diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index d0c32375747..4a673b85e73 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ jobs:
                     {
                       check_name: "checks-fast-contracts-protocol",
                       runtime: "node",
-                      task: "contracts-protocol",
+                      task: "contracts",
                     },
                   ]
                 : [],
@@ -573,10 +573,8 @@ jobs:
             bundled)
               pnpm test:bundled
               ;;
-            contracts|contracts-protocol)
-              pnpm build
+            contracts)
               pnpm test:contracts
-              pnpm protocol:check
               ;;
             *)
               echo "Unsupported checks-fast task: $TASK" >&2
@@ -584,6 +582,72 @@ jobs:
               ;;
           esac
 
+  checks-fast-protocol:
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    name: "checks-fast-protocol"
+    needs: [preflight]
+    if: needs.preflight.outputs.run_checks_fast == 'true'
+    runs-on: blacksmith-16vcpu-ubuntu-2404
+    timeout-minutes: 30
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        shell: bash
+        env:
+          CHECKOUT_REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
+          CHECKOUT_SHA: ${{ github.sha }}
+          CHECKOUT_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+
+          workdir="$GITHUB_WORKSPACE"
+          auth_header="$(printf 'x-access-token:%s' "$CHECKOUT_TOKEN" | base64 | tr -d '\n')"
+
+          reset_checkout_dir() {
+            mkdir -p "$workdir"
+            find "$workdir" -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -exec rm -rf {} +
+          }
+
+          checkout_attempt() {
+            local attempt="$1"
+
+            reset_checkout_dir
+            git init "$workdir" >/dev/null
+            git config --global --add safe.directory "$workdir"
+            git -C "$workdir" remote add origin "https://github.com/${CHECKOUT_REPO}"
+            git -C "$workdir" config gc.auto 0
+
+            timeout --signal=TERM 30s git -C "$workdir" \
+              -c protocol.version=2 \
+              -c "http.https://github.com/.extraheader=AUTHORIZATION: basic ${auth_header}" \
+              fetch --no-tags --prune --no-recurse-submodules --depth=1 origin \
+              "+${CHECKOUT_SHA}:refs/remotes/origin/ci-target" || return 1
+
+            git -C "$workdir" checkout --force --detach "$CHECKOUT_SHA" || return 1
+            test -f "$workdir/.github/actions/setup-node-env/action.yml" || return 1
+            echo "checkout attempt ${attempt}/2 succeeded"
+          }
+
+          for attempt in 1 2; do
+            if checkout_attempt "$attempt"; then
+              exit 0
+            fi
+            echo "checkout attempt ${attempt}/2 failed"
+            sleep $((attempt * 5))
+          done
+
+          echo "checkout failed after 2 attempts" >&2
+          exit 1
+
+      - name: Setup Node environment
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-node-env
+        with:
+          install-bun: "false"
+          use-sticky-disk: "false"
+
+      - name: Run protocol check
+        run: pnpm protocol:check
+
   checks-node-extensions-shard:
     permissions:
       contents: read