diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-data-model-directory-updates.yaml b/.github/workflows/check-data-model-directory-updates.yaml
index 305da81d9da817..7bd20c87e0e4ec 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-data-model-directory-updates.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-data-model-directory-updates.yaml
@@ -12,20 +12,28 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-name: Check for changes to data_model directory without a sha update 
+name: Data model directory checks
 
 on:
   pull_request:
-    paths:
-      - "data_model/**"
 
 jobs:
-  check-submodule-update-label:
-    name: Check for changes to data_model directory without a sha update
+  check-data_model-updates:
+    name: Check for updates to data model directory without SHA updates
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: "git diff --name-only HEAD^..HEAD data_model/ | grep -q spec_sha"
+    container:
+      image: ghcr.io/project-chip/chip-build
     steps:
-      - name: Error Message
-        run: echo This pull request attempts to update data_model directory, but is missing updates to spec_sha file with the latest version of the sha. Files in the data_model directory are generated automatically and should not be updated manually.
-      - name: Fail Job
-        run: exit 1
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 2
+      - name: Check for changes to master data_model directory without a SHA update
+        run: |
+          python3 scripts/dm_xml_ci_change_enforcement.py data_model/master
+      - name: Check for changes to 1.3 data_model directory without a SHA update
+        run: |
+          python3 scripts/dm_xml_ci_change_enforcement.py data_model/1.3
+      - name: Check for changes to 1.4 data_model directory without a SHA update
+        run: |
+          python3 scripts/dm_xml_ci_change_enforcement.py data_model/1.4
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/dm_xml_ci_change_enforcement.py b/scripts/dm_xml_ci_change_enforcement.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..0efe40f66faa49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/dm_xml_ci_change_enforcement.py
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+# Copyright (c) 2024 Project CHIP Authors
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+import click
+
+
+@click.command()
+@click.argument('dir', nargs=1, type=click.Path(exists=True))
+def check_dm_directory(dir):
+    clusters = os.path.join(dir, 'clusters')
+    device_types = os.path.join(dir, 'device_types')
+    if not os.path.isdir(clusters) or not os.path.isdir(device_types):
+        print(f"Invalid data model directory {dir}")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # We are operating in a VM, and although there is a checkout, it is working in a scratch directory
+    # where the ownership is different than the runner.
+    # Adding an exception for this directory so that git can function properly.
+    subprocess.run("git config --global --add safe.directory '*'", shell=True)
+
+    def check_dir(dir):
+        cmd = f'git diff HEAD^..HEAD --name-only -- {dir}'
+        output = subprocess.check_output(cmd, shell=True).decode().splitlines()
+        if output and 'spec_sha' not in output and 'scraper_version' not in output:
+            print(f'Data model directory {dir} had changes to the following files without a corresponding update to the spec SHA')
+            print(output)
+            print("Note that the data_model directory files are automatically updated by a spec scraper and should not be manually updated.")
+            return 1
+        return 0
+
+    ret = check_dir(clusters) + check_dir(device_types)
+    sys.exit(ret)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    check_dm_directory()