diff --git a/browser/base/moz.build b/browser/base/moz.build
index 16fc0ee82562..e7c2bc30fc85 100644
--- a/browser/base/moz.build
+++ b/browser/base/moz.build
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ with Files("**"):
 
 SPHINX_TREES['sslerrorreport'] = 'content/docs/sslerrorreport'
 
+with Files('content/docs/sslerrorreport/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 MOCHITEST_MANIFESTS += [
     'content/test/general/mochitest.ini',
 ]
diff --git a/browser/experiments/moz.build b/browser/experiments/moz.build
index 6daba345535d..88a630b54e7a 100644
--- a/browser/experiments/moz.build
+++ b/browser/experiments/moz.build
@@ -19,3 +19,6 @@ EXTRA_JS_MODULES.experiments += [
 XPCSHELL_TESTS_MANIFESTS += ['test/xpcshell/xpcshell.ini']
 
 SPHINX_TREES['experiments'] = 'docs'
+
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
diff --git a/browser/moz.build b/browser/moz.build
index c6a4843e1e37..1da5d6e76cf6 100644
--- a/browser/moz.build
+++ b/browser/moz.build
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ CONFIGURE_SUBST_FILES += ['installer/Makefile']
 
 SPHINX_TREES['browser'] = 'docs'
 
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 DIRS += [
     'base',
     'components',
diff --git a/build/moz.build b/build/moz.build
index 10aed4a0c2ce..d6d46dbdb21b 100644
--- a/build/moz.build
+++ b/build/moz.build
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ with Files('**'):
 # This cannot be named "build" because of bug 922191.
 SPHINX_TREES['buildsystem'] = 'docs'
 
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 if CONFIG['OS_ARCH'] == 'WINNT':
     DIRS += ['win32']
     if CONFIG['WIN64_CARGO_LINKER']:
diff --git a/dom/bindings/moz.build b/dom/bindings/moz.build
index 163244a18158..f961a873f0ce 100644
--- a/dom/bindings/moz.build
+++ b/dom/bindings/moz.build
@@ -149,8 +149,15 @@ include('/ipc/chromium/chromium-config.mozbuild')
 FINAL_LIBRARY = 'xul'
 
 SPHINX_TREES['webidl'] = 'docs'
+
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 SPHINX_PYTHON_PACKAGE_DIRS += ['mozwebidlcodegen']
 
+with Files('mozwebidlcodegen/**.py'):
+    SCHEDULES.inclusive += ['docs']
+
 if CONFIG['MOZ_BUILD_APP'] in ['browser', 'mobile/android', 'xulrunner']:
     # This is needed for Window.webidl
     DEFINES['HAVE_SIDEBAR'] = True
diff --git a/gfx/moz.build b/gfx/moz.build
index fb1da17f2093..d23e61cabe87 100644
--- a/gfx/moz.build
+++ b/gfx/moz.build
@@ -40,3 +40,6 @@ if CONFIG['ENABLE_TESTS']:
 TEST_DIRS += ['tests']
 
 SPHINX_TREES['gfx'] = 'docs'
+
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
diff --git a/mobile/android/moz.build b/mobile/android/moz.build
index d15d8d799407..1c9a2c836945 100644
--- a/mobile/android/moz.build
+++ b/mobile/android/moz.build
@@ -67,3 +67,6 @@ TEST_DIRS += [
 ]
 
 SPHINX_TREES['fennec'] = 'docs'
+
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
diff --git a/moz.build b/moz.build
index c7aef870f62e..41f477e3aed8 100644
--- a/moz.build
+++ b/moz.build
@@ -56,7 +56,16 @@ with Files('**/Makefile.in'):
     FINAL = True
 
 with Files("**/*.js"):
-    SCHEDULES.inclusive += ['test-verify']
+    SCHEDULES.inclusive += ['test-verify', 'docs']
+
+with Files("**/*.jsm"):
+    SCHEDULES.inclusive += ['docs']
+
+with Files("**/*.rst"):
+    SCHEDULES.inclusive += ['docs']
+
+with Files("**/*.md"):
+    SCHEDULES.inclusive += ['docs']
 
 with Files("**/*.html"):
     SCHEDULES.inclusive += ['test-verify']
diff --git a/python/moz.build b/python/moz.build
index 0bf3aa96e0ef..8ecf55aa05f8 100644
--- a/python/moz.build
+++ b/python/moz.build
@@ -37,8 +37,14 @@ SPHINX_PYTHON_PACKAGE_DIRS += [
     'mozversioncontrol/mozversioncontrol',
 ]
 
+with Files('**.py'):
+    SCHEDULES.inclusive += ['docs']
+
 SPHINX_TREES['mach'] = 'mach/docs'
 
