diff --git a/.github/scripts/test-changes.sh b/.github/scripts/test-changes.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53bb0c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/test-changes.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+case "$EVENT_NAME" in
+  pull_request)
+    comparison="${BASE_SHA}...${HEAD_SHA}"
+    ;;
+  push)
+    if [[ "$BASE_SHA" == 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000 ]] ||
+       ! git cat-file -e "${BASE_SHA}^{commit}" 2>/dev/null; then
+      echo '::notice::No previous push revision available; running the full test matrix.'
+      echo 'run_tests=true' >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+      exit 0
+    fi
+    comparison="${BASE_SHA}..${HEAD_SHA}"
+    ;;
+  *)
+    echo "::error::Unsupported event: $EVENT_NAME"
+    exit 1
+    ;;
+esac
+
+changed_files="$(mktemp)"
+trap 'rm -f "$changed_files"' EXIT
+git diff --name-only --no-renames -z "$comparison" > "$changed_files"
+
+run_tests=false
+while IFS= read -r -d '' path; do
+  case "$path" in
+    *.md|LICENSE|LICENSE.txt|images/*) ;;
+    *) run_tests=true ;;
+  esac
+done < "$changed_files"
+
+echo "run_tests=$run_tests" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-changes.yml b/.github/workflows/test-changes.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f047575
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-changes.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+---
+name: Test changes
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    outputs:
+      run_tests:
+        value: ${{ jobs.changes.outputs.run_tests }}
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+jobs:
+  changes:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    outputs:
+      run_tests: ${{ steps.changes.outputs.run_tests }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v7
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - id: changes
+        env:
+          EVENT_NAME: ${{ github.event_name }}
+          BASE_SHA: ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha || github.event.before }}
+          HEAD_SHA: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha || github.sha }}
+        run: bash .github/scripts/test-changes.sh
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-mongodb.yml b/.github/workflows/test-mongodb.yml
index 796dbf3..661eb41 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-mongodb.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-mongodb.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@ concurrency:
   group: mongodb-${{ github.ref }}
   cancel-in-progress: true
 jobs:
+  changes:
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/test-changes.yml
   test:
+    needs: changes
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     timeout-minutes: 20
     env:
@@ -34,7 +37,7 @@ jobs:
     name: test (ruby=${{ matrix.entry.ruby }}, mongoid=${{ matrix.entry.mongoid }}, mongodb=${{ matrix.entry.mongodb }}, grape=${{ matrix.entry.grape || 'auto' }}, json=${{ matrix.entry.json }})
     services:
       mongodb:
-        image: mongo:${{ matrix.entry.mongodb }}
+        image: ${{ needs.changes.outputs.run_tests == 'true' && format('mongo:{0}', matrix.entry.mongodb) || '' }}
         ports:
           - 27017:27017
         options: >-
@@ -44,13 +47,20 @@ jobs:
           --health-retries 10
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v7
+        if: needs.changes.outputs.run_tests == 'true'
       - uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
+        if: needs.changes.outputs.run_tests == 'true'
         with:
           ruby-version: ${{ matrix.entry.ruby }}
           bundler-cache: true
           cache-version: mongoid-${{ matrix.entry.mongoid }}-grape-${{ matrix.entry.grape || 'auto' }}-json-${{ matrix.entry.json }}
       - uses: browser-actions/setup-firefox@v1.7.2
+        if: needs.changes.outputs.run_tests == 'true'
         with:
           firefox-version: latest
       - name: Test
+        if: needs.changes.outputs.run_tests == 'true'
         run: xvfb-run --auto-servernum bundle exec rake spec
+      - name: Documentation only
+        if: needs.changes.outputs.run_tests == 'false'
+        run: echo 'Documentation-only change; database, dependencies, browser, and tests skipped.'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-postgresql.yml b/.github/workflows/test-postgresql.yml
index fbaa6b8..727b085 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-postgresql.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-postgresql.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@ concurrency:
   group: postgresql-${{ github.ref }}
   cancel-in-progress: true
 jobs:
+  changes:
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/test-changes.yml
   test:
+    needs: changes
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     timeout-minutes: 20
     env:
@@ -35,7 +38,7 @@ jobs:
     name: test (ruby=${{ matrix.entry.ruby }}, postgresql=${{ matrix.entry.postgresql }}, active_record=${{ matrix.entry.active_record }}, grape=${{ matrix.entry.grape || 'auto' }}, json=${{ matrix.entry.json }})
     services:
       postgresql:
-        image: postgres:${{ matrix.entry.postgresql }}
+        image: ${{ needs.changes.outputs.run_tests == 'true' && format('postgres:{0}', matrix.entry.postgresql) || '' }}
         env:
           POSTGRES_DB: slack_ruby_bot_server_test
           POSTGRES_USER: test
@@ -49,13 +52,20 @@ jobs:
           --health-retries 10
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v7
+        if: needs.changes.outputs.run_tests == 'true'
       - uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
+        if: needs.changes.outputs.run_tests == 'true'
         with:
           ruby-version: ${{ matrix.entry.ruby }}
           bundler-cache: true
           cache-version: activerecord-${{ matrix.entry.active_record }}-grape-${{ matrix.entry.grape || 'auto' }}-json-${{ matrix.entry.json }}
       - uses: browser-actions/setup-firefox@v1.7.2
+        if: needs.changes.outputs.run_tests == 'true'
         with:
           firefox-version: latest
       - name: Test
+        if: needs.changes.outputs.run_tests == 'true'
         run: xvfb-run --auto-servernum bundle exec rake spec
+      - name: Documentation only
+        if: needs.changes.outputs.run_tests == 'false'
+        run: echo 'Documentation-only change; database, dependencies, browser, and tests skipped.'
