diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-pipeline.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-pipeline.yml
index 5717627962..5c5fa5e7fb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-pipeline.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-pipeline.yml
@@ -47,8 +47,17 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
+  start-gate:
+    name: CI Start Gate
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    if: (!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, '[TGSRelease]'))
+    steps:
+      - name: GitHub Requires at Least One Step for a Job
+        run: exit 0
+
   build-releasenotes:
     name: Build ReleaseNotes for Other Jobs
+    needs: start-gate
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Install Native Dependencies
@@ -83,6 +92,7 @@ jobs:
 
   code-scanning:
     name: Run CodeQL
+    needs: start-gate
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     permissions:
       security-events: write
@@ -134,6 +144,7 @@ jobs:
 
   dmapi-build:
     name: Build DMAPI
+    needs: start-gate
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
@@ -222,6 +233,7 @@ jobs:
 
   opendream-build:
     name: Build DMAPI (OpenDream)
+    needs: start-gate
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
@@ -278,6 +290,7 @@ jobs:
   efcore-version-match:
     name: Check Nuget Versions Match Tools
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: start-gate
     steps:
       - name: Checkout (Branch)
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -412,6 +425,7 @@ jobs:
   docker-build:
     name: Build Docker Image
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: start-gate
     env:
       TGS_TELEMETRY_KEY_FILE: tgs_telemetry_key.txt
     steps:
@@ -438,6 +452,7 @@ jobs:
 
   linux-unit-tests:
     name: Linux Tests
+    needs: start-gate
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
@@ -510,6 +525,7 @@ jobs:
 
   windows-unit-tests:
     name: Windows Tests
+    needs: start-gate
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix: