:
+      run: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.run }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: gate
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          r=$(python3 scripts/pr-touches-paths.py .github/workflows/conformance.yml \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")
+          echo "this change touches conformance: $r"
+          echo "run=$r" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   validate-json:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: Validate conformance JSON files
     runs-on: linux
     steps:
@@ -110,6 +135,8 @@ jobs:
   # language, so a mistake shared by the generator and its own verifier still
   # fails here. Standard library only: nothing to install beyond python3.
   crosscheck:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: Second implementation reproduces every vector
     runs-on: linux
     steps:
@@ -130,9 +157,10 @@ jobs:
         run: python3 smart-byte/conformance/crosscheck/verify_v1.py smart-byte/conformance/v1
 
   spec-vector-coupling:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true' && (github.event_name == 'pull_request')
     name: Spec changes require vector-pack updates
     runs-on: linux
-    if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
     steps:
       - name: Checkout (with full history for diff)
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -176,6 +204,8 @@ jobs:
           echo "coupling check passed (spec_touched=$spec_touched, conformance_touched=$conformance_touched)"
 
   versions-present:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: VERSIONS.md and README.md must exist
     runs-on: linux
     steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wai-byte-equality.yml b/.github/workflows/wai-byte-equality.yml
index 7b6aea5f0..feaad6d1e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wai-byte-equality.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wai-byte-equality.yml
@@ -112,7 +112,32 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/wai-byte-equality.yml'
 
 jobs:
+  # Does this pull request's own diff touch the paths below? This forge matches a
+  # workflow's `paths:` against the push, so a merge of main into a branch fires the
+  # workflow whatever the pull request changes; every job here waits on this answer.
+  # A push to main, a schedule, or anything the script cannot determine answers
+  # `true` (scripts/pr-touches-paths.py).
+  relevant:
+    name: does this change touch it
+    runs-on: linux-arm64
+    outputs:
+      run: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.run }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: gate
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          r=$(python3 scripts/pr-touches-paths.py .github/workflows/wai-byte-equality.yml \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")
+          echo "this change touches wai-byte-equality: $r"
+          echo "run=$r" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   byte-equality:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: ${{ matrix.label }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wai-conformance.yml b/.github/workflows/wai-conformance.yml
index 3f79cce22..281ab55f5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wai-conformance.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wai-conformance.yml
@@ -116,7 +116,32 @@ on:
 # their pwsh steps stay, inactive, so restoring a leg is a one-line change.
 
 jobs:
+  # Does this pull request's own diff touch the paths below? This forge matches a
+  # workflow's `paths:` against the push, so a merge of main into a branch fires the
+  # workflow whatever the pull request changes; every job here waits on this answer.
+  # A push to main, a schedule, or anything the script cannot determine answers
+  # `true` (scripts/pr-touches-paths.py).
+  relevant:
+    name: does this change touch it
+    runs-on: linux-arm64
+    outputs:
+      run: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.run }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: gate
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          r=$(python3 scripts/pr-touches-paths.py .github/workflows/wai-conformance.yml \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")
+          echo "this change touches wai-conformance: $r"
+          echo "run=$r" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   cargo-classes:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: cargo-class corpora · ${{ matrix.os }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
@@ -530,6 +555,8 @@ jobs:
   # One leg: wasm32 is the same machine on every host. Linux, so it does not queue on the
   # single macOS runner.
   quantum-wasip2:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: quantum core and corpus under wasm32-wasip2 (wasmtime)
     runs-on: linux
     # The fabric's planner test runs fabric-v1 under every planner configuration in a
@@ -675,6 +702,8 @@ jobs:
   # rejected; a media value no revision lists is accepted). One leg: RDF tooling,
   # not arithmetic. The tool versions are pinned.
   vocab-shapes:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: v2 vocabulary · manifests validate as stated
     runs-on: linux
     steps:
@@ -703,6 +732,8 @@ jobs:
   # Each exits non-zero on any failure or any difference, and the step fails with it.
   # One platform: what they check is the reading of the text, not the architecture.
   independent-verifiers:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: independent verifiers · claims, JWP, key discovery and integer payloads (Python)
     runs-on: linux
     steps:
@@ -861,6 +892,8 @@ jobs:
   # the expected strings back as dictionary, query and header shards, and validates every
   # report with no error. One platform: string encoding, not arithmetic.
   telemetry-differential:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: delivery telemetry · CMCD and CMSD against an independent library
     runs-on: linux
     steps:
@@ -877,6 +910,8 @@ jobs:
           node differential.mjs ..
 
