diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index f7af20032..64501e4e1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -241,3 +241,8 @@ jobs:
           # Optional: show only new issues if it's a pull request. The default value is `false`.
           only-new-issues: true
           args: --verbose --timeout 5m --enable-all --disable wsl
+
+    # only run golangci-lint for pull requests, otherwise ALL hints get
+    # reported. We need to slowly address all issues until we can enable
+    # linting the master branch :)
+    if: github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name != github.repository