+with Files('mach/docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 PYTHON_UNITTEST_MANIFESTS += [
     'mach/mach/test/python.ini',
     'mozbuild/dumbmake/test/python.ini',
diff --git a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/schedules.py b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/schedules.py
index 15b67389f756..35afa289fe6f 100644
--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/schedules.py
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/schedules.py
@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, unicode_literals, print_function
 
 # TODO: ideally these lists could be specified in moz.build itself
 
+# Inclusive components are those which are scheduled when certain files are
+# changed, but do not run by default.  These are generally added to
+# `SCHEDULES.inclusive` using `+=`, but can also be used as exclusive
+# components for files which *only* affect the named component.
 INCLUSIVE_COMPONENTS = [
+    'docs',
     'py-lint',
     'js-lint',
     'yaml-lint',
@@ -23,6 +28,10 @@ INCLUSIVE_COMPONENTS = [
 ]
 INCLUSIVE_COMPONENTS = sorted(INCLUSIVE_COMPONENTS)
 
+# Exclusive components are those which are scheduled by default, but for which
+# some files *only* affect that component.  For example, most files affect all
+# platforms, but platform-specific files exclusively affect a single platform.
+# These components are assigned to `SCHEDULES.exclusive` with `=`.
 EXCLUSIVE_COMPONENTS = [
     # os families
     'android',
diff --git a/taskcluster/ci/source-test/doc.yml b/taskcluster/ci/source-test/doc.yml
index e863de5eed82..67d8ad776481 100644
--- a/taskcluster/ci/source-test/doc.yml
+++ b/taskcluster/ci/source-test/doc.yml
@@ -19,14 +19,8 @@ generate:
             cd /builds/worker/checkouts/gecko &&
             ./mach doc --outdir docs-out --no-open --archive
         sparse-profile: sphinx-docs
-    when:
-        files-changed:
-            - '**/*.py'
-            - '**/*.rst'
-            - '**/*.md'
-            - 'tools/docs/**'
-            - '**/*.js'
-            - '**/*.jsm'
+    optimization:
+        skip-unless-schedules: [docs]
 
 upload:
     description: Generate and upload the Sphinx documentation
@@ -47,8 +41,5 @@ upload:
         sparse-profile: sphinx-docs
     scopes:
         - secrets:get:project/releng/gecko/build/level-{level}/gecko-docs-upload
-    when:
-        files-changed:
-            - '**/*.py'
-            - '**/*.rst'
-            - 'tools/docs/**'
+    optimization:
+        skip-unless-schedules: [docs]
diff --git a/taskcluster/moz.build b/taskcluster/moz.build
index 01f5d3e861fc..447794807bc8 100644
--- a/taskcluster/moz.build
+++ b/taskcluster/moz.build
@@ -28,3 +28,6 @@ PYTHON_UNITTEST_MANIFESTS += [
 ]
 SPHINX_TREES['taskcluster'] = 'docs'
 SPHINX_PYTHON_PACKAGE_DIRS += ['taskgraph']
+
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
diff --git a/testing/geckodriver/moz.build b/testing/geckodriver/moz.build
index 1556b4250c61..277b6ae5b164 100644
--- a/testing/geckodriver/moz.build
+++ b/testing/geckodriver/moz.build
@@ -12,3 +12,6 @@ with Files("**"):
     BUG_COMPONENT = ("Testing", "Marionette")
 
 SPHINX_TREES["geckodriver"] = "doc"
+
+with Files('doc/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
diff --git a/testing/marionette/moz.build b/testing/marionette/moz.build
index 785b2eb710a1..4beb356578be 100644
--- a/testing/marionette/moz.build
+++ b/testing/marionette/moz.build
@@ -18,3 +18,6 @@ with Files("harness/**"):
     SCHEDULES.exclusive = ["marionette", "firefox-ui"]
 
 SPHINX_TREES["marionette"] = "doc"
+
+with Files('doc/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
diff --git a/testing/mozbase/moz.build b/testing/mozbase/moz.build
index 6d705913634c..f6206e129b4c 100644
--- a/testing/mozbase/moz.build
+++ b/testing/mozbase/moz.build
@@ -50,5 +50,8 @@ TEST_HARNESS_FILES.mozbase += [
 
 SPHINX_TREES['/mozbase'] = 'docs'
 
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 with Files('**'):
     BUG_COMPONENT = ('Testing', 'Mozbase')
diff --git a/toolkit/components/crashes/moz.build b/toolkit/components/crashes/moz.build
index 4e0c56b463cd..e84bc8f889c0 100644
--- a/toolkit/components/crashes/moz.build
+++ b/toolkit/components/crashes/moz.build
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 
 SPHINX_TREES['crash-manager'] = 'docs'
 
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 XPIDL_MODULE = 'toolkit_crashservice'
 
