diff --git a/.github/workflows/changelog.yml b/.github/workflows/changelog.yml
index 88fa6e7..821fb6f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/changelog.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/changelog.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   validate-changelog:
+    if: github.base_ref == 'main' || github.base_ref == 'test-main'  # check that changelog has valid unreleased changes only in PRs that could trigger a release
     runs-on: [ ubuntu-latest ]
     outputs:
       release-type: ${{ steps.validate-changelog.outputs.release-type }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 4366036..dd715fb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           token: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_BOT_GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           branch: main
+          acceptable_conclusions: 'success,skipped'  # changelog checks are skipped when not in a PR towards main branch
           tags: true
           interval: 10  # seconds between checks
           pre_sleep: 15