diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 0d573da..e831967 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -1,12 +1,19 @@
 name: build
 
+# Push/PR runs checks only; installers are built only for a release (release.yml sets package).
+# Docs-only changes (*.md, docs/) skip CI entirely.
 on:
   push:
     branches: [main]
+    paths-ignore: ['**.md', 'docs/**']
   pull_request:
+    paths-ignore: ['**.md', 'docs/**']
   workflow_dispatch:
-  # release.yml reuses this job for tagged builds.
   workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      package:
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -46,8 +53,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: E2E smoke test
         if: runner.os == 'Linux'
         run: xvfb-run -a pnpm test:e2e
-      - run: pnpm ${{ matrix.dist }}
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
+      - if: inputs.package
+        run: pnpm ${{ matrix.dist }}
+      - if: inputs.package
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
         with:
           name: wraithgrid-${{ runner.os }}
           path: ${{ matrix.artifacts }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index bb71395..7f7802d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ jobs:
   build:
     needs: check
     uses: ./.github/workflows/build.yml
+    with:
+      package: true
 
   publish:
     needs: build
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 86c0e99..238ac51 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 ## 2026-09-30
 
+- [ci] Build installers only on release tags; push/PR runs checks only, docs-only changes skip CI (files: .github/workflows/build.yml, .github/workflows/release.yml)
 - [docs] Add the AI Working Agreement and context files (files: CLAUDE.md, CHANGELOG.md, docs/CONTEXT.md, docs/ARCHITECTURE.md, docs/DECISIONS.md, docs/TODO.md)
 
 ## 2026-09-29
diff --git a/docs/CONTEXT.md b/docs/CONTEXT.md
index af9ab8a..655abd7 100644
--- a/docs/CONTEXT.md
+++ b/docs/CONTEXT.md
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ react-resizable-panels, @dnd-kit. Tests: Vitest (unit), Playwright (Electron e2e
 - `src/renderer/styles/`: design tokens + base CSS
 - `tests/unit/`, `tests/e2e/`, `tests/fixtures/fake-claude.sh`: tests + fake CLI
 - `scripts/`: Docker Linux build, multi-distro package smoke test
-- `build/`: icons; `.github/workflows/`: build.yml (CI), release.yml (tag → release)
+- `build/`: icons; `.github/workflows/`: build.yml (CI checks; packages only when release.yml calls it), release.yml (tag → release)
 - `docs/REQUIREMENTS.md`: original requirements (FR-*/NFR-* IDs); `docs/screenshots/`
 
 ## Conventions
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ react-resizable-panels, @dnd-kit. Tests: Vitest (unit), Playwright (Electron e2e
 - Sandboxed preload can't require node_modules: preload is bundled (`externalizeDeps: false`).
 - Single-instance lock: a second launch exits.
 - Tests use `WRAITHGRID_USER_DATA_DIR` for a throwaway config dir.
+- CI skips pushes touching only `*.md`/`docs/**`; installers build only on a `v*.*.*` tag.
 - AppImage on Ubuntu 24.04+/Kali blocked by AppArmor; prefer .deb.
 
 ## Current focus
diff --git a/docs/DECISIONS.md b/docs/DECISIONS.md
index 843cfe8..7c97e7e 100644
--- a/docs/DECISIONS.md
+++ b/docs/DECISIONS.md
@@ -13,3 +13,4 @@ Entries dated 2026-09-29 are reconstructed from the code and commit history duri
 - 2026-09-29 | Update check reports only, from a hardcoded GitHub URL | Works for every package type; no SSRF from config | Auto-updater (electron-updater)
 - 2026-09-29 | Platform logic as pure functions of `(platform, env)` | Unit-testable on any OS | Branching on `process.platform` inline
 - 2026-09-30 | Adopt the AI Working Agreement (`CLAUDE.md`) + docs context files | Cut per-session re-exploration | None
+- 2026-09-30 | CI builds installers only for release tags; docs-only pushes skip CI | Avoid rebuilding downloads on every push/doc edit | Separate package workflow (more files); manual workflow_dispatch packaging (not needed)