   byte-exact:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: cross-arch byte-equality · ${{ matrix.os }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
@@ -922,6 +957,8 @@ jobs:
   # is how the wrappers treat hostile bytes and where their limits fall, which is the
   # same code on every host. A missing library fails the build step by name.
   codec-wrappers:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: codec wrappers · fuzz smoke, text decode limits, C entry points, provenance, the semantic path
     runs-on: macos
     steps:
@@ -1000,6 +1037,8 @@ jobs:
   # this job proves is that the manifest is still well-formed, still carries the three
   # assertions, and still validates — which is architecture-independent.
   c2pa-emitter:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: C2PA manifest emission · signed, read back, validated
     runs-on: linux
     steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wai-energy-receipts.yml b/.github/workflows/wai-energy-receipts.yml
index f0dc3538e..d7ca3b974 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wai-energy-receipts.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wai-energy-receipts.yml
@@ -120,7 +120,32 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/wai-energy-receipts.yml'
 
 jobs:
+  # Does this pull request's own diff touch the paths below? This forge matches a
+  # workflow's `paths:` against the push, so a merge of main into a branch fires the
+  # workflow whatever the pull request changes; every job here waits on this answer.
+  # A push to main, a schedule, or anything the script cannot determine answers
+  # `true` (scripts/pr-touches-paths.py).
+  relevant:
+    name: does this change touch it
+    runs-on: linux-arm64
+    outputs:
+      run: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.run }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: gate
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          r=$(python3 scripts/pr-touches-paths.py .github/workflows/wai-energy-receipts.yml \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")
+          echo "this change touches wai-energy-receipts: $r"
+          echo "run=$r" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   energy-receipts:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: energy receipts · ${{ matrix.os }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wai-formal-verification.yml b/.github/workflows/wai-formal-verification.yml
index 8b4c92936..5a2a6eb39 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wai-formal-verification.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wai-formal-verification.yml
@@ -88,10 +88,35 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/wai-formal-verification.yml'
 
 jobs:
+  # Does this pull request's own diff touch the paths below? This forge matches a
+  # workflow's `paths:` against the push, so a merge of main into a branch fires the
+  # workflow whatever the pull request changes; every job here waits on this answer.
+  # A push to main, a schedule, or anything the script cannot determine answers
+  # `true` (scripts/pr-touches-paths.py).
+  relevant:
+    name: does this change touch it
+    runs-on: linux-arm64
+    outputs:
+      run: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.run }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: gate
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          r=$(python3 scripts/pr-touches-paths.py .github/workflows/wai-formal-verification.yml \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")
+          echo "this change touches wai-formal-verification: $r"
+          echo "run=$r" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   # Every harness the host compiles runs in exactly one shard of the matrix below:
   # one no shard runs would be compiled and never checked. No toolchain is needed;
   # the script reads the included sources and this file.
   shards:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: every harness in one shard
     runs-on: linux
     timeout-minutes: 10
@@ -106,6 +131,8 @@ jobs:
         run: python3 -I wai/wai-verify/check_shards.py .
 
   kani:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: kani (${{ matrix.shard }})
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     timeout-minutes: 120
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wai-jpegai-e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/wai-jpegai-e2e.yml
index 1890a3c91..aafbe3d8a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wai-jpegai-e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wai-jpegai-e2e.yml
@@ -165,7 +165,32 @@ on:
     - cron: '41 6 * * 1'
 
 jobs:
+  # Does this pull request's own diff touch the paths below? This forge matches a
+  # workflow's `paths:` against the push, so a merge of main into a branch fires the
+  # workflow whatever the pull request changes; every job here waits on this answer.
+  # A push to main, a schedule, or anything the script cannot determine answers
+  # `true` (scripts/pr-touches-paths.py).
+  relevant:
+    name: does this change touch it
+    runs-on: linux-arm64
+    outputs:
+      run: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.run }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: gate
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          r=$(python3 scripts/pr-touches-paths.py .github/workflows/wai-jpegai-e2e.yml \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")
+          echo "this change touches wai-jpegai-e2e: $r"
+          echo "run=$r" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   jpegai-e2e:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: fetch pinned JPEG-AI inputs → whole decode + pixel hash, required
     runs-on: linux
     timeout-minutes: 30
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wai-neural-e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/wai-neural-e2e.yml
index 756775242..159b53f10 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wai-neural-e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wai-neural-e2e.yml
@@ -47,7 +47,32 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/wai-neural-e2e.yml'
 
