diff --git a/hack/ci/pr-should-include-tests b/hack/ci/pr-should-include-tests
index b78cac51bb..9cca62ba3b 100755
--- a/hack/ci/pr-should-include-tests
+++ b/hack/ci/pr-should-include-tests
@@ -23,25 +23,13 @@ fi
 
 # Nothing changed under test subdirectory.
 #
-# This is OK if the only files being touched are "safe" ones.
+# This is OK if no source code files were changed.
+# Also we allow vendor updated without tests so exclude the vendor files
+# and also the version files so release PRs do not need tests.
 filtered_changes=$(git diff --name-only $base $head |
-    grep -F -vx .cirrus.yml |
-    grep -F -vx .pre-commit-config.yaml |
-    grep -F -vx .gitignore |
-    grep -F -vx go.mod |
-    grep -F -vx go.sum |
-    grep -F -vx podman.spec.rpkg |
-    grep -F -vx .golangci.yml |
-    grep -F -vx winmake.ps1 |
-    grep -E -v '/*Makefile$' |
-    grep -E -v '^[^/]+\.md$' |
-    grep -E -v '^.github' |
-    grep -E -v '^contrib/' |
-    grep -E -v '^docs/' |
-    grep -E -v '^hack/' |
-    grep -E -v '^nix/' |
-    grep -E -v '^vendor/' |
-    grep -E -v '^version/')
+    grep -E -v '^(test/tools/)?vendor/' |
+    grep -E -v '^version/' |
+    grep -E -x '.*\.(go|c|h)')
 if [[ -z "$filtered_changes" ]]; then
     exit 0
 fi