diff --git a/.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml b/.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml
index 126859dbc19..5088149cd78 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/benchmarks.yml
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ defaults:
 jobs:
   build:
     if: github.repository_owner == 'tardis-sn' &&
-        (github.event_name == 'push' ||
-        github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || 
-        (github.event_name == 'pull_request_target' &&
-        contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'benchmarks')))
+      (github.event_name == 'push' ||
+      github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' ||
+      (github.event_name == 'pull_request_target' &&
+      contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'benchmarks')))
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ jobs:
           ref: ${{ github.sha }}
           fetch-depth: 0
         if: github.event_name == 'pull_request_target'
-     
+
       - name: Restore Atom Data
         uses: actions/cache/restore@v3
         id: atom-data-restore
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           path: benchmarks/data/kurucz_cd23_chianti_H_He.h5
           key: atom-data
-      
+
       - name: Setup Mamba
         uses: mamba-org/setup-micromamba@v1
         with:
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Accept all asv questions
         run: asv machine --yes
-      
+
       - name: Run benchmarks for last 5 commits if not PR
         if: github.event_name != 'pull_request_target'
         run: |
@@ -96,11 +96,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Generate Graphs and HTML
         if: github.event_name != 'pull_request_target'
         run: asv publish
-      
+
       - name: Delete env files
         if: github.event_name != 'pull_request_target'
         run: rm -r .asv/env
-      
+
       - name: Push results to results repository
         if: github.event_name != 'pull_request_target'
         continue-on-error: true
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ jobs:
           user-email: tardis.sn.bot@gmail.com
           target-branch: main
           target-directory: .asv
-      
+
       - name: Compare HEAD with master if PR
         if: github.event_name == 'pull_request_target'
         continue-on-error: true # TODO: step failed sporadically while testing
@@ -124,13 +124,13 @@ jobs:
             echo "Some benchmarks have errors!"
             exit 1
           fi
-      
+
       - name: Compare Master and PR head
-        run: asv compare ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }} ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }} | tee asv-compare-output.log  
-      
+        run: asv compare ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }} ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }} | tee asv-compare-output.log
+
       - name: Compare Master and PR head but only show changed results
-        run: asv compare ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }} ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }} --only-changed | tee asv-compare-changed-output.log  
-      
+        run: asv compare ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }} ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }} --only-changed | tee asv-compare-changed-output.log
+
       - name: Benchmarks compare output
         id: asv_pr_vs_master
         uses: juliangruber/read-file-action@v1.0.0
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ jobs:
         id: asv_pr_vs_master_changed
         uses: juliangruber/read-file-action@v1.0.0
         with:
-          path: asv-compare-changed-output.log 
+          path: asv-compare-changed-output.log
 
       - name: Find Comment
         if: always() && github.event_name == 'pull_request_target'
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ jobs:
         if: github.event_name == 'pull_request_target'
         uses: peter-evans/create-or-update-comment@v2
         with:
-          token:  ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
+          token: ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
           issue-number: ${{ github.event.number }}
           comment-id: ${{ steps.fc.outputs.comment-id }}
           edit-mode: replace
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ jobs:
               ```
 
             </details>
-            
+
             All benchmarks:
             <details>
 
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ jobs:
             </details>
         env:
           URL: https://github.com/${{ github.repository_owner }}/${{ github.event.repository.name }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}?check_suite_focus=true
-        
+
       - name: Save results artifact
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
         if: always()
@@ -194,6 +194,4 @@ jobs:
             .asv/results
             asv-cont-output.log  
             asv-compare-output.log
-            asv-compare-changed-output.log 
-
-      
\ No newline at end of file
+            asv-compare-changed-output.log
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-docs.yml b/.github/workflows/build-docs.yml
index a216a6a5c6f..a36a2e802b4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-docs.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 name: docs
 
 on:
-
   push:
     branches:
       - master
@@ -18,14 +17,14 @@ on:
       - opened
       - reopened
       - synchronize
-      - labeled                         # requires the `build-docs` label
+      - labeled # requires the `build-docs` label
 