 jobs:
+  # Does this pull request's own diff touch the paths below? This forge matches a
+  # workflow's `paths:` against the push, so a merge of main into a branch fires the
+  # workflow whatever the pull request changes; every job here waits on this answer.
+  # A push to main, a schedule, or anything the script cannot determine answers
+  # `true` (scripts/pr-touches-paths.py).
+  relevant:
+    name: does this change touch it
+    runs-on: linux-arm64
+    outputs:
+      run: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.run }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: gate
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          r=$(python3 scripts/pr-touches-paths.py .github/workflows/wai-neural-e2e.yml \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")
+          echo "this change touches wai-neural-e2e: $r"
+          echo "run=$r" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   neural-e2e:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: synthetic fixtures → Rust decode → reference (±4)
     runs-on: linux
     # The Rust decoders link `ort`, whose `download-binaries` feature pulls a
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wai-neural-gates.yml b/.github/workflows/wai-neural-gates.yml
index fbd817473..10dc19da3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wai-neural-gates.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wai-neural-gates.yml
@@ -133,7 +133,32 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/wai-neural-gates.yml'
 
 jobs:
+  # Does this pull request's own diff touch the paths below? This forge matches a
+  # workflow's `paths:` against the push, so a merge of main into a branch fires the
+  # workflow whatever the pull request changes; every job here waits on this answer.
+  # A push to main, a schedule, or anything the script cannot determine answers
+  # `true` (scripts/pr-touches-paths.py).
+  relevant:
+    name: does this change touch it
+    runs-on: linux-arm64
+    outputs:
+      run: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.run }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: gate
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          r=$(python3 scripts/pr-touches-paths.py .github/workflows/wai-neural-gates.yml \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")
+          echo "this change touches wai-neural-gates: $r"
+          echo "run=$r" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   neural-gates:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: model-free refusals of the neural sink
     runs-on: linux
     # The ONNX Runtime binary the `ort` crate downloads needs glibc 2.38 and a
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wai-ops.yml b/.github/workflows/wai-ops.yml
index 9dc7da721..233414008 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wai-ops.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wai-ops.yml
@@ -75,7 +75,32 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/wai-ops.yml'
 
 jobs:
+  # Does this pull request's own diff touch the paths below? This forge matches a
+  # workflow's `paths:` against the push, so a merge of main into a branch fires the
+  # workflow whatever the pull request changes; every job here waits on this answer.
+  # A push to main, a schedule, or anything the script cannot determine answers
+  # `true` (scripts/pr-touches-paths.py).
+  relevant:
+    name: does this change touch it
+    runs-on: linux-arm64
+    outputs:
+      run: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.run }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: gate
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          r=$(python3 scripts/pr-touches-paths.py .github/workflows/wai-ops.yml \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")
+          echo "this change touches wai-ops: $r"
+          echo "run=$r" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   native:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: ${{ matrix.label }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     timeout-minutes: 40
@@ -163,6 +188,8 @@ jobs:
             --check $C/c6a362696d61605931ef4da98ae630362dcd73ea6be7864db6e61d6c5abbcd24.json
 
   wasip2:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: wasm32-wasip2 (wasmtime)
     runs-on: linux
     timeout-minutes: 30
@@ -215,6 +242,8 @@ jobs:
           wasmtime run --dir .::/wai wai-verify/target/wasm32-wasip2/release/wai-verify.wasm vectors verify /wai
 
   node:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: wasm32 under Node
     runs-on: linux
     timeout-minutes: 30
@@ -247,6 +276,8 @@ jobs:
         run: node verify.mjs target/wasm32-unknown-unknown/release/wai_ops_node.wasm ../../ops-conformance
 
   checker:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: independent checker (Python)
     runs-on: linux
     timeout-minutes: 20
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wai-quantum-webgpu.yml b/.github/workflows/wai-quantum-webgpu.yml
index dc3bf3178..1429f9218 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wai-quantum-webgpu.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wai-quantum-webgpu.yml
@@ -89,7 +89,32 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/wai-quantum-webgpu.yml'
 
