diff --git a/.github/actions/check-controller-build/action.yml b/.github/actions/check-controller-build/action.yml
index 5b0d4d2..6745a62 100644
--- a/.github/actions/check-controller-build/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/check-controller-build/action.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 name: "crucible-ci check controller build"
 description: "Determine if the crucible changes require a controller rebuild for testing"
 inputs:
+  bypass-controller-build:
+    description: "Should this action return 'no' no matter what"
+    required: true
   crucible-directory:
     description: "Where is the crucible repository to check for controller image related changes"
     required: true
@@ -16,9 +19,8 @@ runs:
   steps:
     - name: "Validate crucible-directory"
       shell: bash
-      run: ${{ github.action_path }}/validate-inputs.sh ${{ inputs.crucible-directory }} ${{ inputs.workshop-directory }}
+      run: ${{ github.action_path }}/validate-inputs.sh  ${{ inputs.bypass-controller-build }} ${{ inputs.crucible-directory }} ${{ inputs.workshop-directory }}
     - name: "Check for controller build status"
       id: check-controller-build
       shell: bash
-      run: ${{ github.action_path }}/check-controller-build.sh ${{ inputs.crucible-directory}} ${{ inputs.workshop-directory }}
-
+      run: ${{ github.action_path }}/check-controller-build.sh  ${{ inputs.bypass-controller-build }} ${{ inputs.crucible-directory}} ${{ inputs.workshop-directory }}
diff --git a/.github/actions/check-controller-build/check-controller-build.sh b/.github/actions/check-controller-build/check-controller-build.sh
index 3f96d8e..280a2fb 100755
--- a/.github/actions/check-controller-build/check-controller-build.sh
+++ b/.github/actions/check-controller-build/check-controller-build.sh
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 # -*- mode: sh; indent-tabs-mode: nil; sh-basic-offset: 4 -*-
 # vim: autoindent tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 expandtab softtabstop=4 filetype=bash
 
-crucible_directory=${1}
-workshop_directory=${2}
+bypass_controller_build=${1}
+crucible_directory=${2}
+workshop_directory=${3}
 
 function error() {
     echo "ERROR: ${1}"
@@ -26,66 +27,70 @@ diff_cmd="git diff --name-only HEAD^1 HEAD"
 
 build_controller="no"
 
-echo "Crucible workshop change analysis:"
-if pushd ${crucible_directory}; then
-    if ${diff_cmd_validate} > /dev/null 2>&1; then
-        # history available
-
-        echo "Files changed:"
-        ${diff_cmd}
-        if [ $? != 0 ]; then
-            error "could not obtain git-diff output"
+if [ "${bypass_controller_build}" == "yes" ]; then
+    echo "Bypassing controller build"
+else
+    echo "Crucible workshop change analysis:"
+    if pushd ${crucible_directory}; then
+        if ${diff_cmd_validate} > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+            # history available
+
+            echo "Files changed:"
+            ${diff_cmd}
+            if [ $? != 0 ]; then
+                error "could not obtain git-diff output"
+            fi
+            echo
+
+            workshop_files_changed=$(${diff_cmd} | grep "^workshop/" | wc -l)
+            echo "workshop_files_changed=${workshop_files_changed}"
+            echo
+
+            if [ ${workshop_files_changed} -gt 0 ]; then
+                echo "INFO: controller build is required"
+	        build_controller="yes"
+            fi
+        else
+            # history not available
+
+            echo "WARNING: Required history not available, assuming no controller build is required"
         fi
-        echo
 
-        workshop_files_changed=$(${diff_cmd} | grep "^workshop/" | wc -l)
-        echo "workshop_files_changed=${workshop_files_changed}"
-        echo
-
-        if [ ${workshop_files_changed} -gt 0 ]; then
-            echo "INFO: controller build is required"
-	    build_controller="yes"
-        fi
+        popd
     else
-        # history not available
-
-        echo "WARNING: Required history not available, assuming no controller build is required"
+        error "Failed to pushd to crucible directory '${crucible_directory}'"
     fi
 
