diff --git a/.github/actions/check-previous-builds/action.yaml b/.github/actions/check-previous-builds/action.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index febf1454..00000000
--- a/.github/actions/check-previous-builds/action.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-name: check for successful workflow runs for the same commit
-description: uses the GitHub REST API to check whether a successful workflow run for the same commit already exists
-
-inputs:
-  githubToken:
-    description: "github token"
-    required: true
-    # TODO this also needs the id/name of the actual workflow
-
-runs:
-  using: "composite"
-  steps:
-    - name: list successful builds
-      id: list_successful_builds
-      uses: octokit/request-action@v2.x
-      with:
-        # https://docs.github.com/en/rest/actions/workflow-runs
-        route: GET /repos/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs?head_sha=${{ github.sha }}&status=success
-      env:
-        GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ inputs.githubToken }}
-
-    # TODO remove this debug output
-    - run: "echo successful builds: '${{ steps.list_successful_builds.outputs.data }}'"
-
-    - name: process Github API response
-      id: successful_builds_for_same_commit_exist
-      run: |
-        export number_of_successful_builds=${{ fromJson(steps.list_successful_builds.outputs.data).total_count }}
-        if [[ $number_of_successful_builds -gt 0 ]]; then
-          echo "result=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-        else
-          echo "result=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-        fi
-
-    # TODO remove this debug output
-    - run: "echo has successful builds: '${{ steps.successful_builds_for_same_commit_exist.outputs.result }}'"
-
-    # TODO write to output
-
-outputs:
-  successful-build-exists:
-    description: "whether a successful workflow run exists for the same commit"
-    value: ${{ steps.successful_builds_for_same_commit_exist.outputs.result }}
-
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index 945079c3..57f80f96 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -27,37 +27,31 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: ${{ !(github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || contains(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')) }}
 
 jobs:
+  check_for_existing_previous_builds:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      should_skip: ${{ steps.skip_check.outputs.should_skip }}
+    steps:
+      - id: skip_check
+        uses: fkirc/skip-duplicate-actions@v5
 
-  check_for_successful_builds_for_same_commit:
-    name: Check for successful builds for the same commit
+  echo_previous_builds_result:
+    needs: check_for_existing_previous_builds
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - name: list successful builds
-        id: list_successful_builds
-        uses: octokit/request-action@v2.x
-        with:
-          route: GET /repos/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs
-          head_sha: ${{ github.sha }}
-          status: success
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-      - run: "echo successful builds: '${{ steps.list_successful_builds.outputs.data }}'"
-      - name: process Github API response
-        id: successful_builds_for_same_commit_exist
-        run: |
-          export number_of_successful_builds=${{ fromJson(steps.list_successful_builds.outputs.data).total_count }}
-          if [[ $number_of_successful_builds -gt 0 ]]; then
-            echo "result=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          else
-            echo "result=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          fi
-      - run: "echo has successful builds: '${{ steps.successful_builds_for_same_commit_exist.outputs.result }}'"
-
-
-  separate_job:
+      - run: |
+        echo "should_skip  : ${{needs.check_for_existing_previous_builds.outputs.should_skip}}"
+        echo "reason       : ${{needs.check_for_existing_previous_builds.outputs.reason}}"
+        echo "skipped_by   : ${{needs.check_for_existing_previous_builds.outputs.skipped_by}}"
+        echo "paths_result : ${{needs.check_for_existing_previous_builds.outputs.paths_result}}"
+        echo "changed_files: ${{needs.check_for_existing_previous_builds.outputs.changed_files}}"
+
+  actual_job:
+    needs: check_for_existing_previous_builds
+    if: needs.check_for_existing_previous_builds.outputs.should_skip != 'true'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - run: "echo separate step, has successful builds: '${{ steps.successful_builds_for_same_commit_exist.outputs.result }}'"
+      - run: echo "Running slow tests..." && sleep 30
 
   # verify:
   #   name: Build & Test