diff --git a/.semaphore/semaphore.yml b/.semaphore/semaphore.yml
index a2cd7ced3..89eb44e1a 100644
--- a/.semaphore/semaphore.yml
+++ b/.semaphore/semaphore.yml
@@ -74,6 +74,25 @@ blocks:
           commands:
             - git clone --branch master --single-branch git@github.com:confluentinc/connect-releases.git
             - ./connect-releases/tasks/release-connect-plugins/generate-connect-changelogs.sh
+  - name: Connector Jar Build CI Gating
+    dependencies: []
+    run:
+      # Run this block only for pull requests
+      when: "pull_request =~ '.*'"
+    task:
+      jobs:
+        - name: Trigger and wait for Connect Jar KDP Test Task
+          commands:
+            # Don't run this block if target branch for PR is not a nightly branch or master branch
+            - echo "CONNECTOR_REPO_LIST=https://github.com/${SEMAPHORE_GIT_REPO_SLUG}"
+            - echo "BRANCH_NAME=$SEMAPHORE_GIT_BRANCH"
+            - |
+              sem-trigger -p connect-ci-cd-pipelines \
+                -t run-connector-jar-tests \
+                -b master \
+                -d "|" \
+                -i "CONNECTOR_REPO_LIST=https://github.com/${SEMAPHORE_GIT_REPO_SLUG}|BRANCH_NAME=${SEMAPHORE_GIT_BRANCH}" \
+                -w
 
 after_pipeline:
   task: