diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/gentoo-utils.yml b/.gitea/workflows/gentoo-utils.yml
index 3c20253..37b3b6f 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/gentoo-utils.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/gentoo-utils.yml
@@ -20,50 +20,47 @@ jobs:
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
-      - name: Check for changes before building
+      - name: Restore git cache
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: .git
+          key: gitea-repo-${{ gitea.repository }}-${{ gitea.ref }}
+
+      - name: Detect Changes
+        uses: dorny/paths-filter@v3
         id: image-changes
-        # build image only if 1. changes are detected or 2. an image for the working branch doesnt exist
+        with:
+          filters: |
+            docker:
+              - ".docker/**"
+
+      - name: Metadata
         run: |
+          set -x
           branch_name="${GITHUB_HEAD_REF:-${GITHUB_REF#refs/heads/}}"
           default_branch_name="${{ gitea.event.repository.default_branch }}"
           image_tag=latest
-          comparison_hash="${{ gitea.event.before }}"
-
-          if [[ "$branch_name" != "$default_branch_name" ]]; then
-            image_tag=$branch_name
-          fi
-          # slugify
-          image_tag="$(echo "$image_tag" | sed -E 's/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/-/g')"
-
-          # rebase breaks gitea.event.before, so check to make sure the hash provided exists
-          if ! git merge-base --is-ancestor $comparison_hash $branch_name >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-            comparison_hash=$(git merge-base origin/$default_branch_name $branch_name)
-          fi
-            
-          if ! git diff $comparison_hash ${{ gitea.sha }} --no-patch --exit-code .docker; then
-            build_image=true
-          else
-            if ! docker manifest inspect ${{ vars.REGISTRY_URL }}/${{ gitea.repository }}:${image_tag} >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-              build_image=true
-            else
-              build_image=false
-            fi
+          this_image_tag="$(echo "$branch_name" | sed -E 's/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/-/g')"
+          echo "steps... ${{ steps.image-changes.outputs.docker }}"
+          if [[ ${{ steps.image-changes.outputs.docker }} == "true" ]] || docker manifest inspect ${{ vars.REGISTRY_URL }}/${{ gitea.repository }}:${this_image_tag} >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            image_tag=$this_image_tag
           fi
+          set +x
 
           echo "default_branch_name=$default_branch_name" >> $GITEA_OUTPUT
           echo "branch_name=$branch_name" >> $GITEA_OUTPUT
           echo "image_tag=$image_tag" >> $GITEA_OUTPUT
-          echo "comparison_hash=$comparison_hash" >> $GITEA_OUTPUT
-          echo "build_image=$build_image" >> $GITEA_OUTPUT
+          echo "build_image=${{ steps.image-changes.outputs.docker }}" >> $GITEA_OUTPUT
           cat $GITEA_OUTPUT
+
       - name: Set up Docker buildx
-        if: steps.image-changes.outputs.build_image == 'true'
+        if: steps.metadata.outputs.build_image == 'true'
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
         with:
           driver-opts: network=runners-net
 
       - name: Log in to Github Container Registry
-        if: steps.image-changes.outputs.build_image == 'true'
+        if: steps.metadata.outputs.build_image == 'true'
         uses: docker/login-action@v3
         with:
           registry: ${{ vars.REGISTRY_URL }}
@@ -71,22 +68,22 @@ jobs:
           password: ${{ secrets.CI_BOT_TOKEN }}
 
       - name: Build and push
-        if: steps.image-changes.outputs.build_image == 'true'
+        if: steps.metadata.outputs.build_image == 'true'
         uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
         with:
           push: true
-          tags: ${{ vars.REGISTRY_URL }}/${{ gitea.repository }}:${{ steps.image-changes.outputs.image_tag }}
+          tags: ${{ vars.REGISTRY_URL }}/${{ gitea.repository }}:${{ steps.metadata.outputs.image_tag }}
           context: "{{defaultContext}}:.docker"
           cache-from: type=gha
           cache-to: type=gha,mode=max
     outputs:
-      image_tag: ${{ steps.image-changes.outputs.image_tag }}
+      image_tag: ${{ steps.metadata.outputs.image_tag }}
 
   build:
     runs-on: gentoo
     env:
-      CC: 'clang'
-      CXX: 'clang++'
+      CC: "clang"
+      CXX: "clang++"
     needs: build-oci-image
     container:
       image: ${{ vars.REGISTRY_URL }}/${{ gitea.repository }}:${{ needs.build-oci-image.outputs.image_tag }}
@@ -110,8 +107,8 @@ jobs:
   test:
     runs-on: gentoo
     env:
-      CC: 'clang'
-      CXX: 'clang++'
+      CC: "clang"
+      CXX: "clang++"
     needs: [build-oci-image, build]
     container:
       image: ${{ vars.REGISTRY_URL }}/${{ gitea.repository }}:${{ needs.build-oci-image.outputs.image_tag }}
@@ -133,8 +130,8 @@ jobs:
   fuzz:
     runs-on: gentoo
     env:
-      CC: 'clang'
-      CXX: 'clang++'
+      CC: "clang"
+      CXX: "clang++"
       FUZZER_TIMEOUT_S: 300
     needs: [build-oci-image, build]
     container: