diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 2aadf222306..fd1609de67a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -435,6 +435,35 @@ jobs:
       nruns: ${{ (github.event_name == 'schedule' && 5) || 1}}
       test-bindings: ${{ fromJSON(needs.detect-changes.outputs.test_bindings) }}
 
+  # Released cuda-core from PyPI against PR-built pathfinder/bindings.
+  # Mirrors ci-nightly.yml test-cuda-core-linux-64 but uses this run's
+  # artifacts and only runs when bindings-related paths change (#2449).
+  test-cuda-core-linux-64:
+    name: Test released cuda-core (linux-64)
+    if: >-
+      ${{ github.repository_owner == 'nvidia' &&
+          !fromJSON(needs.should-skip.outputs.skip) &&
+          !fromJSON(needs.should-skip.outputs.doc-only) &&
+          fromJSON(needs.detect-changes.outputs.test_bindings) }}
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      actions: read
+    needs:
+      - ci-vars
+      - should-skip
+      - detect-changes
+      - build-linux-64
+    secrets: inherit
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/test-wheel-linux.yml
+    with:
+      build-type: nightly
+      host-platform: linux-64
+      build-ctk-ver: ${{ needs.ci-vars.outputs.CUDA_BUILD_VER }}
+      test-mode: nightly-cuda-core
+      matrix_filter: 'map(select(.ENV.MODE == "nightly-cuda-core"))'
+      test-core: false
+      test-python: false
+
   # See test-linux-64 for why test jobs are split by platform.
   test-linux-aarch64:
     strategy:
@@ -543,6 +572,7 @@ jobs:
       - test-sdist-linux
       - test-sdist-windows
       - test-linux-64
+      - test-cuda-core-linux-64
       - test-linux-aarch64
       - test-windows
       - doc
@@ -589,4 +619,13 @@ jobs:
           check_result "test-linux-aarch64" "$expected" "${{ needs.test-linux-aarch64.result }}"
           check_result "test-windows"       "$expected" "${{ needs.test-windows.result }}"
 
+          # Released cuda-core compat runs only when bindings-related paths change.
+          test_bindings="${{ needs.detect-changes.outputs.test_bindings }}"
+          if [[ "$doc_only" == "true" ]] || [[ "$test_bindings" != "true" ]]; then
+            cuda_core_expected="skipped"
+          else
+            cuda_core_expected="success"
+          fi
+          check_result "test-cuda-core-linux-64" "$cuda_core_expected" "${{ needs.test-cuda-core-linux-64.result }}"
+
           [[ "$status" == "success" ]]
diff --git a/ci/tools/tests/test_ci_pr_cuda_core_compat.py b/ci/tools/tests/test_ci_pr_cuda_core_compat.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0659ec3f706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/tools/tests/test_ci_pr_cuda_core_compat.py
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2026 NVIDIA CORPORATION & AFFILIATES. All rights reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+"""Guardrails for PR CI wiring of nightly-cuda-core (#2449)."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import re
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[3]
+CI_YML = REPO_ROOT / ".github" / "workflows" / "ci.yml"
+CI_NIGHTLY_YML = REPO_ROOT / ".github" / "workflows" / "ci-nightly.yml"
+
+
+def _job_block(workflow_text: str, job_id: str) -> str:
+    """Return the YAML block for a top-level job (through the next job header)."""
+    pattern = rf"(?ms)^  {re.escape(job_id)}:\n.*?(?=^  \w|^jobs:|\Z)"
+    match = re.search(pattern, workflow_text)
+    assert match, f"job {job_id!r} not found"
+    return match.group(0)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def ci_yml_text() -> str:
+    return CI_YML.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def test_cuda_core_job(ci_yml_text: str) -> str:
+    return _job_block(ci_yml_text, "test-cuda-core-linux-64")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="composer-2.5-fast")
+def test_pr_ci_defines_released_cuda_core_job(test_cuda_core_job: str) -> None:
+    assert "test-mode: nightly-cuda-core" in test_cuda_core_job
+    assert "matrix_filter: 'map(select(.ENV.MODE == \"nightly-cuda-core\"))'" in test_cuda_core_job
+    assert "build-type: nightly" in test_cuda_core_job
+    assert "host-platform: linux-64" in test_cuda_core_job
+
+
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="composer-2.5-fast")
+def test_pr_cuda_core_job_uses_pr_artifact_build(test_cuda_core_job: str) -> None:
+    # PR CI must consume wheels from this run, not a pinned main run-id/sha.
+    assert "run-id:" not in test_cuda_core_job
+    assert "sha:" not in test_cuda_core_job
+    assert "build-linux-64" in test_cuda_core_job
+
+
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="composer-2.5-fast")
+def test_pr_cuda_core_job_gated_on_bindings_changes(test_cuda_core_job: str) -> None:
+    assert "detect-changes.outputs.test_bindings" in test_cuda_core_job
+    assert "should-skip.outputs.doc-only" in test_cuda_core_job
+    assert "should-skip.outputs.skip" in test_cuda_core_job
+
+
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="composer-2.5-fast")
+def test_pr_cuda_core_job_skips_standard_core_and_meta_tests(test_cuda_core_job: str) -> None:
+    # pathfinder/bindings downloads stay enabled (defaults) so nightly-cuda-core
+    # can install PR-built wheels; only skip standard cuda-core/meta pytest.
+    assert "test-core: false" in test_cuda_core_job
+    assert "test-python: false" in test_cuda_core_job
+    assert "test-bindings: false" not in test_cuda_core_job
+    assert "test-pathfinder: false" not in test_cuda_core_job
+
+
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="composer-2.5-fast")
+def test_checks_aggregator_tracks_cuda_core_job(ci_yml_text: str) -> None:
+    checks = _job_block(ci_yml_text, "checks")
+    assert "test-cuda-core-linux-64" in checks
+    assert 'check_result "test-cuda-core-linux-64"' in checks
+    assert "detect-changes.outputs.test_bindings" in checks
+
+
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="composer-2.5-fast")
+def test_nightly_still_defines_cuda_core_jobs() -> None:
+    nightly = CI_NIGHTLY_YML.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    assert _job_block(nightly, "test-cuda-core-linux-64")
+    assert _job_block(nightly, "test-cuda-core-windows")