 XPIDL_SOURCES += [
diff --git a/toolkit/components/extensions/moz.build b/toolkit/components/extensions/moz.build
index e99eee654fcb..2b0c1a29d367 100644
--- a/toolkit/components/extensions/moz.build
+++ b/toolkit/components/extensions/moz.build
@@ -92,4 +92,7 @@ XPCSHELL_TESTS_MANIFESTS += [
 
 SPHINX_TREES['webextensions'] = 'docs'
 
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 include('/ipc/chromium/chromium-config.mozbuild')
diff --git a/toolkit/components/payments/moz.build b/toolkit/components/payments/moz.build
index b461b7fb3d18..1230687f244b 100644
--- a/toolkit/components/payments/moz.build
+++ b/toolkit/components/payments/moz.build
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ MOCHITEST_MANIFESTS += ['test/mochitest/mochitest.ini']
 
 SPHINX_TREES['docs'] = 'docs'
 
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 TESTING_JS_MODULES += [
     'test/PaymentTestUtils.jsm',
 ]
diff --git a/toolkit/components/telemetry/moz.build b/toolkit/components/telemetry/moz.build
index 773d27567b0a..5a7e2be7f507 100644
--- a/toolkit/components/telemetry/moz.build
+++ b/toolkit/components/telemetry/moz.build
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ LOCAL_INCLUDES += [
 
 SPHINX_TREES['telemetry'] = 'docs'
 
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 if CONFIG['CC_TYPE'] in ('clang', 'gcc'):
     CXXFLAGS += ['-Wno-error=shadow']
 
diff --git a/toolkit/components/url-classifier/moz.build b/toolkit/components/url-classifier/moz.build
index 83e995d8d0a2..cd0d010986f1 100644
--- a/toolkit/components/url-classifier/moz.build
+++ b/toolkit/components/url-classifier/moz.build
@@ -93,4 +93,7 @@ if CONFIG['NIGHTLY_BUILD'] or CONFIG['MOZ_DEBUG']:
 
 SPHINX_TREES['url-classifier'] = 'docs'
 
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 include('/ipc/chromium/chromium-config.mozbuild')
diff --git a/toolkit/crashreporter/moz.build b/toolkit/crashreporter/moz.build
index 20b98027ed75..dafaefa3f9fd 100644
--- a/toolkit/crashreporter/moz.build
+++ b/toolkit/crashreporter/moz.build
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 
 SPHINX_TREES['crashreporter'] = 'docs'
 
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 EXPORTS += [
     'nsExceptionHandler.h',
 ]
diff --git a/toolkit/modules/moz.build b/toolkit/modules/moz.build
index 19bd7d0651d5..df694260a9ad 100644
--- a/toolkit/modules/moz.build
+++ b/toolkit/modules/moz.build
@@ -165,6 +165,9 @@ TESTING_JS_MODULES += [
 
 SPHINX_TREES['toolkit_modules'] = 'docs'
 
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 EXTRA_JS_MODULES += [
     'addons/MatchURLFilters.jsm',
     'addons/WebNavigation.jsm',
diff --git a/toolkit/modules/subprocess/moz.build b/toolkit/modules/subprocess/moz.build
index e7a1f526a494..a8268092dfbe 100644
--- a/toolkit/modules/subprocess/moz.build
+++ b/toolkit/modules/subprocess/moz.build
@@ -30,3 +30,6 @@ else:
 XPCSHELL_TESTS_MANIFESTS += ['test/xpcshell/xpcshell.ini']
 
 SPHINX_TREES['toolkit_modules/subprocess'] = ['docs']
+
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
diff --git a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/moz.build b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/moz.build
index c60e35804ae0..d0e573830d53 100644
--- a/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/moz.build
+++ b/toolkit/mozapps/extensions/moz.build
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 
 SPHINX_TREES['addon-manager'] = 'docs'
 
+with Files('docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 if CONFIG['MOZ_BUILD_APP'] == 'mobile/android':
     DEFINES['MOZ_FENNEC'] = True
 
diff --git a/tools/moz.build b/tools/moz.build
index a4de4c55534e..c050a03eff63 100644
--- a/tools/moz.build
+++ b/tools/moz.build
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ with Files("coverity/**"):
 
 with Files("docs/**"):
     BUG_COMPONENT = ("Core", "Build Config")
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
 
 with Files("lint/**"):
     BUG_COMPONENT = ("Testing", "Lint")
@@ -47,9 +48,20 @@ with Files("update-packaging/**"):
     BUG_COMPONENT = ("Release Engineering", "Other")
 
 SPHINX_TREES['lint'] = 'lint/docs'
+
+with Files('lint/docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 SPHINX_TREES['compare-locales'] = 'compare-locales/docs'
+
+with Files('compare-locales/docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 SPHINX_TREES['try'] = 'tryselect/docs'
 
+with Files('tryselect/docs/**'):
+    SCHEDULES.exclusive = ['docs']
+
 CRAMTEST_MANIFESTS += [
     'tryselect/test/cram.ini',
 ]