-    popd
-else
-    error "Failed to pushd to crucible directory '${crucible_directory}'"
-fi
-
-echo "Workshop change analysis:"
-if pushd ${workshop_directory}; then
-    if ${diff_cmd_validate} > /dev/null 2>&1; then
-        # history available
-
-        echo "Files changed:"
-        ${diff_cmd}
-        if [ $? != 0 ]; then
-            error "could not obtian git-diff output"
+    echo "Workshop change analysis:"
+    if pushd ${workshop_directory}; then
+        if ${diff_cmd_validate} > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+            # history available
+
+            echo "Files changed:"
+            ${diff_cmd}
+            if [ $? != 0 ]; then
+                error "could not obtian git-diff output"
+            fi
+            echo
+
+            workshop_files_changed=$(${diff_cmd} | grep "^workshop.pl\|^schema.json" | wc -l)
+            echo "workshop_files_changed=${workshop_files_changed}"
+            echo
+
+            if [ ${workshop_files_changed} -gt 0 ]; then
+                echo "INFO: controller build is required"
+                build_controller="yes"
+            fi
+        else
+            # history not available
+
+            echo "WARNING: Required history not available, assuming no controller build is required"
         fi
-        echo
 
-        workshop_files_changed=$(${diff_cmd} | grep "^workshop.pl\|^schema.json" | wc -l)
-        echo "workshop_files_changed=${workshop_files_changed}"
-        echo
-
-        if [ ${workshop_files_changed} -gt 0 ]; then
-            echo "INFO: controller build is required"
-            build_controller="yes"
-        fi
+        popd
     else
-        # history not available
-
-        echo "WARNING: Required history not available, assuming no controller build is required"
+        error "Failed to pushd to workshop directory '${workshop_directory}'"
     fi
-
-    popd
-else
-    error "Failed to pushd to workshop directory '${workshop_directory}'"
 fi
 
 echo "Setting build-controller to '${build_controller}'"
diff --git a/.github/actions/check-controller-build/validate-inputs.sh b/.github/actions/check-controller-build/validate-inputs.sh
index dd9edd2..cd672ed 100755
--- a/.github/actions/check-controller-build/validate-inputs.sh
+++ b/.github/actions/check-controller-build/validate-inputs.sh
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 # -*- mode: sh; indent-tabs-mode: nil; sh-basic-offset: 4 -*-
 # vim: autoindent tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 expandtab softtabstop=4 filetype=bash
 
-crucible_directory=${1}
-workshop_directory=${2}
+bypass_controller_build=${1}
+crucible_directory=${2}
+workshop_directory=${3}
 
 function error() {
     echo "ERROR: ${1}"
@@ -11,19 +12,32 @@ function error() {
 }
 
 function usage() {
-    echo "Usage: ${0} <crucible> <workshop>"
+    echo "Usage: ${0} <bypass-controller-build> <crucible> <workshop>"
     echo
+    echo "<bypass-controller-build> is a yes|no value"
     echo "<crucible> is a directory where the crucible repository exists."
     echo "<workshop> is a directory where the workshop repoistory exists."
     echo
+    echo "If <bypass-controller-build> is 'yes' then the action short circuits and returns 'no'"
+    echo
     echo "Both repositories are examined to determine if their changes require"
     echo "the building of a new controller image for testing"
     exit 1
 }
 
-if [ -z "${crucible_directory}" -o -z "${workshop_directory}" ]; then
+if [ -z "${bypass_controller_build}" -o -z "${crucible_directory}" -o -z "${workshop_directory}" ]; then
     usage
 else
+    # handle <bypass-controller-build>
+    case "${bypass_controller_build}" in
+        "yes"|"no")
+            echo "bypass_controller_build has a valid value of '${bypass_controller_build}'"
+            ;;
+        *)
+            error "bypass_controller_build has an invalid value of '${bypass_controller_build}'"
+            ;;
+    esac
+    
     # handle <crucible>
     if [ ! -e "${crucible_directory}" ]; then
         error "The crucible directory '${crucible_directory}' does not exist"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/core-crucible-ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/core-crucible-ci.yaml
index f1e1f96..63a8766 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/core-crucible-ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/core-crucible-ci.yaml
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ on:
         required: false
         type: string
         default: "all"
+      bypass_controller_build:
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: "no"
     secrets:
       registry_auth:
         required: false
@@ -147,6 +151,7 @@ jobs:
       id: check-controller-build
       uses: ./crucible-ci/.github/actions/check-controller-build
       with:
+        bypass-controller-build: "${{ inputs.bypass_controller_build }}"
         crucible-directory: "./crucible"
         workshop-directory: "./workshop"
     - name: run get-repo-name