diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy-merged-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy-merged-pr.yml
index 8205dad..f254ee5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy-merged-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy-merged-pr.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,38 @@ permissions:
   actions: read
   
 jobs:
+  check-file-changes:
+    if: github.event.review.state == 'approved'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      PR_NUMBER: ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
+      SOURCE_REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
+    outputs:
+      should_sync: ${{ steps.filter.outputs.should_sync }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Check Changed File Paths
+        id: filter
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          EXCLUDED_PATHS=(
+            ".github/workflows/"
+          )
+
+          CHANGED_FILES=$(gh pr view $PR_NUMBER --json files --repo $SOURCE_REPO --jq '[.files[].path]')
+
+          EXCLUDE_FILTER=$(printf '"%s",' "${EXCLUDED_PATHS[@]}")
+          EXCLUDE_FILTER="[${EXCLUDE_FILTER%,}]"
+
+          NON_WORKFLOW_CHANGES=$(echo "$CHANGED_FILES" | jq --argjson exclude "$EXCLUDE_FILTER" '[.[] | select(. as $f | $exclude | any(. as $p | $f | startswith($p)) | not)] | length')
+          if [ "$NON_WORKFLOW_CHANGES" -gt 0 ]; then
+            echo "PR contains changes outside filtered paths — proceeding."
+            echo "should_sync=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          else
+            echo "All changes are under filtered paths — skipping workflow."
+            echo "should_sync=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          fi
+
   check-merge-state:
     if: github.event.review.state == 'approved'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -95,8 +127,8 @@ jobs:
           echo "Auto-merge enabled successfully!"
 
   dispatch-to-internal:
-    needs: check-merge-state
-    if: needs.check-merge-state.outputs.checks_passed == 'true' && github.event.review.state == 'approved'
+    needs: [check-file-changes, check-merge-state]
+    if: needs.check-merge-state.outputs.checks_passed == 'true' && needs.check-file-changes.outputs.should_sync == 'true' && github.event.review.state == 'approved'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     env:
       SOURCE_REPO: github/github-well-architected