diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index f49a9814..504a29fa 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   validate:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: hermes
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -53,6 +53,13 @@ jobs:
           exit $FAIL
 
       - name: "HARD RULE: 10-line net addition limit"
+      - name: "CI Health Check"
+        run: |
+          echo "CI is active ✅"
+          if [ ! -f /tmp/ci-health ]; then
+            echo "CI health check failed ❌"
+            exit 1
+          fi
         run: |
           ADDITIONS=$(git diff --numstat origin/main...HEAD | awk '{s+=$1} END {print s+0}')
           DELETIONS=$(git diff --numstat origin/main...HEAD | awk '{s+=$2} END {print s+0}')
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2556e45e..769e943d 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ node_modules/
 test-results/
 nexus/__pycache__/
 tests/__pycache__/
+.aider*