diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-python.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-python.yml
index 8d8c0ba..1e72d71 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate-python.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-python.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Python Formatting Validation
+name: Python Lint & Format
 
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
@@ -9,35 +9,26 @@ on:
       - ".pre-commit-config.yaml"
       - "Makefile"
       - "pyproject.toml"
-      - ".github/workflow/validate-python.yml"
-  pull_request_target:
-    types: [closed]
-    paths:
-      - "**/*.py"
-      - ".pre-commit-config.yaml"
-      - "Makefile"
-      - "pyproject.toml"
-      - ".github/workflow/validate-python.yml"
+      - ".github/workflows/validate-python.yml"
 
 jobs:
-  formatting-test:
+  lint-and-format:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     permissions:
       contents: read
-      pull-requests: read
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-        with:
-          # For pull_request_target on forks, ensure we check out the merge commit or default branch safely
-          ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha || github.ref }}
 
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v6
         with:
           python-version: "3.12"
 
-      - name: Install python formatting test dependencies
+      - name: Install ruff
         run: pip install ruff
 
-      - name: Run Formatting Tests
+      - name: Run ruff linter
+        run: ruff check kubeflow-pipelines/
+
+      - name: Run ruff format check
         run: make format-python-check