diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr.yml b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
index f2a48dc16..8f38f245e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr.yml
@@ -22,21 +22,27 @@ jobs:
         include:
         - config: portBLAS
           domain: blas
+          exclude: lapack|dft|rng
           build_options: -DREF_BLAS_ROOT=${PWD}/lapack/install -DENABLE_PORTBLAS_BACKEND=ON -DENABLE_MKLCPU_BACKEND=OFF -DPORTBLAS_TUNING_TARGET=INTEL_CPU
         - config: portFFT
           domain: dft
+          exclude: blas|lapack|rng
           build_options: -DENABLE_PORTFFT_BACKEND=ON -DENABLE_MKLCPU_BACKEND=OFF -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-fsycl -fsycl-targets=spir64"
           test_options: -R 'DFT/CT/.*ComputeTests_in_place_COMPLEX.COMPLEX_SINGLE_in_place_buffer.sizes_8_batches_1*'
         - config: MKL BLAS
           domain: blas
+          exclude: lapack|dft|rng
           build_options: -DREF_BLAS_ROOT=${PWD}/lapack/install
         - config: MKL DFT
           domain: dft
+          exclude: blas|lapack|rng
         - config: MKL LAPACK
           domain: lapack
+          exclude: blas|dft|rng
           build_options: -DREF_LAPACK_ROOT=${PWD}/lapack/install
         - config: MKL RNG
           domain: rng
+          exclude: blas|dft|lapack
     name: unit tests ${{ matrix.config }} CPU
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@44c2b7a8a4ea60a981eaca3cf939b5f4305c123b # v4.1.5
@@ -61,12 +67,14 @@ jobs:
       id: changes
       uses: dorny/paths-filter@de90cc6fb38fc0963ad72b210f1f284cd68cea36 # v3.0.2
       with:
+        list-files: shell
         filters: |
           src:
-          - 'src/${{ matrix.domain }}/**'
-          - 'tests/unit_tests/${{ matrix.domain }}/**'
-          - CMakeLists.txt
-          - '.github/workflows/**'
+          # match everything
+          - '**'
+          # exclude other domains
+          - '!src/${{ matrix.exclude }}/**'
+          - '!tests/unit_tests/${{ matrix.exclude }}/**'
     - name: Install oneapi
       if: steps.changes.outputs.src == 'true'
       uses: rscohn2/setup-oneapi@2ad0cf6b74bc2426bdcee825cf88f9db719dd727 # v0.1.0