diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index fef2033..8fc1f4a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -21,6 +21,27 @@ permissions:
   contents: read
 
 jobs:
+  # Detect whether a pull request touches LocalStack. The live integration job
+  # installs the AWS CLI, pulls the LocalStack image, and starts a real
+  # container against an external auth token -- weight that only pays off when
+  # LocalStack code or its CI wiring changes. Only runs on pull_request; on
+  # push/tag events localstack-integration runs unconditionally.
+  changes:
+    if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      localstack: ${{ steps.filter.outputs.localstack }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: dorny/paths-filter@de90cc6fb38fc0963ad72b210f1f284cd68cea36 # v3.0.2
+        id: filter
+        with:
+          filters: |
+            localstack:
+              - 'pydantic_ai_harness/localstack/**'
+              - 'tests/localstack/**'
+              - 'integration_tests/localstack/**'
+              - '.github/workflows/main.yml'
+
   lint:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
@@ -109,12 +130,7 @@ jobs:
       # The lock validation must be off here: this job deviates from the lock
       # on purpose, and under UV_LOCKED=1 the lowest-direct resolution fails
       # because uv refuses to write the lowest-resolved lockfile it produces.
-      # greenlet 3.5.3 was published without Linux wheels, which makes uv's
-      # install phase fail on Ubuntu runners after resolution succeeds.
-      - run: >
-          uv sync --resolution lowest-direct
-          --exclude-newer-package greenlet=2026-06-25T00:00:00Z
-          --group dev --all-extras
+      - run: uv sync --resolution lowest-direct --group dev --all-extras
         env:
           UV_LOCKED: '0'
       - run: uv run --no-sync pytest
@@ -154,6 +170,11 @@ jobs:
       - run: uv run --no-sync pytest
 
   localstack-integration:
+    needs: [changes]
+    # Skip on pull requests that leave LocalStack untouched; always run on
+    # push/tag events so releases exercise the live path. `always()` lets this
+    # evaluate even though `changes` is skipped on non-pull_request events.
+    if: ${{ always() && (github.event_name != 'pull_request' || needs.changes.outputs.localstack == 'true') }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     name: LocalStack integration tests
     # The auth token secret lives in this environment; binding the job to it also
@@ -216,11 +237,15 @@ jobs:
 
   check:
     if: always()
-    needs: [lint, test, test-floor, test-latest, coverage, localstack-integration]
+    needs: [changes, lint, test, test-floor, test-latest, coverage, localstack-integration]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: re-actors/alls-green@05ac9388f0aebcb5727afa17fcccfecd6f8ec5fe # v1.2.2
         with:
+          # localstack-integration is skipped on pull requests that don't touch
+          # LocalStack, and `changes` is skipped on push/tag events. Both still
+          # vote (block the merge) when they actually run and fail.
+          allowed-skips: changes, localstack-integration
           jobs: ${{ toJSON(needs) }}
 
   release:
diff --git a/tests/localstack/test_ci_workflow.py b/tests/localstack/test_ci_workflow.py
index f8542f0..9f487d5 100644
--- a/tests/localstack/test_ci_workflow.py
+++ b/tests/localstack/test_ci_workflow.py
@@ -38,10 +38,23 @@ def test_localstack_ci_gates_the_aggregate_check() -> None:
 
     # The aggregate `check` job must depend on localstack-integration so a live
     # test failure blocks merges rather than passing silently.
-    needs = next(line for line in lines if line.strip().startswith('needs: [lint, test'))
+    needs = next(line for line in lines if line.strip().startswith('needs: [') and 'coverage' in line)
     assert 'localstack-integration' in needs
 
 
+def test_localstack_integration_is_scoped_to_localstack_changes() -> None:
+    lines = _workflow_lines()
+
+    # On a pull request the live job runs only when LocalStack paths change, so
+    # unrelated PRs don't pull the image, install the AWS CLI, or spend the token.
+    assert any('needs.changes.outputs.localstack' in line for line in lines)
+    assert any("- 'pydantic_ai_harness/localstack/**'" in line for line in lines)
+
+    # A skipped live job must not fail the required aggregate check; a job that
+    # actually runs and fails still votes (see allowed-skips semantics).
+    assert any('allowed-skips: changes, localstack-integration' in line for line in lines)
+
+
 def test_localstack_ci_scopes_the_auth_token_to_the_test_step() -> None:
     lines = _workflow_lines()