diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 8aa6a00..3248777 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -5,10 +5,6 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 on:
-  push:
-    branches-ignore:
-      - main
-      - alpha
   workflow_dispatch:
   workflow_call:
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr.yml b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2b9651f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+name: Pull request checks
+on:
+  pull_request:
+jobs:
+  build:
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build.yml
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-docs.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-docs.yml
index 1e3cf9d..4cd9f40 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-docs.yml
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
   workflow_dispatch:
   workflow_call:
 jobs:
@@ -20,7 +17,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - uses: actions/setup-node@v2
         with:
-          node-version: 20.x
+          node-version: 18.x
       - run: yarn --frozen-lockfile
       - run: yarn publish-docs
         env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 8742753..b44abe2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -11,15 +11,13 @@ on:
       - alpha
 
 jobs:
-  build:
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/build.yml
-    secrets: inherit
+  ## publish-docs builds so we know that the app is built and tested
   publish-docs:
     uses: ./.github/workflows/publish-docs.yml
     secrets: inherit
   release:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: build
+    needs: publish-docs
     permissions:
       contents: write # to be able to publish a GitHub release
       issues: write # to be able to comment on released issues