diff --git a/.github/workflows/engine-client.yml b/.github/workflows/engine-client.yml
index 01c2679eac..5bbbf25fb0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/engine-client.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/engine-client.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ on:
     paths:
       - "crates/engine-client/**"
       - ".github/workflows/engine-client.yml"
+  # By hand: fmt and tests too. A pull request only compiles (clippy, no test targets).
+  workflow_dispatch:
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -27,6 +29,11 @@ jobs:
       - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v2
         with:
           workspaces: crates/engine-client
-      - run: cargo fmt --all -- --check
-      - run: cargo clippy --all-targets --locked -- -D warnings
-      - run: cargo test --locked
+      - if: github.event_name != 'pull_request'
+        run: cargo fmt --all -- --check
+      - if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
+        run: cargo clippy --locked -- -D warnings
+      - if: github.event_name != 'pull_request'
+        run: cargo clippy --all-targets --locked -- -D warnings
+      - if: github.event_name != 'pull_request'
+        run: cargo test --locked
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index b259ed458e..21ea5f8716 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 name: test
 
 on:
-  # Pull requests run ONE fast linux path: typecheck, core unit tests, the HttpApi gates.
-  # The long engine suite and the Windows legs run only by hand (Actions -> test -> Run
-  # workflow), where `changes` always reports heavy=true and every job below runs.
+  # Pull requests compile once: the typecheck, nothing more. The release build compiles
+  # again on every target. Core tests, the HttpApi gates, the engine suite and the Windows
+  # legs run only by hand (Actions -> test -> Run workflow), where `changes` always
+  # reports heavy=true and every job below runs.
   workflow_dispatch:
   # Pull requests only. A merge to `develop` or `main` is a pull request that already
   # passed, so running again on push would repeat the same checks.
@@ -100,10 +101,11 @@ jobs:
         # keeps combined tsgo RSS near 6 GB.
         run: bun turbo typecheck --concurrency=2
 
+  # Dispatch only. Required check: skipped on a pull request, which counts as passing.
   core:
     name: core (linux)
     needs: changes
-    if: needs.changes.outputs.heavy == 'true'
+    if: needs.changes.outputs.heavy == 'true' && github.event_name != 'pull_request'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 20
     defaults:
@@ -146,10 +148,11 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: packages/redrob
         run: bun run check:generated
 
+  # Dispatch only. Required check: skipped on a pull request, which counts as passing.
   httpapi:
     name: httpapi (linux)
     needs: changes
-    if: needs.changes.outputs.heavy == 'true'
+    if: needs.changes.outputs.heavy == 'true' && github.event_name != 'pull_request'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 20
     defaults: