diff --git a/.semaphore/semaphore.yml b/.semaphore/semaphore.yml
index a2cd7ced3..205c0957f 100644
--- a/.semaphore/semaphore.yml
+++ b/.semaphore/semaphore.yml
@@ -74,6 +74,28 @@ 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 KDP Tests 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
+            - |
+              if [[ "$SEMAPHORE_GIT_BRANCH" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.x$ ]] || [[ "$SEMAPHORE_GIT_BRANCH" == "master" ]] ; then \
+                  echo "PR is targeted to ${SEMAPHORE_GIT_BRANCH} branch which is feature or master branch. Triggering connector-jar-build task."; \
+                  sem-trigger -p connect-ci-cd-pipelines \
+                    -t run-connector-jar-tests \
+                    -b master \
+                    -i "REPO_NAME:$(basename $SEMAPHORE_GIT_REPO_SLUG)" \
+                    -i "BRANCH_NAME:${SEMAPHORE_GIT_PR_BRANCH}" \
+                    -w
+              else \
+                  echo "PR is targeted to ${SEMAPHORE_GIT_BRANCH} branch which is not feature or master branch. Skipping connector-jar-build task."; \
+              fi;
 
 after_pipeline:
   task: