diff --git a/.github/workflows/rust.yml b/.github/workflows/rust.yml
index 632ae001dcb2..a2314098f843 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rust.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rust.yml
@@ -30,6 +30,17 @@
 # It is being rolled out incrementally across all workflows.
 # Track progress at https://github.com/apache/datafusion/issues/24487.
 #
+# # Pushes to `main`
+#
+# Commits reach upstream `main` through the merge queue, which runs this
+# workflow at the same SHA. A push to upstream `main` therefore runs only the
+# jobs that save caches, publish coverage, or run the non-required FFI check.
+# The other jobs carry an `if:` that skips them for that event alone. PRs, the
+# merge queue, `workflow_dispatch`, and every other branch run all jobs. A
+# direct push that bypasses the queue is not re-checked; dispatch the workflow
+# on `main` for a full run. `ci/scripts/check_asf_yaml_status_checks.py` keeps
+# the skipped set explicit.
+#
 name: Rust
 
 concurrency:
@@ -80,6 +91,7 @@ jobs:
         run: cargo xtask ci step check workspace
       - name: Archive Cargo check artifacts
         id: archive-check
+        if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
         continue-on-error: true
         shell: bash
         run: |
@@ -91,7 +103,7 @@ jobs:
             --exclude='registry/src/*/*/false' \
             -cf "$RUNNER_TEMP/cargo-check/check-registry.tar" -C "$CARGO_HOME" registry
       - name: Upload Cargo check artifacts
-        if: steps.archive-check.outcome == 'success'
+        if: ${{ steps.archive-check.outcome == 'success' && !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
         continue-on-error: true
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a  # v7.0.1
         with:
@@ -109,6 +121,7 @@ jobs:
   linux-datafusion-common-features:
     name: cargo check datafusion-common features
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
@@ -139,6 +152,7 @@ jobs:
   linux-datafusion-substrait-features:
     name: cargo check datafusion-substrait features
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     env:
       CARGO_INCREMENTAL: "0"
     runs-on: ${{ vars.USE_RUNS_ON == 'true' && format('runs-on={0},family=m8a+m7a+c8a,cpu=16,image=ubuntu24-full-x64,extras=s3-cache,disk=large,tag=datafusion', github.run_id) || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
@@ -185,6 +199,7 @@ jobs:
   linux-datafusion-proto-features:
     name: cargo check datafusion-proto features
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ${{ vars.USE_RUNS_ON == 'true' && format('runs-on={0},family=m8a+m7a+c8a,cpu=16,image=ubuntu24-full-x64,extras=s3-cache,disk=large,tag=datafusion', github.run_id) || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
@@ -247,6 +262,7 @@ jobs:
   linux-cargo-check-datafusion:
     name: cargo check datafusion features
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     env:
       CARGO_INCREMENTAL: "0"
     runs-on: ${{ vars.USE_RUNS_ON == 'true' && format('runs-on={0},family=m8a+m7a+c8a,cpu=16,image=ubuntu24-full-x64,extras=s3-cache,disk=large,tag=datafusion', github.run_id) || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
@@ -367,6 +383,7 @@ jobs:
   linux-cargo-check-datafusion-spark:
     name: cargo check datafusion-spark features
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
@@ -448,6 +465,7 @@ jobs:
   linux-test-datafusion-cli:
     name: cargo test datafusion-cli (amd64)
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ${{ vars.USE_RUNS_ON == 'true' && format('runs-on={0},family=m8a+m7a+c8a,cpu=16,image=ubuntu24-full-x64,extras=s3-cache,disk=large,tag=datafusion', github.run_id) || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     steps:
       - uses: runs-on/action@efac073ea2507ec18797de3a81704201ade11d9d  # v2.3.1
@@ -525,6 +543,7 @@ jobs:
   linux-test-doc:
     name: cargo test doc (amd64)
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ${{ vars.USE_RUNS_ON == 'true' && format('runs-on={0},family=m8a+m7a+c8a,cpu=16,image=ubuntu24-full-x64,extras=s3-cache,disk=large,tag=datafusion', github.run_id) || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
@@ -547,6 +566,7 @@ jobs:
   linux-rustdoc:
     name: cargo doc
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ${{ vars.USE_RUNS_ON == 'true' && format('runs-on={0},family=m8a+m7a+c8a,cpu=16,image=ubuntu24-full-x64,extras=s3-cache,disk=large,tag=datafusion', github.run_id) || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
@@ -562,6 +582,7 @@ jobs:
 
