diff --git a/.github/scripts/story_link_check.sh b/.github/scripts/story_link_check.sh
index 67c3ce549d7..facb9ca15dc 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/story_link_check.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/story_link_check.sh
@@ -1,13 +1,30 @@
 #!/bin/bash
+set -e
 
-link="$1"
+PR_BODY="$1"
 
-story_regex="https:\/\/app.shortcut.com\/simpledotorg\/story\/[0-9]+(\/.*)?"
+JIRA_KEY_REGEX='[A-Z][A-Z0-9]+-[0-9]+'
 
-if [[ "$link" =~ $story_regex ]]; then
-  echo "PR description contains a valid story link."
+echo "🔍 Verifying Jira reference..."
+
+# 1. Check PR body
+if [[ "$PR_BODY" =~ $JIRA_KEY_REGEX ]]; then
+  echo "✅ Jira key found in PR description"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# 2. Check PR title
+if [[ "$GITHUB_PR_TITLE" =~ $JIRA_KEY_REGEX ]]; then
+  echo "✅ Jira key found in PR title"
   exit 0
-else
-  echo "PR description doesn't contain any valid story links."
-  exit 1
 fi
+
+# 3. Check branch name
+if [[ "$GITHUB_HEAD_REF" =~ $JIRA_KEY_REGEX ]]; then
+  echo "✅ Jira key found in branch name"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+echo "❌ No Jira issue key found."
+echo "Expected something like ENG-1234 in branch name, PR title, PR description."
+exit 1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_checks.yml b/.github/workflows/ci_checks.yml
index 36585e88e76..b89531065fd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_checks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_checks.yml
@@ -14,12 +14,15 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
-  verify_pr_has_story_link:
+  verify_pr_has_jira_reference:
     runs-on: [ ubuntu-latest ]
     if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - name: Verify PR description
+      - name: Verify PR has Jira reference
+        env:
+          GITHUB_PR_TITLE: ${{ github.event.pull_request.title }}
+          GITHUB_HEAD_REF: ${{ github.head_ref }}
         run: .github/scripts/story_link_check.sh '${{ github.event.pull_request.body }}'
 
   verify_changelog_was_updated:
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2bac28bdafb..802700cbac4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 ## Next Release
 
+### Internal
+
+-Update `ci-checks.yml` & `story-link-check.sh` to verify valid jira reference
+
 ## 2026.02.02
 
 ### Internal