diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 55f4d82..21c2cf3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -156,7 +156,9 @@ jobs:
       - fetch_from_github
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 1
-    if: always()
+    # Run on success or upstream failure but skip when the workflow is cancelled
+    # — `always()` would override `cancel-in-progress` and waste a runner.
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
     steps:
       - name: Check CI job results
         if: contains(needs.*.result, 'failure') || contains(needs.*.result, 'cancelled') || contains(needs.*.result, 'skipped')