diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md
index d75fe1f170a..a1562c19df5 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md
@@ -2,3 +2,6 @@ Please don't open issues for questions, but ask in our Discussions forum at http
 
 Mill installations via `coursier` or `cs` are unsupported.
 
+Please open all PRs as drafts to avoid being bottlenecked by Mill CI, and only
+convert to ready for review once CI on your own fork is green. There will be a 
+PR status check linking your fork's commit/CI history for convenient viewing 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/draft-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/draft-ci.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a9b9fcee385
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/draft-ci.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+name: Draft CI
+
+permissions: write-all
+on:
+  pull_request_target:
+    types:
+      - opened
+      - reopened
+      - synchronize
+      - ready_for_review
+
+jobs:
+  run:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions: write-all
+    steps:
+      - name: Debug Echos
+        run: |
+          echo ${{ github.event.action }}
+          echo ${{ github.event.action == 'ready_for_review' }}
+          echo "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.repo.html_url }}/commits/${{github.event.pull_request.head.ref}}"
+      - name: Create status
+        run: |
+          curl --request POST \
+          --url ${{ github.event.pull_request.statuses_url }} \
+          --header 'authorization: Bearer ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}' \
+          --header 'content-type: application/json' \
+          --data '{
+            "state": "${{(github.event.action != 'ready_for_review' && github.event.pull_request.draft) && 'pending' || 'success'}}",
+            "context": "Draft CI / link",
+            "target_url": ${{(github.event.action != 'ready_for_review' && github.event.pull_request.draft) && format('"{0}/commits/{1}"', github.event.pull_request.head.repo.html_url, github.event.pull_request.head.ref) || 'null'}},
+            "description": "${{(github.event.action != 'ready_for_review' && github.event.pull_request.draft) && 'use CI on your repo fork (link on right) until this PR is ready for review' || 'PR is ready for review, running CI in Mill repo'}}"
+            }' \
+          --fail-with-body
diff --git a/.github/workflows/draft-status.yml b/.github/workflows/draft-status.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 9290dbb9a15..00000000000
--- a/.github/workflows/draft-status.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-name: Draft Status
-
-permissions: write-all
-on:
-  pull_request_target:
-
-jobs:
-  set_status:
-    if: github.event.pull_request.draft == true
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    permissions: write-all 
-    steps:
-      - name: Get PR source repository URL
-        run:
-          echo "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.repo.html_url }}/commits/${{github.event.pull_request.head.ref}}"
-      - name: Create status
-        run: |
-          curl --request POST \
-          --url ${{ github.event.pull_request.statuses_url }} \
-          --header 'authorization: Bearer ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}' \
-          --header 'content-type: application/json' \
-          --data '{
-            "state": "pending",
-            "context": "Link to Fork Repo Actions",
-            "target_url": "${{ github.event.pull_request.head.repo.html_url }}/commits/${{github.event.pull_request.head.ref}}",
-            "description": "use fork github actions until ready for review",
-            }' \
-          --fail-with-body
diff --git a/.github/workflows/run-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/run-tests.yml
index 1165cfa3093..e56b61aa070 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/run-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/run-tests.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ jobs:
   # Jobs are listed in rough order of priority: if multiple jobs fail, the first job
   # in the list should be the one that's most worth looking into
   build-linux:
-    if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false
+    if: (github.event.action == 'ready_for_review') || (github.event.pull_request.draft == false)
     uses: ./.github/workflows/run-mill-action.yml
     with:
       java-version: '11'
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ jobs:
       populate_cache: true
 
   build-windows:
-    if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false
+    if: (github.event.action == 'ready_for_review') || (github.event.pull_request.draft == false)
     uses: ./.github/workflows/run-mill-action.yml
     with:
       os: windows-latest
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ jobs:
       populate_cache: true
 
   test-docs:
-    if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false
+    if: (github.event.action == 'ready_for_review') || (github.event.pull_request.draft == false)
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4