diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-skills.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-skills.yml
index 5335ab7c..3d5c451e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate-skills.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-skills.yml
@@ -47,7 +47,11 @@ jobs:
         run: python3 tools/validate-agentskills.py --strict
 
       # index.json is generated; a PR that changes a description must regenerate it.
+      # Pull requests only: on a push to main, update-index.yml regenerates
+      # index.json in parallel with this job, so checking here would race and go
+      # red on every merge that adds a skill before self-healing seconds later.
       - name: Check index.json is current
+        if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
         run: python3 tools/generate-index.py --check
 
       # Description quality gate. Pre-existing failures are grandfathered in