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9595ec4..c195175 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 ### 2.3.0 (Next)
 
 * [#186](https://github.com/slack-ruby/slack-ruby-bot-server/pull/186): Document persisted custom Team attributes for both adapters and Rails concern loading/reloading - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock), [@Copilot](https://github.com/apps/copilot-swe-agent).
+* [#187](https://github.com/slack-ruby/slack-ruby-bot-server/pull/187): Skip expensive database test setup for documentation-only changes while preserving every matrix check and Danger - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock), [@Copilot](https://github.com/apps/copilot-swe-agent).
 * [#183](https://github.com/slack-ruby/slack-ruby-bot-server/pull/183): Add a `config.server_pages` block to configure page middleware options centrally without changing the installed library's defaults - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock), [@Copilot](https://github.com/apps/copilot-swe-agent).
 * [#184](https://github.com/slack-ruby/slack-ruby-bot-server/pull/184): Add a configurable API application and separately mountable team read/registration endpoints, preserving the default API while supporting custom routes and registration-only applications - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock), [@Copilot](https://github.com/apps/copilot-swe-agent).
 * [#185](https://github.com/slack-ruby/slack-ruby-bot-server/pull/185): Skip inactive installations in status checks and deactivate revoked credentials through service callbacks, returning an explicit failed ping instead of failing the whole status response - [@dblock](https://github.com/dblock), [@Copilot](https://github.com/apps/copilot-swe-agent).
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index b49c768..eb33665 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ On Linux, install [Firefox](https://www.mozilla.org/firefox/) and `Xvfb`, then r
 xvfb-run --auto-servernum bundle exec rake
 ```
 
+Documentation-only changes (`*.md`, `LICENSE`, `LICENSE.txt`, and `images/`) do not start database containers, install dependencies or Firefox, or run the database test suites. The workflows still publish every existing matrix check name so required checks can complete; Danger and RuboCop remain unchanged. Code, assets in `public/`, dependency files, and CI configuration still run the full matrices. New branches or unavailable previous push revisions conservatively run all tests.
+
 ## Write Tests
 
 Try to write a test that reproduces the problem you're trying to fix or describes a feature that you want to build.
diff --git a/spec/ci/test_changes_spec.rb b/spec/ci/test_changes_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e34fe27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/ci/test_changes_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+require 'open3'
+require 'tmpdir'
+require 'fileutils'
+
+describe 'CI test change classification' do
+  around do |example|
+    Dir.mktmpdir('test-changes') do |directory|
+      @repository = directory
+      example.run
+    end
+  end
+
+  before do
+    git('init', '--quiet')
+    git('config', 'user.name', 'CI')
+    git('config', 'user.email', 'ci@example.invalid')
+    @base = commit('README.md')
+  end
+
+  def git(*args)
+    output, error, status = Open3.capture3('git', *args, chdir: @repository)
+    raise error unless status.success?
+
+    output.strip
+  end
+
+  def commit(path)
+    FileUtils.mkdir_p(File.dirname(File.join(@repository, path)))
+    File.write(File.join(@repository, path), "content for #{path}\n")
+    git('add', '--all')
+    git('commit', '--quiet', '-m', 'Test change')
+    git('rev-parse', 'HEAD')
+  end
+
+  def classify(base: @base, head: git('rev-parse', 'HEAD'), event: 'pull_request')
+    output = File.join(@repository, 'output')
+    script = File.expand_path('../../.github/scripts/test-changes.sh', __dir__)
+    _, error, status = Open3.capture3(
+      { 'EVENT_NAME' => event, 'BASE_SHA' => base, 'HEAD_SHA' => head, 'GITHUB_OUTPUT' => output },
+      'bash', script, chdir: @repository
+    )
+    raise error unless status.success?
+
+    File.read(output).strip
+  end
+
+  it 'skips Markdown and documentation images' do
+    commit('docs/guide.md')
+    commit('images/example.png')
+    expect(classify).to eq 'run_tests=false'
+  end
+
+  it 'runs tests when documentation is mixed with runtime changes' do
+    commit('UPGRADING.md')
+    commit('public/styles.css')
+    expect(classify).to eq 'run_tests=true'
+  end
+
+  it 'does not ignore a code file renamed to Markdown' do
+    @base = commit('lib/example.rb')
+    File.rename(File.join(@repository, 'lib/example.rb'), File.join(@repository, 'example.md'))
+    git('add', '--all')
+    git('commit', '--quiet', '-m', 'Rename')
+    expect(classify).to eq 'run_tests=true'
+  end
+
+  it 'compares pull requests from their merge base, not unrelated base-branch changes' do
+    head = commit('CHANGELOG.md')
+    git('checkout', '--quiet', '--detach', @base)
+    base = commit('lib/base-only.rb')
+    expect(classify(base: base, head: head)).to eq 'run_tests=false'
+  end
+
+  it 'includes removed code when a push rewrites history' do
+    before = commit('lib/removed.rb')
+    git('checkout', '--quiet', '--detach', @base)
+    head = commit('CHANGELOG.md')
+    expect(classify(base: before, head: head, event: 'push')).to eq 'run_tests=true'
+  end
+
+  it 'runs the full matrix for a new branch' do
+    expect(classify(base: '0' * 40, event: 'push')).to eq 'run_tests=true'
+  end
+
+  it 'runs the full matrix when a previous pushed revision is unavailable' do
+    expect(classify(base: 'f' * 40, event: 'push')).to eq 'run_tests=true'
+  end
+
+  it 'fails instead of silently skipping tests when a pull request comparison is invalid' do
+    expect { classify(base: 'f' * 40) }.to raise_error(RuntimeError)
+  end
+end