-  workflow_dispatch:                    # manual trigger
+  workflow_dispatch: # manual trigger
 
 env:
-  CACHE_NUMBER: 0                       # increase to reset cache manually
-  DEPLOY_BRANCH: gh-pages               # deployed docs branch
-  HDF5_USE_FILE_LOCKING: 'FALSE'        # disable file locking
+  CACHE_NUMBER: 0 # increase to reset cache manually
+  DEPLOY_BRANCH: gh-pages # deployed docs branch
+  HDF5_USE_FILE_LOCKING: "FALSE" # disable file locking
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.head_ref || github.ref }}
@@ -36,31 +35,65 @@ defaults:
     shell: bash -l {0}
 
 jobs:
-  build-docs:
+  check-for-changes:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      trigger-check-outcome: ${{ steps.trigger_check.outcome }}
+      docs-check-outcome: ${{ steps.docs_check.outcome }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        if: github.event_name != 'pull_request_target'
 
-    if: github.event_name == 'push' ||
-        github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' ||
-        (github.event_name == 'pull_request_target' &&
-        contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'build-docs'))
+      - name: Checkout pull/${{ github.event.number }}
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
+        if: github.event_name == 'pull_request_target'
+
+      - name: Check for trigger by push event, manual dispatch, build-docs label on a PR
+        id: trigger_check
+        if: github.event_name == 'push' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' || github.event_name == 'pull_request_target' && contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'build-docs')
+        run: |
+          echo "Building docs as a test."
+          exit 0
+        continue-on-error: true
 
+      - name: Check for changes in documentation
+        run: |
+          if git diff origin/master..."$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)" --name-only | cat | grep '^docs/' | grep -q .; then
+              num_files=$(git diff --name-only origin/master...HEAD | grep '^docs/' | wc -l)
+              echo "Changes found in documentation files: $num_files"
+              exit 0
+          else
+              echo "No changes found in documentation files - will stop running the pipeline."
+              exit 1
+          fi
+        id: docs_check
+        if: steps.trigger_check.outcome != 'success'
+        continue-on-error: true
+
+  build-docs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: check-for-changes
+    if: needs.check-for-changes.outputs.trigger-check-outcome == 'success' || needs.check-for-changes.outputs.docs-check-outcome == 'success'
     steps:
-  
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         if: github.event_name != 'pull_request_target'
 
       - name: Checkout pull/${{ github.event.number }}
-        uses: actions/checkout@v2
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
-          ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
         if: github.event_name == 'pull_request_target'
 
       - name: Generate Cache Key
-        run: | 
+        run: |
           file_hash=$(cat conda-linux-64.lock | shasum -a 256 | cut -d' ' -f1)
           echo "file_hash=$file_hash" >> "${GITHUB_OUTPUT}"
         id: cache-environment-key
-        
+
       - uses: mamba-org/setup-micromamba@v1
         with:
           environment-file: conda-linux-64.lock
@@ -125,8 +158,8 @@ jobs:
           destination_dir: ${{ env.DEST_DIR }}
           keep_files: true
           force_orphan: ${{ env.CLEAN_BRANCH }}
-          user_name: 'TARDIS Bot'
-          user_email: 'tardis.sn.bot@gmail.com'
+          user_name: "TARDIS Bot"
+          user_email: "tardis.sn.bot@gmail.com"
 
       - name: Find comment
         uses: peter-evans/find-comment@v1
@@ -139,7 +172,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Post comment (success)
         uses: peter-evans/create-or-update-comment@v1
         with:
-          token:  ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
+          token: ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
           issue-number: ${{ github.event.number }}
           comment-id: ${{ steps.fc.outputs.comment-id }}
           edit-mode: replace
@@ -149,7 +182,7 @@ jobs:
             Hi, human.
 
             The **`${{ github.workflow }}`** workflow has **succeeded** :heavy_check_mark:
-            
+
             [**Click here**](${{ env.URL }}) to see your results.
         env:
           URL: https://${{ github.repository_owner }}.github.io/${{ github.event.repository.name }}/pull/${{ github.event.number }}/index.html
@@ -158,7 +191,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Post comment (failure)
         uses: peter-evans/create-or-update-comment@v1
         with:
-          token:  ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
+          token: ${{ secrets.BOT_TOKEN }}
           issue-number: ${{ github.event.number }}
           comment-id: ${{ steps.fc.outputs.comment-id }}
           edit-mode: replace
@@ -168,7 +201,7 @@ jobs:
             Hi, human.
 
             The **`${{ github.workflow }}`** workflow has **failed** :x:
-            
+
             [**Click here**](${{ env.URL }}) to see the build log.
         env:
           URL: https://github.com/${{ github.repository_owner }}/${{ github.event.repository.name }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}?check_suite_focus=true