   linux-wasm-pack:
     name: build and run with wasm-pack
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7.0.1
@@ -589,6 +610,7 @@ jobs:
   verify-benchmark-results:
     name: verify benchmark results (amd64)
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ${{ vars.USE_RUNS_ON == 'true' && format('runs-on={0},family=m8a+m7a+c8a,cpu=16,image=ubuntu24-full-x64,extras=s3-cache,disk=large,tag=datafusion', github.run_id) || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
@@ -621,6 +643,7 @@ jobs:
   sqllogictest-postgres:
     name: "Run sqllogictest with Postgres runner"
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ${{ vars.USE_RUNS_ON == 'true' && format('runs-on={0},family=m8a+m7a+c8a,cpu=16,image=ubuntu24-full-x64,extras=s3-cache,disk=large,tag=datafusion', github.run_id) || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
@@ -658,6 +681,7 @@ jobs:
   sqllogictest-substrait:
     name: "Run sqllogictest in Substrait round-trip mode"
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ${{ vars.USE_RUNS_ON == 'true' && format('runs-on={0},family=m8a+m7a+c8a,cpu=16,image=ubuntu24-full-x64,extras=s3-cache,disk=large,tag=datafusion', github.run_id) || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
@@ -718,6 +742,7 @@ jobs:
 
   vendor:
     name: Verify Vendored Code
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
@@ -735,6 +760,7 @@ jobs:
 
   check-fmt:
     name: Check cargo fmt
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
@@ -750,6 +776,7 @@ jobs:
 
   check-workflow-tool-installs:
     name: Check GitHub Actions install tooling
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1  # v7.0.1
@@ -787,6 +814,7 @@ jobs:
   cargo-toml-formatting-checks:
     name: check Cargo.toml formatting
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
@@ -810,6 +838,7 @@ jobs:
   config-docs-check:
     name: check configs.md and ***_functions.md is up-to-date
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ${{ vars.USE_RUNS_ON == 'true' && format('runs-on={0},family=m8a+m7a+c8a,cpu=16,image=ubuntu24-full-x64,extras=s3-cache,disk=large,tag=datafusion', github.run_id) || 'ubuntu-latest' }}
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
@@ -845,6 +874,7 @@ jobs:
   examples-docs-check:
     name: check example README is up-to-date
     needs: linux-build-lib
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
@@ -877,6 +907,7 @@ jobs:
   # - datafusion-cli
   msrv:
     name: Verify MSRV (Min Supported Rust Version)
+    if: ${{ !(github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion') }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     container:
       image: amd64/rust
diff --git a/ci/scripts/check_asf_yaml_status_checks.py b/ci/scripts/check_asf_yaml_status_checks.py
index 135654159051..1bd2852f4e0d 100755
--- a/ci/scripts/check_asf_yaml_status_checks.py
+++ b/ci/scripts/check_asf_yaml_status_checks.py
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@
 
 A typo or stale entry in required_status_checks will block all
 merges for the project, so this check catches that early.
+
+Also validate the post-merge conditions in rust.yml: exactly the jobs
+in POST_MERGE_SKIPPED_JOBS carry the condition that skips them on
+pushes to upstream `main`, and the Cargo check artifact steps are
+guarded the same way.
 """
 
