diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr.yml b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
index 111e7780e..dc4488a45 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
@@ -63,34 +63,43 @@ jobs:
         # 64 bit int
         cmake ${SHARED_OPT} -DBUILD_INDEX64=on -B lapack/build64
         cmake --build lapack/build64 ${PARALLEL} --target install
-    - name: Check for changes to this domain
-      id: changes
-      uses: dorny/paths-filter@de90cc6fb38fc0963ad72b210f1f284cd68cea36 # v3.0.2
-      predicate-quantifier: every
+    - name: Test if the changes affect this domain
+      id: test_domain
+      uses: actions/github-script@v4
       with:
-        list-files: shell
-        filters: |
-          src:
-          # match everything
-          - '**'
-          # exclude other domains
-          - '!src/${{ matrix.exclude }}/**'
-          - '!tests/unit_tests/${{ matrix.exclude }}/**'
+        script: |
+          function matchesPattern(filePaths) {
+            console.log('files:', filePaths)
+            const dirs = '(examples|src|include/oneapi/mkl)'
+            const domains = '(blas|lapack|rng|dft)'
+            const domain = '${{ matrix.domain }}'
+            // matches the domain we want or no domain at all
+            const re = new RegExp(`^(${dirs}/${domain}|(?!${dirs}/${domains}))`);
+            return filePaths.some(filePath => re.test(filePath));
+          }
+          const pr = context.payload.pull_request
+          const compare = await github.rest.repos.compareCommits({
+            owner: context.repo.owner,
+            repo: context.repo.repo,
+            base: pr.base.sha,
+            head: pr.head.sha
+          });
+          return matchesPattern(compare.data.files.map((f) => f.filename));
     - name: Install oneapi
-      if: steps.changes.outputs.src == 'true'
+      if: steps.test_domain.outputs.result == 'true'
       uses: rscohn2/setup-oneapi@2ad0cf6b74bc2426bdcee825cf88f9db719dd727 # v0.1.0
       with:
         components: |
           icx@2024.1.0
           mkl@2024.1.0
     - name: Configure/Build for a domain
-      if: steps.changes.outputs.src == 'true'
+      if: steps.test_domain.outputs.result == 'true'
       run: |
         source /opt/intel/oneapi/setvars.sh
         cmake -DTARGET_DOMAINS=${{ matrix.domain }} -DENABLE_MKLGPU_BACKEND=off -DCMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE=on ${{ matrix.build_options }} -B build
         cmake --build build ${PARALLEL}
     - name: Run tests
-      if: steps.changes.outputs.src == 'true'
+      if: steps.test_domain.outputs.result == 'true'
       run: |
         source /opt/intel/oneapi/setvars.sh
         ctest --test-dir build ${{ matrix.test_options }}