 jobs:
+  # Does this pull request's own diff touch the paths below? This forge matches a
+  # workflow's `paths:` against the push, so a merge of main into a branch fires the
+  # workflow whatever the pull request changes; every job here waits on this answer.
+  # A push to main, a schedule, or anything the script cannot determine answers
+  # `true` (scripts/pr-touches-paths.py).
+  relevant:
+    name: does this change touch it
+    runs-on: linux-arm64
+    outputs:
+      run: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.run }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: gate
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          r=$(python3 scripts/pr-touches-paths.py .github/workflows/wai-quantum-webgpu.yml \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")
+          echo "this change touches wai-quantum-webgpu: $r"
+          echo "run=$r" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   checks:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: shader checks · browser build · wasip2 inertness · MSRV
     runs-on: linux
     timeout-minutes: 60
@@ -165,6 +190,8 @@ jobs:
             || { echo "::error::the member's unit test did not run"; exit 1; }
 
   member-software:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: member · software Vulkan (linux)
     runs-on: linux
     timeout-minutes: 120
@@ -205,6 +232,8 @@ jobs:
             || { echo "::error::the meter's device test found no adapter, so it checked nothing"; exit 1; }
 
   member-metal:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: member · Metal (macos)
     runs-on: macos
     timeout-minutes: 90
@@ -242,6 +271,8 @@ jobs:
             || { echo "::error::the tool ran no window on the CPU reference"; exit 1; }
 
   member-hw:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: member · discrete GPU, Vulkan (jetson-hub)
     runs-on: linux-hw
     timeout-minutes: 150
@@ -278,6 +309,8 @@ jobs:
         run: CARGO_TARGET_DIR="$HOME/hw-target/wai-rs" nice -n 10 cargo run --locked --no-default-features --features quantum_fabric_webgpu --bin wai_quantum_vectors -- verify ../quantum-conformance --webgpu
 
   browser:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: member · browser WebGPU (macos)
     runs-on: macos
     timeout-minutes: 60
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wai-sota-vectors.yml b/.github/workflows/wai-sota-vectors.yml
index eaa3b589a..4ab59c4ec 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wai-sota-vectors.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wai-sota-vectors.yml
@@ -183,7 +183,32 @@ on:
     - cron: '17 6 * * 1'
 
 jobs:
+  # Does this pull request's own diff touch the paths below? This forge matches a
+  # workflow's `paths:` against the push, so a merge of main into a branch fires the
+  # workflow whatever the pull request changes; every job here waits on this answer.
+  # A push to main, a schedule, or anything the script cannot determine answers
+  # `true` (scripts/pr-touches-paths.py).
+  relevant:
+    name: does this change touch it
+    runs-on: linux-arm64
+    outputs:
+      run: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.run }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: gate
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          r=$(python3 scripts/pr-touches-paths.py .github/workflows/wai-sota-vectors.yml \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")
+          echo "this change touches wai-sota-vectors: $r"
+          echo "run=$r" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   sota-vectors:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: regenerate mbt2018_mean integer vectors → Rust decode, required
     # The `linux` runner is a docker executor on catthehacker/ubuntu:act-22.04
     # (glibc 2.35, no Rust). The Python half of this setup — setup-python 3.11,
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wai-vector.yml b/.github/workflows/wai-vector.yml
index e160b6535..1db17d08f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wai-vector.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wai-vector.yml
@@ -83,7 +83,32 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/wai-vector.yml'
 
 jobs:
+  # Does this pull request's own diff touch the paths below? This forge matches a
+  # workflow's `paths:` against the push, so a merge of main into a branch fires the
+  # workflow whatever the pull request changes; every job here waits on this answer.
+  # A push to main, a schedule, or anything the script cannot determine answers
+  # `true` (scripts/pr-touches-paths.py).
+  relevant:
+    name: does this change touch it
+    runs-on: linux-arm64
+    outputs:
+      run: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.run }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: gate
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          r=$(python3 scripts/pr-touches-paths.py .github/workflows/wai-vector.yml \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")
+          echo "this change touches wai-vector: $r"
+          echo "run=$r" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   native:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: ${{ matrix.label }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     timeout-minutes: 40
@@ -134,6 +159,8 @@ jobs:
         run: cargo build --locked --no-default-features --lib
 
   wasip2:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: wasm32-wasip2 (wasmtime)
     runs-on: linux
     timeout-minutes: 30
@@ -186,6 +213,8 @@ jobs:
           wasmtime run --dir .::/wai wai-vector/target/wasm32-wasip2/release/wai-vector.wasm vectors verify /wai
 
   node:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: wasm32 under Node
     runs-on: linux
     timeout-minutes: 30
@@ -218,6 +247,8 @@ jobs:
         run: node verify.mjs target/wasm32-unknown-unknown/release/wai_vector_wasm.wasm ../../vector-conformance
 
