diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 5d69915..43e05b9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -51,7 +51,24 @@ jobs:
           git clone https://git.produktor.io/${{ gitea.repository }}.git .
           git fetch --tags
 
+      - name: Check if release-worthy changes
+        id: changes
+        run: |
+          CHANGED=$(git diff --name-only HEAD~1 HEAD 2>/dev/null || git diff --name-only HEAD)
+          echo "Changed files:"
+          echo "$CHANGED"
+          # Skip release if only docs, markdown, or non-chart files changed
+          RELEASE_FILES=$(echo "$CHANGED" | grep -vE '^(docs/|README\.md|STATUS\.md|AGENTS\.md|TASKS\.md|\.gitignore|djinni-)' || true)
+          if [ -z "$RELEASE_FILES" ]; then
+            echo "Only docs/meta files changed — skipping release."
+            echo "skip=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          else
+            echo "Chart/workflow files changed — proceeding with release."
+            echo "skip=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          fi
+
       - name: Determine version bump
+        if: steps.changes.outputs.skip != 'true'
         id: version
         run: |
           LATEST_TAG=$(git tag -l 'v*' --sort=-v:refname | head -1)
@@ -99,16 +116,19 @@ jobs:
           echo "bump_type=${BUMP}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
       - name: Install Helm
+        if: steps.changes.outputs.skip != 'true'
         run: |
           curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/helm/helm/main/scripts/get-helm-3 | bash
 
       - name: Update Chart.yaml version
+        if: steps.changes.outputs.skip != 'true'
         run: |
           sed -i "s/^version: .*/version: ${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }}/" fleetdm-stack/Chart.yaml
           echo "Chart.yaml version set to ${{ steps.version.outputs.new_version }}"
           grep '^version:' fleetdm-stack/Chart.yaml
 
       - name: Package chart
+        if: steps.changes.outputs.skip != 'true'
         run: |
           helm dependency update fleetdm-stack/
           helm package fleetdm-stack/
@@ -117,6 +137,7 @@ jobs:
           ls -la .tmp/
 
       - name: Create tag
+        if: steps.changes.outputs.skip != 'true'
         run: |
           git config user.name "Gitea Actions"
           git config user.email "actions@git.produktor.io"
@@ -124,6 +145,7 @@ jobs:
           git push https://${{ gitea.actor }}:${{ gitea.token }}@git.produktor.io/${{ gitea.repository }}.git "${{ steps.version.outputs.new_tag }}"
 
       - name: Create Gitea Release
+        if: steps.changes.outputs.skip != 'true'
         run: |
           TAG="${{ steps.version.outputs.new_tag }}"
           BUMP="${{ steps.version.outputs.bump_type }}"