 import glob
@@ -32,6 +37,57 @@
 
 import yaml
 
+# Commits reach upstream `main` through the merge queue, which already ran
+# rust.yml at the same SHA. On a push to upstream `main`, rust.yml skips the
+# jobs below and keeps only the jobs that save caches, publish coverage, or run
+# the non-required FFI check. A job is skipped only when it is listed here and
+# carries exactly POST_MERGE_SKIP_CONDITION, so a new job runs by default and
+# changing the set is a deliberate edit to both places.
+RUST_WORKFLOW = "rust.yml"
+POST_MERGE_PUSH = (
+    "github.event_name == 'push'"
+    " && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'"
+    " && github.repository == 'apache/datafusion'"
+)
+POST_MERGE_SKIP_CONDITION = "${{ !(" + POST_MERGE_PUSH + ") }}"
+POST_MERGE_SKIPPED_JOBS = frozenset(
+    {
+        "cargo-toml-formatting-checks",
+        "check-fmt",
+        "check-workflow-tool-installs",
+        "config-docs-check",
+        "examples-docs-check",
+        "linux-cargo-check-datafusion",
+        "linux-cargo-check-datafusion-spark",
+        "linux-datafusion-common-features",
+        "linux-datafusion-proto-features",
+        "linux-datafusion-substrait-features",
+        "linux-rustdoc",
+        "linux-test-datafusion-cli",
+        "linux-test-doc",
+        "linux-wasm-pack",
+        "msrv",
+        "sqllogictest-postgres",
+        "sqllogictest-substrait",
+        "vendor",
+        "verify-benchmark-results",
+    }
+)
+# `linux-build-lib` uploads its Cargo check artifacts for two skipped jobs, so
+# the archive and upload steps skip on the same pushes.
+ARTIFACT_JOB = "linux-build-lib"
+ARTIFACT_ARCHIVE_STEP = "archive-check"
+ARTIFACT_NAME = "cargo-check"
+ARTIFACT_UPLOAD_CONDITION = (
+    "${{ steps." + ARTIFACT_ARCHIVE_STEP + ".outcome == 'success'"
+    " && !(" + POST_MERGE_PUSH + ") }}"
+)
+
+
+def load_workflow(path):
+    with open(path) as f:
+        return yaml.safe_load(f)
+
 
 def get_required_checks(asf_yaml_path):
     """Extract all required_status_checks contexts from .asf.yaml."""
@@ -58,8 +114,7 @@ def get_workflow_jobs(workflows_dir):
     """
     jobs = {}  # identifier -> [(workflow_file, has_path_filters)]
     for workflow_file in sorted(glob.glob(os.path.join(workflows_dir, "*.yml"))):
-        with open(workflow_file) as f:
-            workflow = yaml.safe_load(f)
+        workflow = load_workflow(workflow_file)
 
         if not workflow or "jobs" not in workflow:
             continue
@@ -85,6 +140,90 @@ def get_workflow_jobs(workflows_dir):
     return jobs
 
 
+def iter_steps(job_config):
+    """Yield the steps of a job, flattening `parallel:` groups."""
+    for step in job_config.get("steps") or []:
+        if not isinstance(step, dict):
+            continue
+        if "parallel" in step:
+            yield from (s for s in step["parallel"] or [] if isinstance(s, dict))
+        else:
+            yield step
+
+
+def uses_action(step, action):
+    return str(step.get("uses", "")).startswith(action)
+
+
+def check_post_merge_conditions(workflow):
+    """Return the problems with rust.yml's post-merge job and artifact conditions."""
+    errors = []
+    jobs = {
+        key: config
+        for key, config in (workflow.get("jobs") or {}).items()
+        if isinstance(config, dict)
+    }
+
+    for job in sorted(POST_MERGE_SKIPPED_JOBS - set(jobs)):
+        errors.append(
+            f"  - job `{job}` is listed in POST_MERGE_SKIPPED_JOBS "
+            f"but does not exist in {RUST_WORKFLOW}"
+        )
+    for job, config in sorted(jobs.items()):
+        condition = config.get("if")
+        if job in POST_MERGE_SKIPPED_JOBS:
+            if condition != POST_MERGE_SKIP_CONDITION:
+                errors.append(
+                    f"  - job `{job}` must carry exactly "
+                    f"`if: {POST_MERGE_SKIP_CONDITION}`, found {condition!r}"
+                )
+        elif condition is not None and any(
+            token in str(condition)
+            for token in ("github.event_name", "github.ref", "refs/heads/")
+        ):
+            errors.append(
+                f"  - job `{job}` is not listed in POST_MERGE_SKIPPED_JOBS "
+                f"but carries an event condition: {condition!r}"
+            )
+
+    build = jobs.get(ARTIFACT_JOB)
+    if build is None:
+        errors.append(f"  - job `{ARTIFACT_JOB}` does not exist in {RUST_WORKFLOW}")
+    else:
+        steps = list(iter_steps(build))
+        archive = [s for s in steps if s.get("id") == ARTIFACT_ARCHIVE_STEP]
+        uploads = [s for s in steps if uses_action(s, "actions/upload-artifact")]
+        if len(archive) != 1 or archive[0].get("if") != POST_MERGE_SKIP_CONDITION:
+            found = [s.get("if") for s in archive]
+            errors.append(
+                f"  - the step `id: {ARTIFACT_ARCHIVE_STEP}` in `{ARTIFACT_JOB}` "
+                f"must exist once and carry exactly "
+                f"`if: {POST_MERGE_SKIP_CONDITION}`, found {found!r}"
+            )
+        if len(uploads) != 1 or uploads[0].get("if") != ARTIFACT_UPLOAD_CONDITION:
+            found = [s.get("if") for s in uploads]
+            errors.append(
+                f"  - the upload-artifact step in `{ARTIFACT_JOB}` must exist "
+                f"once and carry exactly `if: {ARTIFACT_UPLOAD_CONDITION}`, "
+                f"found {found!r}"
+            )
+
+    for job, config in sorted(jobs.items()):
+        downloads = [
+            s
+            for s in iter_steps(config)
+            if uses_action(s, "actions/download-artifact")
+            and (s.get("with") or {}).get("name") == ARTIFACT_NAME
+        ]
+        if downloads and job not in POST_MERGE_SKIPPED_JOBS:
+            errors.append(
+                f"  - job `{job}` downloads the `{ARTIFACT_NAME}` artifact, which "
+                f"is not uploaded on pushes to main, so it must be listed in "
+                f"POST_MERGE_SKIPPED_JOBS"
+            )
+    return errors
+
+
 def main():
     repo_root = os.path.dirname(
         os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
@@ -95,7 +234,6 @@ def main():
     required_checks = get_required_checks(asf_yaml)
     if not required_checks:
         print("No required_status_checks found in .asf.yaml — nothing to validate.")
-        return
 
