diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker.yml b/.github/workflows/docker.yml
index d049cce012..01506ef510 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docker.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker.yml
@@ -67,15 +67,28 @@ env:
   CANDIDATE_COMMIT: ${{ inputs.commit || github.sha }}
 
 jobs:
-  # Resolve the release phase. Release modes run only via workflow_call from
-  # the parent stable-release workflow, which passes the candidate commit.
+  # Resolve the release phase, then (outside release phases) classify the PR's
+  # changed files. Release modes run only via workflow_call from the parent
+  # stable-release workflow, which passes the candidate commit.
+  #
+  # Classification used to be a separate `detect` job that started right after
+  # this one on the same runner: a second billed minute for ~10s of work. Its
+  # steps are gated on the resolved phase instead, so a release phase still
+  # skips classification entirely (the parent already ran full CI and the tag
+  # dispatch has no meaningful PR diff to classify).
+  #
+  # ci.yml used to gate the docker call on its own ``detect`` outputs; now that
+  # this workflow triggers itself, it runs the same composite action. On push
+  # the classifier fails open (every lane true), so post-merge validation is
+  # never weakened.
   mode:
-    name: Resolve release phase
+    name: Resolve release phase and affected areas
     runs-on: blacksmith-4vcpu-ubuntu-2404
-    timeout-minutes: 5
+    timeout-minutes: 10
     outputs:
       phase: ${{ steps.resolve.outputs.phase }}
       release: ${{ steps.resolve.outputs.release }}
+      build: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.build }}
     steps:
       - id: resolve
         env:
@@ -90,33 +103,21 @@ jobs:
             *)    echo "::error::Invalid release-phase input: $PHASE"; exit 1 ;;
           esac
 
-  # Classify the PR's changed files. ci.yml used to gate the docker call on
-  # its own ``detect`` outputs; now that this workflow triggers itself, it
-  # runs the same composite action. On push and release the classifier fails
-  # open (every lane true), so post-merge validation is never weakened.
-  # Release phases skip classification entirely: the parent already ran full
-  # CI and the tag dispatch has no meaningful PR diff to classify.
-  detect:
-    name: Detect affected areas
-    needs: [mode]
-    if: needs.mode.outputs.release != 'true'
-    runs-on: blacksmith-4vcpu-ubuntu-2404
-    timeout-minutes: 10
-    outputs:
-      build: ${{ steps.gate.outputs.build }}
-    steps:
       - uses: useblacksmith/checkout@25227e61ff9dafe400e22fa487b673eac4e4409a  # v1
+        if: steps.resolve.outputs.release != 'true'
         with:
           ref: ${{ inputs.commit }}
 
       - name: Detect affected areas
         id: classify
+        if: steps.resolve.outputs.release != 'true'
         uses: ./.github/actions/detect-changes
         with:
           github-token: ${{ github.token }}
 
       - name: Decide whether to build
         id: gate
+        if: steps.resolve.outputs.release != 'true'
         env:
           # The docker lane is a slow lane: on a pull request it runs only
           # for docker meta, the dependency manifests, PM and tests/docker
@@ -142,10 +143,10 @@ jobs:
   # rebuilds — it downloads these exact artifacts.
   build:
     name: Build and test image (${{ matrix.variant }}/${{ matrix.arch }})
-    needs: [mode, detect]
+    needs: [mode]
     if: >-
       !cancelled() && needs.mode.result == 'success' &&
-      ((needs.mode.outputs.release != 'true' && github.repository == 'NousResearch/hermes-agent' && needs.detect.outputs.build == 'true') || needs.mode.outputs.phase == 'test')
+      ((needs.mode.outputs.release != 'true' && github.repository == 'NousResearch/hermes-agent' && needs.mode.outputs.build == 'true') || needs.mode.outputs.phase == 'test')
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix: