diff --git a/.github/workflows/linux-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/linux-nightly.yml
similarity index 97%
rename from .github/workflows/linux-ci.yml
rename to .github/workflows/linux-nightly.yml
index 2d6910e18..bf43d65c5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/linux-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/linux-nightly.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-# linux CI tests
-# reasonably thorough build/test/benchmark/haddock/functest testing
-# with stackage lts, run on master push/pull request
+# reasonably thorough build/test/benchmark/haddock/functest testing,
+# on linux, run nightly and also for pull requests
 
 # based on https://gist.github.com/mstksg/11f753d891cee5980326a8ea8c865233
 # docs:
@@ -17,12 +16,12 @@
 # https://help.github.com/en/actions/reference/virtual-environments-for-github-hosted-runners#supported-runners-and-hardware-resources
 # https://sevenzip.osdn.jp/chm/cmdline/commands/index.htm
 
-name: linux CI
+name: linux nightly/pr CI
 
 on:
-  # schedule:
-  # - cron: "0 23 * * *"
-  push:
+  schedule:
+  - cron: "0 23 * * *"
+  pull_request:
     branches: [ master ]
     paths:
       - 'stack*'
@@ -36,7 +35,8 @@ on:
       - '!**.5'
       - '!**.info'
       - '!**.txt'
-  pull_request:
+  # uncomment when testing CI:
+  push:
     branches: [ master ]
     paths:
       - 'stack*'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/mac-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/mac-nightly.yml
similarity index 97%
rename from .github/workflows/mac-ci.yml
rename to .github/workflows/mac-nightly.yml
index ae13280c0..10b48390a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/mac-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/mac-nightly.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
-# mac CI tests
-# basic build testing, run nightly
+# basic build testing on mac, run nightly
 
-name: mac CI
+name: mac nightly CI
 
 on:
   schedule:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/quick.yml b/.github/workflows/quick.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5cf563661
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/quick.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+# quick build and tests, on linux, for noteworthy pushes to master
+
+name: quick CI
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [ master ]
+    paths:
+      - 'stack*'
+      - 'hledger-lib'
+      - 'hledger'
+      - 'hledger-ui'
+      - 'hledger-web'
+      - '.github/workflows/linux*'
+      - '!**.md'
+      - '!**.1'
+      - '!**.5'
+      - '!**.info'
+      - '!**.txt'
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+
+    # cached things
+
+    - name: Cache ~/.stack
+      uses: actions/cache@v1
+      with:
+        path: ~/.stack
+        key: ${{ runner.os }}-stack
+
+    - name: Cache ~/.local/bin
+      uses: actions/cache@v1
+      with:
+        path: ~/.local/bin
+        key: ${{ runner.os }}-local-bin
+
+    - name: Cache .stack-work
+      uses: actions/cache@v1
+      with:
+        path: .stack-work
+        key: ${{ runner.os }}-stack-work
+
+    - name: Cache hledger-lib/.stack-work
+      uses: actions/cache@v1
+      with:
+        path: hledger-lib/.stack-work
+        key: ${{ runner.os }}-hledger-lib-stack-work
+
+    - name: Cache hledger/.stack-work
+      uses: actions/cache@v1
+      with:
+        path: hledger/.stack-work
+        key: ${{ runner.os }}-hledger-stack-work
+
+    - name: Cache hledger-ui/.stack-work
+      uses: actions/cache@v1
+      with:
+        path: hledger-ui/.stack-work
+        key: ${{ runner.os }}-hledger-ui-stack-work
+
+    - name: Cache hledger-web/.stack-work
+      uses: actions/cache@v1
+      with:
+        path: hledger-web/.stack-work
+        key: ${{ runner.os }}-hledger-web-stack-work
+
+    # actions
+
+    - name: Check out
+      uses: actions/checkout@v2
+
+    - name: Install stack
+      # curl -L https://get.haskellstack.org/stable/linux-x86_64.tar.gz | tar xz --wildcards --strip-components=1 -C $INSTALLDIR '*/stack'
+      # mkdir -p ~/.local/bin
+      # export PATH=~/.local/bin:$PATH
+      # if [[ ! -x ~/.local/bin/stack ]]; then curl -L https://www.stackage.org/stack/linux-x86_64 | tar xz --wildcards --strip-components=1 -C ~/.local/bin '*/stack'; chmod a+x ~/.local/bin/stack; fi
+      run: |
+        stack --version
+
+    - name: Install GHC
+      run: |
+        stack --resolver=lts setup
+
+    - name: Install shelltestrunner
+      run: |
+        export PATH=~/.local/bin:$PATH
+        if [[ ! -x ~/.local/bin/shelltest ]]; then stack --resolver=lts install shelltestrunner-1.9; fi
+        shelltest --version
+
+    - name: Install haskell deps
+      run: |
+        stack --resolver=lts build --only-dependencies
+        #  --no-terminal
+
+    - name: Build hledger fast
+      run: |
+        stack --resolver=lts build --fast --ghc-options=-Werror
+        #  --no-terminal
+
+    - name: Unit & functional tests (excluding addons)
+      run: |
+        export PATH=~/.local/bin:$PATH
+        COLUMNS=80 stack --resolver=lts exec -- shelltest --execdir -j16 tests -x /bin -x /addons
+
+# - name: Configure
+#   if: startsWith(matrix.name, 'linux')
+#   run: |
+#     export PATH=/usr/local/bin:$PATH
+#     cmake -B build -S . -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug ...
diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/windows-nightly.yml
similarity index 96%
rename from .github/workflows/windows-ci.yml
rename to .github/workflows/windows-nightly.yml
index a5abbef97..e7cb07aeb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/windows-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows-nightly.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-# windows CI tests
-# basic hledger/hledger-web build testing, and binary building, run nightly
+# basic hledger/hledger-web build testing, and binary building,
+# on windows, run nightly
 
-name: windows CI
+name: windows nightly CI
 
 on:
   schedule:
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ jobs:
         ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Local\
         ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Local\Programs\
         ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Local\Programs\stack
+        ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Local\Programs\stack\x86_64-windows
         ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\LocalLow\
         ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Roaming\
         ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Roaming\stack\
@@ -138,6 +139,7 @@ jobs:
         ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Local\
         ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Local\Programs\
         ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Local\Programs\stack
+        ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Local\Programs\stack\x86_64-windows
         ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\LocalLow\
         ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Roaming\
         ls C:\Users\runneradmin\AppData\Roaming\stack\