diff --git a/.changeset/fresh-turkeys-grow.md b/.changeset/fresh-turkeys-grow.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5fd014073
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fresh-turkeys-grow.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@hyperlane-xyz/registry': patch
+---
+
+Improve CI workflow by separating concerns
diff --git a/.github/workflows/optimize-svg.yml b/.github/workflows/optimize-svg.yml
index 5b70e7491..e9d20831e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/optimize-svg.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/optimize-svg.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ jobs:
           fi
 
       - name: setup-node
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v3
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
           node-version: 20
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate.yaml b/.github/workflows/validate.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e241aca64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+name: validate-files
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: ["main"]
+  pull_request:
+    # Allows you to run this workflow manually
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  validate-files:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: |
+            **/node_modules
+            .yarn/cache
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-yarn-cache-${{ hashFiles('./yarn.lock') }}
+
+      - name: yarn-install
+        run: |
+          yarn install
+          CHANGES=$(git status -s)
+          if [[ ! -z $CHANGES ]]; then
+            echo "Changes found: $CHANGES"
+            git diff
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+      - name: setup-node
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 20
+
+      - name: validate-file-path
+        run: |
+          node ./scripts/validate-file-path.js
+
+      - name: validate-svg
+        run: |
+          node ./scripts/validate-svg.js
diff --git a/scripts/optimize-svg.js b/scripts/optimize-svg.js
index c6226e808..80fce693e 100644
--- a/scripts/optimize-svg.js
+++ b/scripts/optimize-svg.js
@@ -1,95 +1,10 @@
 import fs from 'fs';
-import path from 'path';
 import { optimize } from 'svgo';
+import { getFilePaths } from './utils.js';
 
 const directories = ['./chains', './deployments'];
-const MAX_FILE_SIZE = 100 * 1024; // 100KBs
-const RASTER_IMAGE_REGEX = /<image[^>]*>/i;
 
-const invalidNameSVGs = [];
-const invalidSizeSVGs = [];
-const rasterImgSVGs = [];
-
-function isValidSvg(filePath) {
-  const fileName = path.basename(filePath);
-  const stats = fs.statSync(filePath);
-  const fileSize = (stats.size / 1024).toFixed(2);
-
-  if (!fileName.endsWith('logo.svg')) {
-    invalidNameSVGs.push(filePath);
-  }
-
-  if (stats.size > MAX_FILE_SIZE) {
-    invalidSizeSVGs.push({ filePath, fileSize: `${fileSize}KBs` });
-  }
-
-  const fileContent = fs.readFileSync(filePath, 'utf8');
-  if (RASTER_IMAGE_REGEX.test(fileContent)) {
-    rasterImgSVGs.push(filePath);
-  }
-}
-
-// Finds all svgs, validates and return all paths found that has svgs
-function findAndValidateSVGs(directory) {
-  const files = fs.readdirSync(directory);
-
-  return files.flatMap((file) => {
-    const fullPath = path.join(directory, file);
-    const stats = fs.statSync(fullPath);
-
-    if (stats.isDirectory()) {
-      return findAndValidateSVGs(fullPath); // Recurse into subdirectories
-    } else if (path.extname(fullPath) === '.svg') {
-      isValidSvg(fullPath);
-      return fullPath;
-    }
-
-    return [];
-  });
-}
-
-// Get all svg paths that are validated
-function getSVGPaths() {
-  return directories
-    .filter((directory) => {
-      if (fs.existsSync(directory)) {
-        console.log(`Checking directory: ${directory}`);
-        return true;
-      } else {
-        console.log(`Directory does not exist: ${directory}`);
-        return false;
-      }
-    })
-    .flatMap((directory) => findAndValidateSVGs(directory));
-}
-
-function validateErrors() {
-  const errorCount = invalidNameSVGs.length + invalidSizeSVGs.length + rasterImgSVGs.length;
-  if (errorCount === 0) return;
-
-  console.error(`Number of errors found: ${errorCount}`);
-
-  if (invalidNameSVGs.length > 0) {
-    console.error(
-      "Error: Files do not end with 'logo.svg' in the following paths:",
-      invalidNameSVGs,
-    );
-  }
-
-  if (invalidSizeSVGs.length > 0) {
-    console.error('Error: Files size exceed 100KBs in:', invalidSizeSVGs);
-  }
-
-  if (rasterImgSVGs.length > 0) {
-    console.error(
-      'Error: Files contain an <image> tag, likely embedding a raster image in the following paths:',
-      rasterImgSVGs,
-    );
-  }
-
-  process.exit(1);
-}
-// Optimize svg in given path
+// Optimize svg in given paths
 function optimizeSVGs(svgPaths) {
   svgPaths.forEach((filePath) => {
     try {
@@ -122,8 +37,7 @@ function optimizeSVGs(svgPaths) {
 }
 