     jobs = get_workflow_jobs(workflows_dir)
     errors = []
@@ -126,6 +264,10 @@ def main():
                 f"and will block merging"
             )
 
+    post_merge_errors = check_post_merge_conditions(
+        load_workflow(os.path.join(workflows_dir, RUST_WORKFLOW))
+    )
+
     if errors:
         print("ERROR: Problems found with required_status_checks in .asf.yaml:\n")
         print("\n".join(errors))
@@ -133,11 +275,23 @@ def main():
         print("Available job names across all workflows:")
         for name in sorted(jobs):
             print(f"  - {name}")
+    if post_merge_errors:
+        print(
+            f"ERROR: Problems found with post-merge conditions in {RUST_WORKFLOW}:\n"
+        )
+        print("\n".join(post_merge_errors))
+        print()
+    if errors or post_merge_errors:
         sys.exit(1)
 
+    if required_checks:
+        print(
+            f"OK: All {len(required_checks)} required_status_checks "
+            "match existing GitHub Actions jobs."
+        )
     print(
-        f"OK: All {len(required_checks)} required_status_checks "
-        "match existing GitHub Actions jobs."
+        f"OK: {RUST_WORKFLOW} skips exactly {len(POST_MERGE_SKIPPED_JOBS)} "
+        "jobs on pushes to main."
     )
 
 
diff --git a/docs/source/contributor-guide/testing.md b/docs/source/contributor-guide/testing.md
index dc4430ebf4a1..d519aa518d13 100644
--- a/docs/source/contributor-guide/testing.md
+++ b/docs/source/contributor-guide/testing.md
@@ -223,8 +223,9 @@ bash ci/scripts/rust_docs.sh
 ## ASF Status Check Validation
 
 `ci/scripts/check_asf_yaml_status_checks.py` checks that every required status
-check in `.asf.yaml` matches a job in `.github/workflows`. `./dev/rust_lint.sh`
-runs it and needs `python3` with [PyYAML]. The [uv] workspace provides both:
+check in `.asf.yaml` matches a job in `.github/workflows`, and that `rust.yml`
+skips only its listed jobs on pushes to `main`. `./dev/rust_lint.sh` runs it
+and needs `python3` with [PyYAML]. The [uv] workspace provides both:
 
 ```shell
 uv run ./dev/rust_lint.sh