diff --git a/.github/workflows/java-cdk-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/java-cdk-tests.yml
index 96f23e6db13..c679f7de3b9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/java-cdk-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/java-cdk-tests.yml
@@ -33,12 +33,54 @@ jobs:
       - id: changes
         uses: dorny/paths-filter@v2
         with:
-          # Note: expressions within a filter are OR'ed
           filters: |
             java:
               - 'airbyte-cdk/java/**/*'
               - 'airbyte-cdk/bulk/**/*'
 
+  changes-in-bulk:
+    name: Detect Changes in Bulk
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    outputs:
+      java: ${{ steps.changes-in-bulk.outputs.java }}
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout Airbyte
+        if: github.event_name != 'pull_request'
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - id: changes-in-bulk
+        uses: dorny/paths-filter@v2
+        with:
+          filters: |
+            java:
+              - 'airbyte-cdk/bulk/**/*'
+
+  run-check-bulk-cdk-version:
+    needs:
+      - changes-in-bulk
+    if: needs.changes-in-bulk.outputs.java == 'true'
+    runs-on: linux-24.04-large # Custom runner, defined in GitHub org settings
+    name: Bulk CDK version check
+    timeout-minutes: 60
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout Airbyte
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Java Setup
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v3
+        with:
+          distribution: "zulu"
+          java-version: "21"
+      # Help CDK Devs understand CDK version should be incremented on changes.
+      - name: Check that bulk CDK version is incremented
+        uses: burrunan/gradle-cache-action@v1
+        env:
+          CI: true
+        with:
+          job-id: bulk-cdk-version-check
+          concurrent: true
+          gradle-distribution-sha-256-sum-warning: false
+          arguments: --scan :airbyte-cdk:bulk:checkBuildNumber
+
   run-check:
     needs:
       - changes
@@ -58,16 +100,6 @@ jobs:
         with:
           distribution: "zulu"
           java-version: "21"
-      # Help CDK Devs understand CDK version should be incremented on changes.
-      - name: Error if CDK Version Exists
-        uses: burrunan/gradle-cache-action@v1
-        env:
-          CI: true
-        with:
-          job-id: bulk-cdk-publish
-          concurrent: true
-          gradle-distribution-sha-256-sum-warning: false
-          arguments: --scan :airbyte-cdk:bulk:checkBuildNumber
       - name: Run Java CDK Tests
         uses: burrunan/gradle-cache-action@v3
         env: