diff --git a/.github/maintainer/MAINTAINER.md b/.github/maintainer/MAINTAINER.md
index 4739ec1e..1b0faede 100644
--- a/.github/maintainer/MAINTAINER.md
+++ b/.github/maintainer/MAINTAINER.md
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@ it, and every one of them gets a home. Pick the smallest home that fits (CONTRIB
   examples/README, the brand line and the counts are generated from those files: a list PR never needs README rows,
   and rows an older PR added are dropped on merge (`tools/gen_tables.py --adopt` turns them into its `tv.json`).
 - After merging lists, the maintainer runs `python3 tools/gen_tables.py` on main and commits what it rewrites
-  (with `--font Fredoka.ttf` it also redraws the card when a count changed); CI on main fails until then.
+  (with `--font Fredoka.ttf` it also redraws the card when a count changed); CI's "README tables" job on main
+  stays red until then, and only that job.
 - `pm hide`/`pm block` needs the matching unhide/unblock undo in the header.
 
 ## Scope and taste
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 525192e3..3938acdf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -25,9 +25,20 @@ jobs:
         env:
           CLEANYOURTV_STRICT: ${{ github.event_name == 'push' && '1' || '' }}
         run: python3 -m unittest discover -s tests -v
-      # On a pull request the tables are expected to lag: a list PR adds only its folder and tv.json.
+
+  tables:
+    # Main only: a list PR adds just its folder and tv.json, so on a pull request the tables lag on purpose.
+    # A job of its own, so "the tables want regenerating" never reads as "the lists are broken": the merge
+    # bot waits for main to be green between merges and regenerates the tables after the wave.
+    name: README tables
+    if: github.event_name == 'push'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.12"
       - name: README TV tables match examples/*/tv.json
-        if: github.event_name == 'push'
         run: |
           python3 tools/gen_tables.py --check || {
             echo "::error::README.md and examples/README.md are generated from examples/*/tv.json. A maintainer runs python3 tools/gen_tables.py on main and commits the result; contributors never need to."
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 8d03d717..7fdf1251 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ use it and ends with the check to run.
 
 | Check | Command or rule |
 |---|---|
-| Tests, as CI runs them | `python3 -m unittest discover -s tests -v` after `python3 -m venv tools/venv` and `tools/venv/bin/pip install -r tools/requirements.txt`. On `main`, CI sets `CLEANYOURTV_STRICT=1`, which also checks that the TV tables and counts are what `tools/gen_tables.py` writes. |
+| Tests, as CI runs them | `python3 -m unittest discover -s tests -v` after `python3 -m venv tools/venv` and `tools/venv/bin/pip install -r tools/requirements.txt`. On `main`, CI sets `CLEANYOURTV_STRICT=1`, and its "README tables" job checks that the TV tables and counts are what `tools/gen_tables.py` writes. |
 | Launcher, if you touched `launcher/` | JDK 17, Android SDK platform 34, build-tools 34.0.0. In `launcher/`: `./gradlew --no-daemon testReleaseUnitTest lintRelease assembleRelease`. Lint must stay at zero errors. |
 | APK size gate | `launcher/app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk` must be under 524,288 B (512 KB). Linux: `stat -c %s`, macOS: `stat -f %z`. |
 | README rows | A new list adds only its folder, with a `tv.json`: the TV tables, the brand line and the counts are generated after merging, so leave them alone. A theme has its row in `themes/README.md`; an add-on in `addons/README.md`. |
diff --git a/tests/test_examples.py b/tests/test_examples.py
index fc6d3f1c..7e9dcedd 100644
--- a/tests/test_examples.py
+++ b/tests/test_examples.py
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 """Checks every TV list in examples/ and the two tables that index them.
 
-The tables are generated from each folder's tv.json by tools/gen_tables.py. On a pull request only the
-tv.json files are checked; on main (CLEANYOURTV_STRICT) the committed tables must be what the script writes.
+The tables are generated from each folder's tv.json by tools/gen_tables.py. Here only the tv.json files
+are checked; that the committed tables and counts are what the script writes is CI's "README tables" job,
+on main only, kept apart so a list merge waiting for its regenerated tables doesn't turn these tests red.
 
 Run from the repository root: python3 -m unittest discover -s tests -v
 """
-import os
 import re
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -68,12 +68,6 @@ class ExampleListsTest(unittest.TestCase):
         except gen_tables.Problem as e:
             self.fail(str(e))
 
-    @unittest.skipUnless(os.environ.get("CLEANYOURTV_STRICT"), "tables are generated on merge; strict on main only")
-    def test_tables_are_generated(self):
-        self.assertEqual(gen_tables.stale(ROOT), [],
-                         "README tables are out of date: a maintainer runs python3 tools/gen_tables.py "
-                         "after merging and commits the result")
-
     def test_readme_table_has_one_row_per_list(self):
         readme_rows = table_rows(ROOT / "README.md", "| TV | OS |")
         example_rows = table_rows(EXAMPLES / "README.md", "| Folder |")
@@ -83,12 +77,6 @@ class ExampleListsTest(unittest.TestCase):
         example_tvs = sorted(r.split("|")[2].strip() for r in example_rows)
         self.assertEqual(readme_tvs, example_tvs, "the TV column differs between the two tables")
 
-    @unittest.skipUnless(os.environ.get("CLEANYOURTV_STRICT"), "counts are fixed up on merge; strict on main only")
-    def test_readme_counts(self):
-        text = (ROOT / "README.md").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
-        n = len(folders())
-        self.assertIn(f"{n} TV models", text, "stat strip alt text is stale (regenerate docs/stats.png too)")
-
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()