diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr.yml b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
index c78270fbf0..c9535eeae5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
@@ -25,27 +25,31 @@ jobs:
       - id: cargo
         uses: tj-actions/changed-files@800a2825992141ddde1a8bca8ad394cec34d3188
         with:
-          files: |
-            **/Cargo.toml
+          files: '**/Cargo.toml'
+          ignored_files: 'Cargo.toml'
       - id: rust
         uses: tj-actions/changed-files@800a2825992141ddde1a8bca8ad394cec34d3188
         with:
-          files: |
-            **/*.rs
+          files: '**/*.rs'
       - uses: actions/checkout@b4ffde65f46336ab88eb53be808477a3936bae11
       - id: cargo-crates
         if: steps.cargo.outputs.any_changed
         run: ./.github/list-crates.sh ${{ steps.cargo.outputs.all_changed_files }}
+      - run: |
+          echo 'build: ${{ steps.build.outputs.all_changed_files }}'
+          echo 'cargo: ${{ steps.cargo.outputs.all_changed_files }}'
+          echo 'crates: ${{ steps.cargo-crates.outputs.crates }}'
+          echo 'rust: ${{ steps.rust.outputs.all_changed_files }}'
     outputs:
       any_changed: ${{ steps.build.outputs.any_changed || steps.cargo.outputs.any_changed || steps.rust.outputs.any_changed }}
       build_changed: ${{ steps.build.outputs.any_changed }}
       cargo_changed: ${{ steps.cargo.outputs.any_changed }}
-      cargo_crates: ${{ steps.cargo-crates.outputs.crates || '[]' }}
+      cargo_crates: ${{ steps.cargo-crates.outputs.crates }}
       rust_changed: ${{ steps.rust.outputs.any_changed }}
 
   rust:
     needs: meta
-    if: needs.meta.outputs.any_changed
+    if: needs.meta.outputs.any_changed == 'true'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     container: ghcr.io/linkerd/dev:v43-rust
     permissions:
@@ -67,7 +71,7 @@ jobs:
 
   rust-crates:
     needs: meta
-    if: needs.meta.outputs.cargo_changed
+    if: needs.meta.outputs.cargo_changed == 'true'
     timeout-minutes: 20
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     container: ghcr.io/linkerd/dev:v43-rust