diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml b/.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
index 85643072..505daf39 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ on:
           build architecture, unused when 'emu-variant' == 'all' or 'emu-variant' == 'tools'
             true: x32
             false: x64
-        default: false
+        default: true
         required: false
         type: boolean
     
@@ -62,14 +62,16 @@ jobs:
     - name: Setup build vars
       shell: cmd
       run: |
-        echo env file = "${{ GITHUB_ENV }}"
+        echo env file = "%GITHUB_ENV%"
+        echo workspace = "${{ github.workspace }}"
         
+        set "build_mode="
         if /i "${{ inputs.debug }}"=="true" (
-          set "build_switches=%build_switches% debug"
-          >>"${{ GITHUB_ENV }}" echo build_mode=debug
+          set "build_mode=debug"
         ) else (
-          >>"${{ GITHUB_ENV }}" echo build_mode=release
+          set "build_mode=release"
         )
+        >>"%GITHUB_ENV%" echo build_mode=%build_mode%
 
         set "arch="
         if /i "${{ inputs.x32 }}"=="true" (
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@ jobs:
         ) else (
           set "arch=64"
         )
+        >>"%GITHUB_ENV%" echo build_arch=%arch%
 
         set "build_switches="
         if "${{ inputs.emu-variant }}"=="regular" (
@@ -95,7 +98,7 @@ jobs:
         )
         
         echo final build switches %build_switches%
-        >>"${{ GITHUB_ENV }}" echo build_switches=%build_switches%
+        >>"%GITHUB_ENV%" echo build_switches=%build_switches%
 
 ### on Windows Git will auto change line ending to CRLF, not preferable
     - name: Ensure LF line ending
@@ -168,11 +171,11 @@ jobs:
         package_win.bat release || exit /b %errorlevel%
         package_win.bat debug || exit /b %errorlevel%
 
-### upload artifact/package to github Actions (release mode)
+### upload artifact/package to github Actions
     - name: Upload build package
       uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
       with:
-        name: "build-win-release-${{ github.sha }}"
+        name: "win-${{ inputs.emu-variant }}-${{ env.build_arch }}-${{ env.build_mode }}-${{ github.sha }}"
         path: "${{ env.PACKAGE_BASE_DIR }}/"
         if-no-files-found: 'error'
         compression-level: 9
diff --git a/.github/workflows/deps-win.yml b/.github/workflows/deps-win.yml
index ccd287b6..f24a9253 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deps-win.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deps-win.yml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ env:
 
 jobs:
   # this helps in manual runs, if build fails, then deps are saved
-  build:
+  deps-build:
     runs-on: windows-2022
     if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
     steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-request-win.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-request-win.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0fff2292
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull-request-win.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+name: Emu pull request (Windows)
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [ "dev" ]
+    paths-ignore:
+      - '**/*.md'
+      - 'dev.notes/**'
+      - 'post_build/**'
+      - 'z_original_repo_files/**'
+      - 'sdk/*.txt'
+      - 'LICENSE'
+      # tools
+      - 'tools/generate_emu_config/**'
+      - 'tools/migrate_gse/**'
+      - 'tools/steamclient_loader/linux/**'
+    
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    # allows manual trigger
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+
+jobs:
+  emu-regular-x32-release:
+    name: Regular x32 (release)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: regular
+      x32: true
+      debug: false
+
+  emu-regular-x32-debug:
+    name: Regular x32 (debug)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: regular
+      x32: true
+      debug: true
+
+  emu-exp-x32-release:
+    name: Experimental x32 (release)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: exp
+      x32: true
+      debug: false
+
+  emu-exp-x32-debug:
+    name: Experimental x32 (debug)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: exp
+      x32: true
+      debug: true
+
+  emu-client-x32-release:
+    name: Client x32 (release)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: client
+      x32: true
+      debug: false
+
+  emu-client-x32-debug:
+    name: Client x32 (debug)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: client
+      x32: true
+      debug: true
+
+
+
+  emu-regular-x64-release:
+    name: Regular x64 (release)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: regular
+      x32: false
+      debug: false
+
+  emu-regular-x64-debug:
+    name: Regular x64 (debug)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: regular
+      x32: false
+      debug: true
+
+  emu-exp-x64-release:
+    name: Experimental x64 (release)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: exp
+      x32: false
+      debug: false
+
+  emu-exp-x64-debug:
+    name: Experimental x64 (debug)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: exp
+      x32: false
+      debug: true
+
+  emu-client-x64-release:
+    name: Client x64 (release)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: client
+      x32: false
+      debug: false
+
+  emu-client-x64-debug:
+    name: Client x64 (debug)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: client
+      x32: false
+      debug: true
+
+
+
+  tools-release:
+    name: Tools (release)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: tools
+      debug: false
+
+  tools-debug:
+    name: Tools (debug)
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/build-win-2.yml
+    with:
+      emu-variant: tools
+      debug: true