   browser:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: wasm32 in three browser engines
     runs-on: linux
     timeout-minutes: 45
@@ -299,6 +330,8 @@ jobs:
             ../../vector-conformance
 
   fuzz:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: fuzz, peak allocation, comparison count
     runs-on: linux
     timeout-minutes: 30
@@ -335,6 +368,8 @@ jobs:
         run: bash scripts/check-workflow-concurrency.sh
 
   checker:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: independent checker (Python)
     runs-on: linux
     timeout-minutes: 30
diff --git a/.github/workflows/wai-web-wasm.yml b/.github/workflows/wai-web-wasm.yml
index b7ad7982b..9b6257960 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wai-web-wasm.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wai-web-wasm.yml
@@ -91,7 +91,32 @@ on:
       - '.github/workflows/wai-web-wasm.yml'
 
 jobs:
+  # Does this pull request's own diff touch the paths below? This forge matches a
+  # workflow's `paths:` against the push, so a merge of main into a branch fires the
+  # workflow whatever the pull request changes; every job here waits on this answer.
+  # A push to main, a schedule, or anything the script cannot determine answers
+  # `true` (scripts/pr-touches-paths.py).
+  relevant:
+    name: does this change touch it
+    runs-on: linux-arm64
+    outputs:
+      run: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.run }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: gate
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          r=$(python3 scripts/pr-touches-paths.py .github/workflows/wai-web-wasm.yml \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}" \
+                "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}")
+          echo "this change touches wai-web-wasm: $r"
+          echo "run=$r" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   wasm32:
+    needs: relevant
+    if: needs.relevant.outputs.run == 'true'
     name: wai-web wasm32 build · corpus, menu and writers
     runs-on: linux
     timeout-minutes: 45
diff --git a/scripts/pr-touches-paths-selftest.sh b/scripts/pr-touches-paths-selftest.sh
index 9df21e099..f0c143849 100755
--- a/scripts/pr-touches-paths-selftest.sh
+++ b/scripts/pr-touches-paths-selftest.sh
@@ -67,4 +67,19 @@ echo z > "$repo/jcp/top.md"
 git -C "$repo" add -A >/dev/null; git -C "$repo" commit -qm top >/dev/null
 check "a single star matches at its own level" true "$(run "$tmp/star.yml" "$SUB" "$(git -C "$repo" rev-parse HEAD)")"
 
+# A comment or a blank line inside a list does not end it, and a trailing comment is not
+# part of a glob. (Lists with a comment used to be read only up to it, so a pull request
+# touching a path after the comment was answered `false` and its tests skipped.)
+cat > "$tmp/commented.yml" <<'Y'
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    paths:
+      - 'jcp/nothing-here/**'
+      # a comment between entries
+
+      - 'wai/wai-pack/**'   # and one after an entry
+Y
+check "a path listed after a comment and a blank line" true "$(run "$tmp/commented.yml" "$BASE" "$WAI")"
+check "and the list still says false for a diff outside it" false "$(run "$tmp/commented.yml" "$BASE" "$JCP")"
+
 [ "$fail" = 0 ] && echo "pr-touches-paths self-test: all cases pass" || { echo "pr-touches-paths self-test FAILED"; exit 1; }
diff --git a/scripts/pr-touches-paths.py b/scripts/pr-touches-paths.py
index 767d03bb5..b27b24d5c 100755
--- a/scripts/pr-touches-paths.py
+++ b/scripts/pr-touches-paths.py
@@ -39,12 +39,18 @@ def paths_of(workflow: Path) -> list[str]:
             in_paths = True
             continue
         if in_paths:
-            m = re.match(r"\s*-\s*'([^']+)'\s*$", line) or re.match(r'\s*-\s*"([^"]+)"\s*$', line)
+            stripped = line.strip()
+            # A comment or a blank line inside the list does not end it. (It used to:
+            # every glob after a list's first comment was dropped, and a pull request
+            # touching only those paths was answered `false`.)
+            if not stripped or stripped.startswith("#"):
+                continue
+            m = re.match(r"\s*-\s*'([^']+)'\s*(#.*)?$", line) or re.match(r'\s*-\s*"([^"]+)"\s*(#.*)?$', line)
             if m:
                 globs.append(m.group(1))
                 continue
-            if line.strip().startswith("- "):
-                globs.append(line.strip()[2:].strip())
+            if stripped.startswith("- "):
+                globs.append(re.sub(r"\s+#.*$", "", stripped[2:]).strip())
                 continue
             in_paths = False
     return globs