diff --git a/.github/workflows/format.yml b/.github/workflows/format.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 8546137e..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows/format.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,62 +0,0 @@
-name: format json files with `jq`
-on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-
-permissions:
-  contents: read
-  issues: write
-  pull-requests: write
-
-jobs:
-  format-json:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: checkout code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - uses: cashapp/activate-hermit@v1
-        name: setup hermit with `just` and `jq`
-        with:
-          cache: true
-
-      - name: format json files
-        id: format-json
-        run: |
-          if just format; then
-            echo "format_failed=false" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          else
-            echo "format_failed=true" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          fi
-
-      - name: check for changes
-        id: check-changes
-        run: |
-          if [ -n "$(git status --porcelain)" ]; then
-            echo "changes_detected=true" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          else
-            echo "changes_detected=false" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          fi
-
-      - name: commit changes
-        if: env.changes_detected == 'true'
-        run: |
-          git config --local user.email "github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
-          git config --local user.name "github-actions[bot]"
-          git add "**/*.json"
-          git commit --message "chore: format json files"
-          git push
-
-      - name: create issue if formatting failed
-        if: failure() && env.format_failed == 'true'
-        uses: actions/github-script@v6
-        with:
-          github-token: ${{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}
-          script: |
-            github.rest.issues.create({
-              owner: context.repo.owner,
-              repo: context.repo.repo,
-              title: 'JSON Formatting Failed',
-              body: 'The automatic JSON formatting job failed. Please check the logs and fix the issues manually.'
-            })
diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint.yml b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 1b10c6d9..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows/lint.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-name: lint json files with `jq`
-on:
-  workflow_run:
-    workflows: ["run-linter"]
-    types:
-      - completed
-
-permissions:
-  contents: read
-  issues: write
-  pull-requests: write
-
-jobs:
-  lint-json:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: checkout code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - uses: cashapp/activate-hermit@v1
-        name: setup hermit with `just` and `jq`
-        with:
-          cache: true
-
-      - name: lint json files
-        id: lint-json
-        run: |
-          if just lint; then
-            echo "lint_failed=false" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          else
-            echo "lint_failed=true" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          fi
-
-      - name: add a comment to the pull request
-        if: env.lint_failed == 'true'
-        uses: actions/github-script@v4
-        with:
-          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          script: |
-            github.issues.createComment({
-              issue_number: context.issue.number,
-              owner: context.repo.owner,
-              repo: context.repo.repo,
-              body: "[error] linting failed. please fix the errors and push again."
-            })
diff --git a/.github/workflows/trigger-lint.yml b/.github/workflows/trigger-lint.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 646ff8bd..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows/trigger-lint.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-name: run-linter
-
-on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - "**"
-
-jobs:
-  trigger-lint:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: "[trigger]: run lint workflow"
-        run: |
-          curl \
-            --request POST \
-            --user "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}" \
-            --header "Accept: application/vnd.github.v3+json" \
-            --url "https://api.github.com/repos/TBD54566975/tbdex/actions/workflows/lint.yml/dispatches" \
-            --data '{"ref": "main"}'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-json.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-json.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1349c720
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-json.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+name: validate-json
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - "**"
+
+  pull_request:
+    types:
+      - opened
+      - synchronize
+
+jobs:
+  format:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - uses: cashapp/activate-hermit@v1
+        name: setup hermit with `just` and `jq`
+        with:
+          cache: true
+
+      - name: format json files
+        id: format-json
+        run: just format
diff --git a/bin/.just-1.34.0.pkg b/bin/.just-1.34.0.pkg
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..383f4511
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/.just-1.34.0.pkg
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+hermit
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/bin/just b/bin/just
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..bf5e8a7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/just
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.just-1.34.0.pkg
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hooks/pre-commit b/hooks/pre-commit
index 78770f53..0b7dcc77 100644
--- a/hooks/pre-commit
+++ b/hooks/pre-commit
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
-if just lint; then
-  echo "[success] linting passed"
-else
+if ! just format; then
   echo "[error] linting failed"
   exit 1
 fi