diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index ef53ee8..e6aef2d 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@
 // from the agent's environment (ARCHIVE_PC_REPO / ARCHIVE_QUEST_REPO), each
 // overridable per run. A build is picked by snapshot tags.
 //
-// On a push, only the platforms whose code changed are rebuilt. A manual run
-// picks the platforms with PLATFORMS. See ci/jenkins/README.md.
+// A push builds only the platforms whose client code changed (never for
+// docs or CI-only changes). A manual run picks the platforms with PLATFORMS.
+// See ci/jenkins/README.md.
 //
 // Finished builds are renamed for players and published to the downloads bucket
 // (ci/downloads) unless PUBLISH_DOWNLOADS is off. The build scripts keep their
@@ -76,10 +77,15 @@ pipeline {
             for (cs in currentBuild.changeSets) {
               for (entry in cs.items) changed.addAll(entry.affectedPaths)
             }
-            def touches = { prefixes -> changed.any { p -> prefixes.any { p.startsWith(it) } } }
-            def common = ['Jenkinsfile', 'ci/jenkins/']
-            buildPc = touches(common + ['DorkNet.ClientMod/', 'tools/build_pc.py'])
-            buildQuest = touches(common + ['DorkNet.Quest/'])
+            // Only client-facing changes rebuild (and so republish) a
+            // platform; Markdown (.md, .markdown) doesn't count. The job's Git path filter
+            // uses the same paths, so other pushes don't start a run at all.
+            // A CI-only change (Jenkinsfile, ci/) takes a manual run.
+            def touches = { prefixes ->
+              changed.any { p -> !(p.toLowerCase() ==~ /.*\.(md|markdown)/) && prefixes.any { p.startsWith(it) } }
+            }
+            buildPc = touches(['DorkNet.ClientMod/', 'tools/build_pc.py'])
+            buildQuest = touches(['DorkNet.Quest/'])
             echo "Push build; ${changed.size()} changed file(s)"
           } else {
             buildPc = params.PLATFORMS in ['both', 'pc']
@@ -220,10 +226,15 @@ pipeline {
       archiveArtifacts artifacts: 'out/downloads/**', allowEmptyArchive: true, fingerprint: true
     }
     cleanup {
-      // Runs after archiving. Keeps the restic cache and restored stock
-      // builds ($DORKNET_CACHE on the agent, outside the workspace); drops
-      // the workspace's build output and scratch.
-      cleanWs(deleteDirs: true, notFailBuild: true)
+      // Runs after archiving. Drops the build output and scratch (several
+      // GB) but keeps the Git checkout: the job's path filter compares
+      // pushes against it, and without a workspace Jenkins treats every
+      // push as a change and starts a run. The restic cache and restored
+      // stock builds live outside the workspace ($DORKNET_CACHE).
+      cleanWs(deleteDirs: true, notFailBuild: true, patterns: [
+        [pattern: 'out/**', type: 'INCLUDE'],
+        [pattern: 'quest-work/**', type: 'INCLUDE'],
+      ])
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/ci/jenkins/README.md b/ci/jenkins/README.md
index 0540fec..53f2754 100644
--- a/ci/jenkins/README.md
+++ b/ci/jenkins/README.md
@@ -60,10 +60,21 @@ Resolve a table for another build locally with `build.py build --dump-cs`.
 
 ## Triggers
 
-- **Push** to the branch (GitHub webhook) rebuilds only what changed:
-  - `DorkNet.ClientMod/` and the PC scripts rebuild PC;
+- **Push** to the branch (GitHub webhook) builds only for client-facing
+  changes, and only the platform they touch:
+  - `DorkNet.ClientMod/` and `tools/build_pc.py` rebuild PC;
   - `DorkNet.Quest/` rebuilds Quest;
-  - `Jenkinsfile` and `ci/jenkins/` rebuild both.
+  - Markdown files (`.md`, `.markdown`) never count; server, docs and CI-only pushes (including
+    the `Jenkinsfile` and `ci/`) build nothing. Run those manually.
+
+  Set the same filter on the job so other pushes don't start a run at all:
+  under the job's **Git** source, add **Additional Behaviours → Polling
+  ignores commits in certain paths** with included regions
+  `DorkNet[.]ClientMod/.*`, `DorkNet[.]Quest/.*`, `tools/build_pc[.]py` (one
+  per line) and excluded region `.*[.](md|markdown)`. The filter compares against the
+  last build's checkout, so the pipeline keeps it and deletes only `out/`
+  and its scratch folders after each run; without a checkout, Jenkins treats
+  every push as a change.
 - **Build with Parameters** runs a manual build:
   - `PLATFORMS` (both / pc / quest), and `PC_FULL_CLIENT` for the full PC client;
   - snapshot tags, and per-run repository overrides;