diff --git a/.github/workflows/profile-consistency.yml b/.github/workflows/profile-consistency.yml
index 22f79ce..6d02be6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/profile-consistency.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/profile-consistency.yml
@@ -29,13 +29,19 @@ jobs:
           test "$TRIGGERING_ACTOR" != 'openadapt-lifecycle[bot]'
 
   validate-profile:
-    needs: reject-lifecycle-app
-    if: >-
-      github.actor != 'openadapt-lifecycle[bot]' &&
-      github.triggering_actor != 'openadapt-lifecycle[bot]'
+    # Main's ruleset requires this check, and GitHub counts a skipped job as a
+    # passing check. So this job has no job-level condition or needs that
+    # could skip it. It refuses the lifecycle App with a failing first step.
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 5
     steps:
+      - name: Reject the lifecycle App
+        env:
+          ACTOR: ${{ github.actor }}
+          TRIGGERING_ACTOR: ${{ github.triggering_actor }}
+        run: |
+          test "$ACTOR" != 'openadapt-lifecycle[bot]'
+          test "$TRIGGERING_ACTOR" != 'openadapt-lifecycle[bot]'
       - uses: actions/checkout@9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0 # v7.0.0
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
diff --git a/tests/test_branch_protection.py b/tests/test_branch_protection.py
index f43bb97..6a127dd 100644
--- a/tests/test_branch_protection.py
+++ b/tests/test_branch_protection.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import copy
 import io
 import json
+import re
 import sys
 import unittest
 from contextlib import redirect_stderr, redirect_stdout
@@ -300,6 +301,49 @@ def test_profile_workflow_runs_the_check_on_schedule(self) -> None:
         self.assertIn("  report-unprotected-branch:\n", content)
         self.assertIn("needs.check-branch-protection.result == 'failure'", content)
 
+    def test_required_check_fails_instead_of_skipping(self) -> None:
+        # GitHub counts a skipped job as a passing required check. A pull
+        # request the lifecycle App opens would then show the required check
+        # as passed although validation never ran. So the job behind each
+        # required check has no job-level condition or dependency that could
+        # skip it, and it refuses the lifecycle App with a failing first step.
+        body = json.loads((ROOT / "main-branch-ruleset.json").read_text())
+        contexts = [
+            item["context"]
+            for rule in body["rules"]
+            if rule["type"] == "required_status_checks"
+            for item in rule["parameters"]["required_status_checks"]
+        ]
+        self.assertEqual(contexts, [check.REQUIRED_CHECK])
+        content = (ROOT / ".github/workflows/profile-consistency.yml").read_text()
+        for context in contexts:
+            job = content.split(f"\n  {context}:\n", 1)[1]
+            job = re.split(r"\n  (?=\S)", job, maxsplit=1)[0]
+            self.assertNotRegex(job, r"(?m)^    if:", context)
+            self.assertNotRegex(job, r"(?m)^    needs:", context)
+            # Nothing may let the job run on past a failed refusal.
+            self.assertNotRegex(job, r"(?m)^    continue-on-error:", context)
+            first_step = job.split("    steps:\n      - ", 1)[1]
+            first_step = first_step.split("\n      - ", 1)[0]
+            self.assertNotIn("uses:", first_step, context)
+            # A condition could skip the refusal, and continue-on-error would
+            # let a failed refusal count as a success.
+            self.assertNotRegex(
+                first_step, r"(?m)^(?: {8})?(?:if|continue-on-error):", context
+            )
+            self.assertIn("ACTOR: ${{ github.actor }}", first_step, context)
+            self.assertIn(
+                "TRIGGERING_ACTOR: ${{ github.triggering_actor }}", first_step, context
+            )
+            self.assertIn(
+                "test \"$ACTOR\" != 'openadapt-lifecycle[bot]'", first_step, context
+            )
+            self.assertIn(
+                "test \"$TRIGGERING_ACTOR\" != 'openadapt-lifecycle[bot]'",
+                first_step,
+                context,
+            )
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()