diff --git a/.changeset/tough-lions-return.md b/.changeset/tough-lions-return.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a845151c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/tough-lions-return.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+---
+---
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 0e78b346..67d1785c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -24,6 +24,13 @@ jobs:
   verify:
     # Keep this name stable: it's referenced by the branch protection
     # "required status checks" rule on main.
+    #
+    # Skip the full CI suite on "Version Packages" PRs created by Changesets
+    # (head branch: changeset-release/main). Those PRs only bump versions and
+    # update changelogs — the underlying code was already validated before being
+    # merged to main. GitHub treats a skipped job as "success" for required
+    # status checks, so branch protection is still satisfied.
+    if: github.event_name != 'pull_request' || github.head_ref != 'changeset-release/main'
     name: verify
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 71895964..1892a5dd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -13,8 +13,13 @@ jobs:
   # Run the same lint/changeset/build/test checks that gate every pull request
   # (see ci.yml) before doing anything irreversible like versioning or
   # publishing. This keeps `main` in lockstep with PRs.
+  #
+  # Skipped for pushes to changeset-release/main: those commits only bump
+  # versions and update changelogs, so re-running the full suite is unnecessary.
+  # The code changes were already validated before being merged to main.
   verify:
     name: "CI checks"
+    if: github.ref != 'refs/heads/changeset-release/main'
     uses: ./.github/workflows/ci.yml
 
   version_or_release:
@@ -29,6 +34,9 @@ jobs:
     #
     name: "Changesets version or release"
     needs: verify
+    # Run when verify succeeded (push to main) OR when verify was skipped
+    # (push to changeset-release/main, where CI is intentionally skipped).
+    if: always() && (needs.verify.result == 'success' || needs.verify.result == 'skipped')
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Checkout Repo