diff --git a/.buildkite/ml_pipeline/step.py b/.buildkite/ml_pipeline/step.py
index ed2fbb099..cb7db14d0 100644
--- a/.buildkite/ml_pipeline/step.py
+++ b/.buildkite/ml_pipeline/step.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 # limitation.
 
 class PipelineStep(list):
-  def generate_step(self, label, command):
+  def generate_step(self, label, command, soft_fail=False):
     command = command + " | buildkite-agent pipeline upload"
     step = {
       "label": label,
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ def generate_step(self, label, command):
         "image": "python",
       }
     }
+    if soft_fail:
+      step["soft_fail"] = True
     return step
 
   def generate_step_template(self, platform, action, build_aarch64, build_x86_64):
diff --git a/.buildkite/pipeline.json.py b/.buildkite/pipeline.json.py
index 56b02f457..37cc4537d 100755
--- a/.buildkite/pipeline.json.py
+++ b/.buildkite/pipeline.json.py
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@ def main():
 
     # Check for build timing regressions against nightly baseline
     pipeline_steps.append(pipeline_steps.generate_step("Check build timing regressions",
-                                                       ".buildkite/pipelines/check_build_regression.yml.sh"))
+                                                       ".buildkite/pipelines/check_build_regression.yml.sh",
+                                                       soft_fail=True))
 
     pipeline["env"] = env
     pipeline["steps"] = pipeline_steps
diff --git a/.buildkite/scripts/steps/run_tests.sh b/.buildkite/scripts/steps/run_tests.sh
index 12b88c1bb..0c5c08125 100755
--- a/.buildkite/scripts/steps/run_tests.sh
+++ b/.buildkite/scripts/steps/run_tests.sh
@@ -105,6 +105,28 @@ else
         -P cmake/run-all-tests-parallel.cmake || TEST_OUTCOME=$?
 fi
 
+# --- PyTorch allowlist validation ---
+# When triggered from the PyTorch edge pipeline, run the Python-based
+# allowlist validation which traces live HuggingFace models with the
+# new PyTorch version and verifies every op is in ALLOWED_OPERATIONS.
+VALIDATION_OUTCOME=0
+if [[ "${GITHUB_PR_COMMENT_VAR_ACTION:-}" == "run_pytorch_tests" ]] && [ -f cmake/run-validation.cmake ]; then
+    echo "--- Validating PyTorch allowlist against HuggingFace models"
+    cmake \
+        -DSOURCE_DIR="$(pwd)" \
+        -DVALIDATE_CONFIG="$(pwd)/dev-tools/extract_model_ops/validation_models.json" \
+        -DVALIDATE_PT_DIR="$(pwd)/dev-tools/extract_model_ops/es_it_models" \
+        -DVALIDATE_VERBOSE=TRUE \
+        -DOPTIONAL=TRUE \
+        -P cmake/run-validation.cmake || VALIDATION_OUTCOME=$?
+
+    if [[ $VALIDATION_OUTCOME -ne 0 ]]; then
+        echo "^^^ +++"
+        echo "Allowlist validation failed — the new PyTorch version may introduce ops not in ALLOWED_OPERATIONS."
+        echo "See dev-tools/extract_model_ops/README.md for how to update the allowlist."
+    fi
+fi
+
 # Upload test results
 echo "--- Uploading test results"
 TEST_RESULTS_ARCHIVE=${OS}-${HARDWARE_ARCH}-unit_test_results.tgz
@@ -117,4 +139,6 @@ else
     echo "No test results archive created"
 fi
 
-exit $TEST_OUTCOME
+if [[ $TEST_OUTCOME -ne 0 || $VALIDATION_OUTCOME -ne 0 ]]; then
+    exit 1
+fi