diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e_custom_cl.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e_custom_cl.yml
index 1a19d8732..490e7fc7e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e_custom_cl.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e_custom_cl.yml
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: [e2e_custom_build_artifacts]
     steps:
+      - name: Check for Skip Tests Label
+        if: contains(join(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, ' '), 'build-test-image')
       - name: Collect Metrics
         id: collect-gha-metrics
         uses: smartcontractkit/push-gha-metrics-action@v1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e_testnet_daily.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e_testnet_daily.yml
index b654ac2df..d1adf5a04 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e_testnet_daily.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e_testnet_daily.yml
@@ -89,15 +89,6 @@ jobs:
     env:
       GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
     steps:
-      - name: Get core ref from PR body
-        if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
-        run: |
-          comment="$(gh pr view https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/pull/${{ github.event.pull_request.number }} --json body -q '.body')"
-          # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-          core_ref="$(echo $comment | grep -oP 'core ref: \K\S+' || true)"
-          if [ -n "$core_ref" ]; then
-            echo "CUSTOM_CORE_REF=${core_ref}" >> "${GITHUB_ENV}"
-          fi
       - name: Check if image exists
         id: check-image
         uses: smartcontractkit/chainlink-github-actions/docker/image-exists@b49a9d04744b0237908831730f8553f26d73a94b # v2.3.17
@@ -146,15 +137,6 @@ jobs:
           this-job-name: E2E Custom Run Daily Smoke Tests
           test-results-file: '{"testType":"go","filePath":"/tmp/gotest.log"}'
         continue-on-error: true
-      - name: Get core ref from PR body
-        if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
-        run: |
-          comment="$(gh pr view https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/pull/${{ github.event.pull_request.number }} --json body -q '.body')"
-          # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-          core_ref="$(echo $comment | grep -oP 'core ref: \K\S+' || true)"
-          if [ -n "$core_ref" ]; then
-            echo "CUSTOM_CORE_REF=${core_ref}" >> "${GITHUB_ENV}"
-          fi
       - name: Checkout the repo
         uses: actions/checkout@44c2b7a8a4ea60a981eaca3cf939b5f4305c123b # v4.1.5
       - name: Install Solana CLI # required for ensuring the local test validator is configured correctly
diff --git a/.github/workflows/soak.yml b/.github/workflows/soak.yml
index ba5d6116e..28bd2f9d2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/soak.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/soak.yml
@@ -21,20 +21,6 @@ env:
   MOD_CACHE_VERSION: 1
 
 jobs:
-  check_test_compilation:
-    name: Check integration test compilation
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout sources
-        uses: actions/checkout@44c2b7a8a4ea60a981eaca3cf939b5f4305c123b # v4.1.5
-      - name: Setup go
-        uses: actions/setup-go@cdcb36043654635271a94b9a6d1392de5bb323a7 # v5.0.1
-        with:
-          go-version-file: "go.mod"
-          check-latest: true
-          cache: true
-      - run: cd ./integration-tests && go test -run=xxx ./...
-
   get_projectserum_version:
     name: Get ProjectSerum Version
     environment: integration
@@ -75,7 +61,7 @@ jobs:
       contents: read
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest-16cores-64GB
 
-    needs: [e2e_custom_build_artifacts, check_test_compilation]
+    needs: [e2e_custom_build_artifacts]
     env:
       TEST_ARGS: -test.timeout 30m
       TEST_LOG_LEVEL: debug