diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker.yml b/.github/workflows/docker.yml
index 5dc19917e5..a769519b8c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docker.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker.yml
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ on:
     paths-ignore:
       - '**.md'
   pull_request:
-    paths-ignore:
-      - '**.md'
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -269,3 +267,16 @@ jobs:
   #         CI: "true"
   #       run: |
   #         /entrypoint.sh bash -c "pytest -m module"
+
+  ci-complete:
+    needs: [run-tests, run-heavy-tests, run-lcm-tests, run-integration-tests, run-ros-tests, run-mypy]
+    runs-on: [self-hosted, Linux]
+    if: always()
+    steps:
+      - name: CI gate
+        if: ${{ contains(needs.*.result, 'failure') || contains(needs.*.result, 'cancelled') }}
+        run: |
+          echo "❌ One or more CI jobs failed or were cancelled"
+          exit 1
+      - name: CI passed
+        run: echo "✅ All CI checks passed or were intentionally skipped"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index e84d7d43d2..1f78a4e4e9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -20,22 +20,6 @@ permissions:
   packages: read
 
 jobs:
-
-  # cleanup:
-  #   runs-on: dimos-runner-ubuntu-2204
-  #   steps:
-  #     - name: exit early
-  #       if: ${{ !inputs.should-run }}
-  #       run: |
-  #         exit 0
-
-  #     - name: Free disk space
-  #       run: |
-  #         sudo rm -rf /opt/ghc
-  #         sudo rm -rf /usr/share/dotnet
-  #         sudo rm -rf /usr/local/share/boost
-  #         sudo rm -rf /usr/local/lib/android
-
   run-tests:
     runs-on: [self-hosted, Linux]
     container:
@@ -47,16 +31,19 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        if: ${{ inputs.should-run }}
 
       - name: Fix permissions
+        if: ${{ inputs.should-run }}
         run: |
           git config --global --add safe.directory '*'
 
       - name: Run tests
+        if: ${{ inputs.should-run }}
         run: |
           /entrypoint.sh bash -c "${{ inputs.cmd }}"
 
       - name: check disk space
-        if: failure()
+        if: ${{ failure() && inputs.should-run }}
         run: |
           df -h