 function main() {
-  const svgPaths = getSVGPaths();
-  validateErrors();
+  const svgPaths = getFilePaths(directories, ['.svg']);
   optimizeSVGs(svgPaths);
 }
 
diff --git a/scripts/utils.js b/scripts/utils.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8c04291a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/utils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import fs from 'fs';
+import path from 'path';
+
+function findFiles(directory, fileTypes = [], isRecursive = true) {
+  const files = fs.readdirSync(directory);
+
+  return files.flatMap((file) => {
+    const fullPath = path.join(directory, file);
+    const stats = fs.statSync(fullPath);
+
+    if (stats.isDirectory() && isRecursive) {
+      return findFiles(fullPath, fileTypes); // Recurse into subdirectories
+    } else if (fileTypes.includes(path.extname(fullPath))) {
+      return fullPath;
+    }
+
+    return [];
+  });
+}
+
+// Get all fille paths for given directories and given file types
+export function getFilePaths(directories = [], fileTypes = [], isRecursive = true) {
+  return directories
+    .filter((directory) => {
+      if (fs.existsSync(directory)) {
+        console.log(`Checking directory: ${directory}`);
+        return true;
+      } else {
+        console.log(`Directory does not exist: ${directory}`);
+        return false;
+      }
+    })
+    .flatMap((directory) => findFiles(directory, fileTypes, isRecursive));
+}
diff --git a/scripts/validate-file-path.js b/scripts/validate-file-path.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fbd97010e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/validate-file-path.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import { getFilePaths } from './utils.js';
+
+const directories = [
+  { paths: ['./src'], recursive: true },
+  { paths: ['./'], recursive: false },
+];
+
+const fileExtensions = ['.svg', '.yaml'];
+
+function main() {
+  const invalidFilesPaths = directories.flatMap((directory) =>
+    getFilePaths(directory.paths, fileExtensions, directory.recursive),
+  );
+
+  if (invalidFilesPaths.length === 0) return;
+
+  console.error(
+    'Error: invalid file paths found, make sure they are in the proper directories (chains or deployments):',
+    invalidFilesPaths,
+  );
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+main();
diff --git a/scripts/validate-svg.js b/scripts/validate-svg.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aaaaba354
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/validate-svg.js
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import fs from 'fs';
+import path from 'path';
+import { getFilePaths } from './utils.js';
+
+const directories = ['./chains', './deployments'];
+const MAX_FILE_SIZE = 100 * 1024; // 100KBs
+const RASTER_IMAGE_REGEX = /<image[^>]*>/i;
+
+const invalidNameSVGs = [];
+const invalidSizeSVGs = [];
+const rasterImgSVGs = [];
+
+function isValidSvg(filePath) {
+  const fileName = path.basename(filePath);
+  const stats = fs.statSync(filePath);
+  const fileSize = (stats.size / 1024).toFixed(2);
+
+  if (!fileName.endsWith('logo.svg')) {
+    invalidNameSVGs.push(filePath);
+  }
+
+  if (stats.size > MAX_FILE_SIZE) {
+    invalidSizeSVGs.push({ filePath, fileSize: `${fileSize}KBs` });
+  }
+
+  const fileContent = fs.readFileSync(filePath, 'utf8');
+  if (RASTER_IMAGE_REGEX.test(fileContent)) {
+    rasterImgSVGs.push(filePath);
+  }
+}
+
+function validateErrors() {
+  const errorCount = invalidNameSVGs.length + invalidSizeSVGs.length + rasterImgSVGs.length;
+  if (errorCount === 0) return;
+
+  console.error(`Number of errors found: ${errorCount}`);
+
+  if (invalidNameSVGs.length > 0) {
+    console.error(
+      "Error: Files do not end with 'logo.svg' in the following paths:",
+      invalidNameSVGs,
+    );
+  }
+
+  if (invalidSizeSVGs.length > 0) {
+    console.error('Error: Files size exceed 100KBs in:', invalidSizeSVGs);
+  }
+
+  if (rasterImgSVGs.length > 0) {
+    console.error(
+      'Error: Files contain an <image> tag, likely embedding a raster image in the following paths:',
+      rasterImgSVGs,
+    );
+  }
+
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+function validateSvgs(paths = []) {
+  paths.forEach((path) => isValidSvg(path));
+  validateErrors();
+}
+
+function main() {
+  const svgPaths = getFilePaths(directories, ['.svg']);
+  validateSvgs(svgPaths);
+}
+
+main();