diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 58b35af0..10efb63c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -14,18 +14,9 @@ on:
       - "**.md"
 env:
   CARGO_TERM_COLOR: always
-  GCP_ZONE: europe-west3-a
+  GCP_ZONE: europe-west3-b
 
 jobs:
-  check_branch:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Check branch
-        if: github.base_ref == 'main' && github.head_ref != 'staging'
-        run: |
-          echo "ERROR: You can only merge to main from staging."
-          exit 1
-
   create-runner:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     outputs:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/check_branch.yml b/.github/workflows/check_branch.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..950af1da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/check_branch.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+
+name: check-branch
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+    paths-ignore:
+      - "**.md"
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - main
+      - staging
+    paths-ignore:
+      - "**.md"
+
+jobs:
+  check_branch:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Check branch
+        if: github.base_ref == 'main' && github.head_ref != 'staging'
+        run: |
+          echo "ERROR: You can only merge to main from staging."
+          exit 1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/fmt.yml b/.github/workflows/fmt.yml
index 7c7054f7..695333d6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/fmt.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/fmt.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ on:
 
 jobs: 
   cargo-fmt:
-    runs-on: ${{ needs.create-runner.outputs.label }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4