diff --git a/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yml b/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yml
index dc0e0ac..dbaa096 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pre-commit.yml
@@ -5,21 +5,8 @@ on:
       - main
   pull_request:
 jobs:
-  pre_job:
-    name: Path match check
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    # Map a step output to a job output
-    outputs:
-      should_skip: ${{ steps.skip_check.outputs.should_skip }}
-    steps:
-      - id: skip_check
-        uses: fkirc/skip-duplicate-actions@master
-        with:
-          github_token: ${{ github.token }}
   linting:
     name: All file linting
-    needs: pre_job
-    if: ${{ needs.pre_job.outputs.should_skip != 'true' }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v7
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pythontest.yml b/.github/workflows/pythontest.yml
index 045ad8a..b4eba61 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pythontest.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pythontest.yml
@@ -10,16 +10,23 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     # Map a step output to a job output
     outputs:
-      should_skip: ${{ steps.skip_check.outputs.should_skip }}
+      python: ${{ steps.filter.outputs.python }}
     steps:
-      - id: skip_check
-        uses: fkirc/skip-duplicate-actions@master
+      # paths-filter needs a checkout to diff push events
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v7
+      - id: filter
+        uses: dorny/paths-filter@ceb8a2b8f2d89434be7ff52d3de7ec3738c5cc9d # v4.0.3
         with:
-          github_token: ${{ github.token }}
-          paths: '["**.py", ".github/workflows/pythontest.yml", "pyproject.toml", "uv.lock"]'
+          filters: |
+            python:
+              - '**.py'
+              - '.github/workflows/pythontest.yml'
+              - 'pyproject.toml'
+              - 'uv.lock'
   unit_test:
     name: Python unit tests
     needs: pre_job
+    if: ${{ needs.pre_job.outputs.python == 'true' }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       max-parallel: 5
@@ -27,21 +34,19 @@ jobs:
         python-version: ['3.9', '3.10', '3.11', '3.12', '3.13', '3.14']
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v7
-        if: ${{ needs.pre_job.outputs.should_skip != 'true' }}
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
       - name: Set up uv
-        if: ${{ needs.pre_job.outputs.should_skip != 'true' }}
         uses: astral-sh/setup-uv@v7
         with:
           enable-cache: true
           cache-python: true
       - name: Run tests
-        if: ${{ needs.pre_job.outputs.should_skip != 'true' }}
         run: uv run --python ${{ matrix.python-version }} --group test pytest
   unit_test_eol_python:
     name: Python unit tests for EOL Python versions
     needs: pre_job
+    if: ${{ needs.pre_job.outputs.python == 'true' }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       max-parallel: 5
@@ -51,12 +56,23 @@ jobs:
       image: python:${{ matrix.python-version }}-buster
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v7
-        if: ${{ needs.pre_job.outputs.should_skip != 'true' }}
       - name: Install dependencies and run tests
-        if: ${{ needs.pre_job.outputs.should_skip != 'true' }}
         env:
           PYTHONPATH: ${{ github.workspace }}
         run: |
           python -m pip install --upgrade pip
           pip install "pytest>=6.2.5,<8" "jsonschema==3.2.0"
           pytest
+  # Branch protection requires this; skipped matrix jobs report no per-version checks.
+  required_checks:
+    name: Python tests
+    needs:
+      - pre_job
+      - unit_test
+      - unit_test_eol_python
+    if: always()
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Fail if any needed job failed or was cancelled
+        if: contains(needs.*.result, 'failure') || contains(needs.*.result, 'cancelled')
+        run: exit 1