diff --git a/.buildkite/scripts/pipelines/pull_request/pipeline.ts b/.buildkite/scripts/pipelines/pull_request/pipeline.ts
index 215f6114d9d19..4065d3b915fe7 100644
--- a/.buildkite/scripts/pipelines/pull_request/pipeline.ts
+++ b/.buildkite/scripts/pipelines/pull_request/pipeline.ts
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ if (!prConfig) {
 }
 
 const GITHUB_PR_LABELS = process.env.GITHUB_PR_LABELS ?? '';
-const REQUIRED_PATHS = prConfig.always_require_ci_on_changed.map((r) => new RegExp(r, 'i'));
-const SKIPPABLE_PR_MATCHERS = prConfig.skip_ci_on_only_changed.map((r) => new RegExp(r, 'i'));
+const REQUIRED_PATHS = prConfig.always_require_ci_on_changed!.map((r) => new RegExp(r, 'i'));
+const SKIPPABLE_PR_MATCHERS = prConfig.skip_ci_on_only_changed!.map((r) => new RegExp(r, 'i'));
 
 const getPipeline = (filename: string, removeSteps = true) => {
   const str = fs.readFileSync(filename).toString();
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ const getPipeline = (filename: string, removeSteps = true) => {
       return;
     }
 
+    pipeline.push(getAgentImageConfig({ returnYaml: true }));
+    pipeline.push(getPipeline('.buildkite/pipelines/pull_request/base.yml', false));
+
     if (await doAnyChangesMatch([/^packages\/kbn-handlebars/])) {
       pipeline.push(getPipeline('.buildkite/pipelines/pull_request/kbn_handlebars.yml'));
     }