diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 38c00e9c5..5f0bce726 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -46,54 +46,45 @@ jobs:
           go-version-file: src/go.mod
 
   # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  # --- Generate CLI docs ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  # --- Docs Linting -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-  Generate-CLI-Docs:
+  Docs-Linting:
     needs: [Precheck, Checkout]
     environment: Testing
-    if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/') || github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || needs.precheck.outputs.srcfileschanged == 'true'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/') || github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || needs.precheck.outputs.docfileschanged == 'true' # docsfileschanged also includes srcfileschanged
+
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
       - name: Setup Golang with cache
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/') || github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || needs.precheck.outputs.srcfileschanged == 'true'
         uses: magnetikonline/action-golang-cache@v3
         with:
           go-version-file: src/go.mod
 
-      # run the markdown generator
-      - name: Generate Markdown
+      - name: Generate CLI Docs
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/') || github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || needs.precheck.outputs.srcfileschanged == 'true'
         working-directory: ./src
         run: |
           go run ./cmd/mdgen/mdgen.go generate
 
       # migrate generated md files into /docs/docs/cli
       - name: Move CLI .md to Docs
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/') || github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || needs.precheck.outputs.srcfileschanged == 'true'
         run: |
           mkdir -p ./docs/docs/cli
           mv ./src/cmd/mdgen/cli_markdown/* ./docs/docs/cli/
           rm -R ./src/cmd/mdgen/cli_markdown/
 
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@master
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/') || github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || needs.precheck.outputs.srcfileschanged == 'true'
         name: Upload cli docs as artifacts
         with:
           name: cli-docs
           path: docs/docs/cli
 
-  # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  # --- Docs Linting -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-  # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-  Docs-Linting:
-    needs: [Generate-CLI-Docs]
-    environment: Testing
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/') || github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || needs.precheck.outputs.docfileschanged == 'true'
-
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-
       - name: Install dependencies for docs lint
         run: |
           wget https://github.com/errata-ai/vale/releases/download/v2.20.2/vale_2.20.2_Linux_64-bit.tar.gz # NOTE: update in Dockerfile when updating
@@ -101,12 +92,6 @@ jobs:
           echo "$PWD/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
           npm i -g markdownlint-cli@0.32.2 # NOTE: update in Dockerfile when updating
 
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@master
-        name: Download cli docs from build step
-        with:
-          name: cli-docs
-          path: docs/docs/cli
-
       - name: Run docs lint
         run: |
           cd docs && make -o genclidocs check