diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index 3be8eedfb..c0d5af86e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ jobs:
         run: make bench ITERATIONS=1
 
   build_and_test:
+    name: build_and_test (${{ matrix.go-version }}, ${{ matrix.postgres-version }}${{ matrix.primary && ', race' || '' }})
     env:
       # The special value "local" tells Go to use the bundled Go version rather
       # than trying to fetch one according to a `toolchain` value in `go.mod`.
@@ -74,9 +75,11 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         include:
-          # Run the latest Go version against all supported Postgres versions:
+          # Run the latest Go version against all supported Postgres versions.
+          # Only the newest Go/Postgres combination runs with the race detector.
           - go-version: "1.27"
             postgres-version: 18
+            primary: true
           - go-version: "1.27"
             postgres-version: 17
           - go-version: "1.27"
@@ -128,10 +131,16 @@ jobs:
       - name: Set up database
         run: psql -c "CREATE DATABASE river_test" $ADMIN_DATABASE_URL
 
-      - name: Test
+      - name: Test with race detector
+        if: matrix.primary
         run: make test/race TEST_DATABASE=postgres
 
+      - name: Test
+        if: ${{ !matrix.primary }}
+        run: make test TEST_DATABASE=postgres
+
   build_and_test_sqlite:
+    name: build_and_test_sqlite (${{ matrix.go-version }}${{ matrix.primary && ', race' || '' }})
     env:
       GOTOOLCHAIN: local
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -140,6 +149,10 @@ jobs:
         # Keep both supported Go versions covered without repeating SQLite,
         # libSQL, and Turso tests for every PostgreSQL version.
         go-version: ["1.27", "1.26"]
+        include:
+          # Only the newest Go version runs with the race detector.
+          - go-version: "1.27"
+            primary: true
       fail-fast: false
     timeout-minutes: 5
 
@@ -151,9 +164,14 @@ jobs:
         with:
           go-version: ${{ matrix.go-version }}
 
-      - name: Test
+      - name: Test with race detector
+        if: matrix.primary
         run: make test/race TEST_DATABASE=sqlite
 
+      - name: Test
+        if: ${{ !matrix.primary }}
+        run: make test TEST_DATABASE=sqlite
+
   cli:
     strategy:
       matrix:
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 22b706e30..58cb24008 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -47,14 +47,17 @@ TEST_DATABASE ?= all
 
 # Only filter the shared driver suite. Other packages have SQLite-named tests
 # that use PostgreSQL or mocks and should stay in the regular test run.
-sqlite_test_pattern := '^(Test.*(LibSQL|SQLite|Turso)|Example_(libSQL|sqlite|turso))'
+sqlite_test_pattern := ^(Test.*(LibSQL|SQLite|Turso)|Example_(libSQL|sqlite|turso))
 test_submodules := $(submodules)
+legacy_driver_test_flags := -run '/WithTx$$'
 ifeq ($(TEST_DATABASE),postgres)
     test_submodules := $(filter-out %/riverdriver/riversqlite,$(submodules))
-    driver_test_flags := -skip $(sqlite_test_pattern)
+    driver_test_flags := -skip '$(sqlite_test_pattern)'
+    legacy_driver_test_flags += -skip '$(sqlite_test_pattern)'
 else ifeq ($(TEST_DATABASE),sqlite)
     test_submodules := $(filter %/riverdriver/riverdrivertest %/riverdriver/riversqlite,$(submodules))
-    driver_test_flags := -run $(sqlite_test_pattern)
+    driver_test_flags := -run '$(sqlite_test_pattern)'
+    legacy_driver_test_flags := -run '$(sqlite_test_pattern)/WithTx$$'
 else ifneq ($(TEST_DATABASE),all)
     $(error TEST_DATABASE must be all, postgres, or sqlite)
 endif
@@ -77,8 +80,10 @@ endef
 $(foreach mod,$(test_submodules),$(eval $(call test-target,$(mod))))
 
 # Exercise the temporary savepoint fallback as well as default transaction reuse.
-test:: ; cd ./riverdriver/riverdrivertest && RIVER_USE_LEGACY_SUBTRANSACTIONS=1 go test . -run '/WithTx$$' -timeout 2m
+test:: ; cd ./riverdriver/riverdrivertest && RIVER_USE_LEGACY_SUBTRANSACTIONS=1 go test . $(legacy_driver_test_flags) -timeout 2m
+ifneq ($(TEST_DATABASE),sqlite)
 test:: ; cd ./riverdriver/riverdrivertest && RIVER_USE_LEGACY_SUBTRANSACTIONS=1 go test . -run '^TestDriverRiverPgxV5$$/.*/WithTx$$' -timeout 2m
+endif
 
 .PHONY: test/race
 test/race:: ## Run tests with race detector (TEST_DATABASE=all, postgres, or sqlite)
@@ -87,8 +92,10 @@ define test-race-target
 endef
 $(foreach mod,$(test_submodules),$(eval $(call test-race-target,$(mod))))
 
-test/race:: ; cd ./riverdriver/riverdrivertest && RIVER_USE_LEGACY_SUBTRANSACTIONS=1 go test . -race -run '/WithTx$$' -timeout 2m
+test/race:: ; cd ./riverdriver/riverdrivertest && RIVER_USE_LEGACY_SUBTRANSACTIONS=1 go test . -race $(legacy_driver_test_flags) -timeout 2m
+ifneq ($(TEST_DATABASE),sqlite)
 test/race:: ; cd ./riverdriver/riverdrivertest && RIVER_USE_LEGACY_SUBTRANSACTIONS=1 go test . -race -run '^TestDriverRiverPgxV5$$/.*/WithTx$$' -timeout 2m
+endif
 
 .PHONY: bench
 bench:: ## Run benchmarks in each submodule (ITERATIONS=100)
diff --git a/docs/development.md b/docs/development.md
index 45522d480..b3df5b714 100644
--- a/docs/development.md
+++ b/docs/development.md
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ To run the regular suite with the SQLite driver tests excluded:
 
 `TEST_DATABASE` also applies to `make test/race`. CI separates these suites so
 the PostgreSQL version matrix doesn't repeat the SQLite tests. Each suite still
-runs on both supported Go versions.
+runs on both supported Go versions. Only the latest combination in each matrix
+uses the race detector, marked `race` in its job title.
 
 ## Run lint