diff --git a/.github/workflows/recipe-security-scanner.yml b/.github/workflows/recipe-security-scanner.yml
index 7531ba41723e..88084eb3fb80 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/recipe-security-scanner.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/recipe-security-scanner.yml
@@ -36,15 +36,15 @@ jobs:
           set -e
           echo "🔍 Checking if recipe files were modified in this push..."
           
-          # Get the list of changed files in this specific push
+          # Get the list of changed files in this specific push (added/modified only, not deleted)
           if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" = "pull_request" ] && [ "${{ github.event.action }}" = "synchronize" ]; then
             # For synchronize events, check files changed since the previous commit
             echo "📝 Synchronize event - checking files changed since previous commit"
-            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only ${{ github.event.before }}..${{ github.event.after }})
+            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only --diff-filter=AM ${{ github.event.before }}..${{ github.event.after }})
           else
             # For opened/reopened, check all files in the PR
             echo "📝 PR opened/reopened - checking all files in PR"
-            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only origin/${{ github.base_ref }}..HEAD)
+            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only --diff-filter=AM origin/${{ github.base_ref }}..HEAD)
           fi
           
           echo "Changed files in this push:"
@@ -71,15 +71,15 @@ jobs:
           set -e
           echo "Looking for recipe files in PR (new or modified)..."
           
-          # Get the list of changed/new files in this PR
+          # Get the list of changed/new files in this PR (added/modified only, not deleted)
           if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" = "pull_request" ] && [ "${{ github.event.action }}" = "synchronize" ]; then
             # For synchronize events, check files changed since the previous commit
             echo "📝 Synchronize event - checking files changed/added since previous commit"
-            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only ${{ github.event.before }}..${{ github.event.after }})
+            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only --diff-filter=AM ${{ github.event.before }}..${{ github.event.after }})
           else
             # For opened/reopened, check all files in the PR (new and modified)
             echo "📝 PR opened/reopened - checking all new/modified files in PR"
-            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only origin/${{ github.base_ref }}..HEAD)
+            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only --diff-filter=AM origin/${{ github.base_ref }}..HEAD)
           fi
           
           # Filter for recipe files only that were changed or added
diff --git a/.github/workflows/send-api-key.yml b/.github/workflows/send-api-key.yml
index bb3fa86379e8..d21d4a5f1410 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/send-api-key.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/send-api-key.yml
@@ -15,13 +15,39 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repo
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Check if recipe files were added or modified in merged PR
+        id: recipe_changes
+        run: |
+          set -e
+          echo "🔍 Checking if recipe files were added or modified in merged PR..."
+          
+          # Get the list of files that were added or modified in the merged PR (not deleted)
+          CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only --diff-filter=AM ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}..${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }})
+          
+          echo "Files added/modified in merged PR:"
+          echo "$CHANGED_FILES"
+          echo ""
+          
+          # Check if any recipe files were added or modified
+          if echo "$CHANGED_FILES" | grep -q "^documentation/src/pages/recipes/data/recipes/"; then
+            echo "recipe_files_changed=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "✅ Recipe files were added/modified in merged PR - proceeding with API key sending"
+          else
+            echo "recipe_files_changed=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "ℹ️ No recipe files were added/modified in merged PR - skipping API key sending"
+          fi
 
       - name: Set up Python
+        if: steps.recipe_changes.outputs.recipe_files_changed == 'true'
         uses: actions/setup-python@v4
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
 
       - name: Install dependencies and run email script
+        if: steps.recipe_changes.outputs.recipe_files_changed == 'true'
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           PR_NUMBER: ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-recipe-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-recipe-pr.yml
index b80cf4b37afb..ed4c1b72edd8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate-recipe-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-recipe-pr.yml
@@ -49,15 +49,15 @@ jobs:
           set -e
           echo "🔍 Checking if recipe files were modified in this push..."
           
-          # Get the list of changed files in this specific push
+          # Get the list of changed files in this specific push (added/modified only, not deleted)
           if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" = "pull_request" ] && [ "${{ github.event.action }}" = "synchronize" ]; then
             # For synchronize events, check files changed since the previous commit
             echo "📝 Synchronize event - checking files changed since previous commit"
-            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only ${{ github.event.before }}..${{ github.event.after }})
+            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only --diff-filter=AM ${{ github.event.before }}..${{ github.event.after }})
           else
             # For opened/reopened, check all files in the PR
             echo "📝 PR opened/reopened - checking all files in PR"
-            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only origin/${{ github.base_ref }}..HEAD)
+            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only --diff-filter=AM origin/${{ github.base_ref }}..HEAD)
           fi
           
           echo "Changed files in this push:"
@@ -80,15 +80,15 @@ jobs:
           set -e
           echo "Looking for recipe files in PR (new or modified)..."
           
-          # Get the list of changed/new files in this PR
+          # Get the list of changed/new files in this PR (added/modified only, not deleted)
           if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" = "pull_request" ] && [ "${{ github.event.action }}" = "synchronize" ]; then
             # For synchronize events, check files changed since the previous commit
             echo "📝 Synchronize event - checking files changed/added since previous commit"
-            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only ${{ github.event.before }}..${{ github.event.after }})
+            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only --diff-filter=AM ${{ github.event.before }}..${{ github.event.after }})
           else
             # For opened/reopened, check all files in the PR (new and modified)
             echo "📝 PR opened/reopened - checking all new/modified files in PR"
-            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only origin/${{ github.base_ref }}..HEAD)
+            CHANGED_FILES=$(git diff --name-only --diff-filter=AM origin/${{ github.base_ref }}..HEAD)
           fi
           
           # Filter for recipe files only that were changed or added