diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index cf414f792995..4542398b0c0b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@ on:
         description: 'Create new release'
         required: true
         type: boolean
+  pull_request: # validate the release build on PRs; the release job is skipped so nothing is published
+    paths:
+      # The build jobs clone llama.cpp source from upstream and the get-tag-name
+      # action is consumed via a pinned @lemonade ref, so only changes to this
+      # workflow itself can affect the outcome of a PR run. Scope PR runs to it.
+      - '.github/workflows/release.yml'
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.head_ref && github.ref || github.run_id }}
@@ -125,14 +131,9 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        include:
-          - sm: sm_75
-          - sm: sm_80
-          - sm: sm_86
-          - sm: sm_89
-          - sm: sm_90
-          - sm: sm_100
-          - sm: sm_120
+        # On PRs only build one representative arch (packaging logic is identical
+        # across all sm_*); build the full matrix on schedule/dispatch.
+        sm: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' && fromJSON('["sm_89"]') || fromJSON('["sm_75", "sm_80", "sm_86", "sm_89", "sm_90", "sm_100", "sm_120"]') }}
 
     steps:
       - name: Clone
@@ -443,14 +444,9 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        include:
-          - sm: sm_75
-          - sm: sm_80
-          - sm: sm_86
-          - sm: sm_89
-          - sm: sm_90
-          - sm: sm_100
-          - sm: sm_120
+        # On PRs only build one representative arch (packaging logic is identical
+        # across all sm_*); build the full matrix on schedule/dispatch.
+        sm: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' && fromJSON('["sm_89"]') || fromJSON('["sm_75", "sm_80", "sm_86", "sm_89", "sm_90", "sm_100", "sm_120"]') }}
 
     steps:
       - name: Clone