diff --git a/.github/workflows/maven.yml b/.github/workflows/maven.yml
index 6d1e861123..891530f242 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/maven.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/maven.yml
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ on:
   # Deliberately NOT filtered by path. "Build and Test (JDK 17)" is a required
   # status check in .asf.yaml, and a workflow skipped by path filtering never
   # reports its checks - they stay Pending and the pull request can never be
-  # merged. The build job is skipped by condition instead (see `changes` below),
-  # which does report, as "skipped", and satisfies the requirement.
+  # merged. The build job always runs instead, and its steps are skipped by
+  # condition when only .claude/ changed (see `changes` below).
   pull_request:
   push:
     branches:
@@ -77,7 +77,12 @@ jobs:
   build:
     name: Build and Test (JDK ${{ matrix.java }})${{ matrix.profile == '-Pjakartaee11' && ' (Jakarta EE 11 + Spring 7)' || matrix.profile }}
     needs: changes
-    if: needs.changes.outputs.code == 'true'
+    # No job-level `if:` here on purpose. A matrix job whose condition is false
+    # is skipped *before* the matrix expands, so it reports a single check run
+    # named after the raw `${{ matrix.* }}` template - never "Build and Test
+    # (JDK 17)". The required context then never reports at all and the pull
+    # request stays blocked. Gate the steps instead: the matrix expands, every
+    # expected check reports success, and nothing is built.
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
@@ -95,20 +100,23 @@ jobs:
             profile: '-Pjakartaee11'
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
+        if: needs.changes.outputs.code == 'true'
         uses: actions/checkout@v7
       - name: Setup Java ${{ matrix.java }}
+        if: needs.changes.outputs.code == 'true'
         uses: actions/setup-java@v5
         with:
           distribution: temurin
           java-version: ${{ matrix.java }}
           cache: 'maven'
       - name: Maven Verify on Java ${{ matrix.java }}${{ matrix.profile == '-Pjakartaee11' && ' (Jakarta EE 11 + Spring 7)' || matrix.profile }}
+        if: needs.changes.outputs.code == 'true'
         run: mvn -B -V -DskipAssembly verify ${{ matrix.profile }} --no-transfer-progress
 
       - name: Test Summary ${{ matrix.java }} ${{ matrix.profile }}
         uses: mikepenz/action-junit-report@d9f48fc87bc235f7e214acf696ca5abc0a986f16 #v6.4.2
         continue-on-error: true
-        if: always()
+        if: always() && needs.changes.outputs.code == 'true'
         with:
           annotate_only: true # forked repo cannot write to checks so just do annotations
           report_paths: |