diff --git a/.github/scripts/validate-pr.js b/.github/scripts/validate-pr.js
index 45545fc..1cc5257 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/validate-pr.js
+++ b/.github/scripts/validate-pr.js
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 import { Octokit } from "@octokit/rest";
+import {
+    isCowJsonFile,
+    isValidatorMaintenancePullRequest
+} from "./validation-helpers.js";
 
 // Environment variables
 const token = process.env.GITHUB_TOKEN;
@@ -45,7 +49,12 @@ async function run() {
             pull_number: pr_number
         });
 
-        const jsonFiles = files.filter(f => f.filename.endsWith(".json"));
+        if (isValidatorMaintenancePullRequest(files)) {
+            console.log("✅ Validator maintenance PR detected; cow submission checks skipped.");
+            process.exit(0);
+        }
+
+        const jsonFiles = files.filter(f => isCowJsonFile(f.filename));
         const imageFiles = files.filter(f => f.filename.startsWith("images/"));
         const requiredKeys = ["name", "breed", "image"];
 
diff --git a/.github/scripts/validation-helpers.js b/.github/scripts/validation-helpers.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ca60ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/validation-helpers.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+export function isCowJsonFile(filename) {
+    return filename.startsWith("cows/") && filename.endsWith(".json");
+}
+
+export function isValidatorMaintenancePullRequest(files) {
+    const allowedFiles = new Set([
+        ".github/workflows/validate-pr.yml",
+        "package-lock.json",
+        "package.json"
+    ]);
+
+    return files.length > 0 && files.every(({ filename }) =>
+        filename.startsWith(".github/scripts/") || allowedFiles.has(filename)
+    );
+}
diff --git a/.github/scripts/validation-helpers.test.js b/.github/scripts/validation-helpers.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3376faf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/validation-helpers.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import test from "node:test";
+
+import {
+    isCowJsonFile,
+    isValidatorMaintenancePullRequest
+} from "./validation-helpers.js";
+
+test("accepts JSON files in the cows directory", () => {
+    assert.equal(isCowJsonFile("cows/moonlight.json"), true);
+});
+
+test("rejects JSON files outside the cows directory", () => {
+    assert.equal(isCowJsonFile("moonlight.json"), false);
+    assert.equal(isCowJsonFile("examples/moonlight.json"), false);
+});
+
+test("rejects non-JSON files", () => {
+    assert.equal(isCowJsonFile("cows/moonlight.png"), false);
+});
+
+test("identifies validator maintenance pull requests", () => {
+    const files = [
+        { filename: ".github/scripts/validate-pr.js" },
+        { filename: ".github/scripts/validation-helpers.test.js" },
+        { filename: ".github/workflows/validate-pr.yml" },
+        { filename: "package.json" }
+    ];
+
+    assert.equal(isValidatorMaintenancePullRequest(files), true);
+});
+
+test("does not skip cow submissions or unrelated changes", () => {
+    assert.equal(isValidatorMaintenancePullRequest([]), false);
+    assert.equal(
+        isValidatorMaintenancePullRequest([{ filename: "cows/moonlight.json" }]),
+        false
+    );
+    assert.equal(
+        isValidatorMaintenancePullRequest([{ filename: "README.md" }]),
+        false
+    );
+});
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-pr.yml
index 77677bd..932f772 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-pr.yml
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: npm ci
 
+      - name: Run validator tests
+        run: npm test
+
       - name: Validate pull request
         run: node .github/scripts/validate-pr.js
         env:
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 51b9359..a910655 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
     "name": "fantasy-cow",
     "version": "1.0.0",
     "description": "A small project that teaches how to create a first Pull Request.",
+    "type": "module",
+    "scripts": {
+        "test": "node --test .github/scripts/*.test.js"
+    },
     "dependencies": {
         "@octokit/rest": "^22.0.0"
     }