diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs-check.yml b/.github/workflows/docs-check.yml
index d902154c10..b112b676f8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docs-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs-check.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ env:
   MDBOOK_VERSION: v0.5.4
 
 jobs:
-  build-and-freshness:
+  build-and-validation:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7
@@ -53,11 +53,10 @@ jobs:
           python3 scripts/check_docs.py
       - name: Check TypeScript fences
         run: cargo run --release --quiet -p perry-doc-tests -- --lint docs/src
-      - name: Check gettext catalogs are current
+      - name: Validate gettext catalogs
         run: |
-          ./docs/i18n.sh extract
-          ./docs/i18n.sh sync
-          git diff --exit-code -- docs/po
+          # Translation updates require review. Regenerating here rewrites
+          # obsolete entries and can drop existing translations (#10955).
           for catalog in docs/po/*.po; do
             msgfmt --check --check-format --statistics --output-file=/dev/null "$catalog"
           done
diff --git a/changelog.d/10972-docs-catalog-validation.md b/changelog.d/10972-docs-catalog-validation.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fc2de80f8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/10972-docs-catalog-validation.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+### Fixed
+
+- Docs checks now validate the committed gettext catalogs and build every translation without regenerating catalogs during CI. Translation refreshes remain a reviewed change, avoiding a permanently failing freshness diff and unintended loss of existing translations. (#10955)