diff --git a/ee/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/compliance.rb b/ee/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/compliance.rb
index 4f1881a35d3c7bc519b7026a758bb551e2bdc0a3..ad0594724f14a97b34d45e75d5330769a1310aa2 100644
--- a/ee/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/compliance.rb
+++ b/ee/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/compliance.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ def content
           end
         end
 
+        def contains_internal_include?
+          true
+        end
+
         def source
           :compliance_source
         end
diff --git a/ee/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/content_spec.rb b/ee/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/content_spec.rb
index 778ae68f996e0c9e590017fa2b4790e98cc4b5ff..558dc6a8b5caf6a9bd10178b29a25e7f55f2afc8 100644
--- a/ee/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/content_spec.rb
+++ b/ee/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/content_spec.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 require 'spec_helper'
 
-RSpec.describe ::Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Chain::Config::Content do
+RSpec.describe ::Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Chain::Config::Content, feature_category: :continuous_integration do
   let(:ci_config_path) { nil }
   let(:pipeline) { build(:ci_pipeline, project: project) }
   let(:content) { nil }
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
       expect(pipeline.config_source).to eq 'compliance_source'
       expect(pipeline.pipeline_config.content).to eq(content_result)
       expect(command.config_content).to eq(content_result)
+      expect(command.pipeline_config.contains_internal_include?).to eq(true)
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/config.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/config.rb
index 585e671ce426be3b81f27e631d153889eb5a544d..f6c4e94a064463a21f482973a9b43efac363b120 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/config.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/config.rb
@@ -21,14 +21,15 @@ class Config
 
       attr_reader :root, :context, :source_ref_path, :source, :logger
 
-      def initialize(config, project: nil, pipeline: nil, sha: nil, user: nil, parent_pipeline: nil, source: nil, logger: nil)
+      # rubocop: disable Metrics/ParameterLists
+      def initialize(config, project: nil, pipeline: nil, sha: nil, user: nil, parent_pipeline: nil, source: nil, pipeline_config: nil, logger: nil)
         @logger = logger || ::Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Logger.new(project: project)
         @source_ref_path = pipeline&.source_ref_path
         @project = project
 
         @context = self.logger.instrument(:config_build_context, once: true) do
           pipeline ||= ::Ci::Pipeline.new(project: project, sha: sha, user: user, source: source)
-          build_context(project: project, pipeline: pipeline, sha: sha, user: user, parent_pipeline: parent_pipeline)
+          build_context(project: project, pipeline: pipeline, sha: sha, user: user, parent_pipeline: parent_pipeline, pipeline_config: pipeline_config)
         end
 
         @context.set_deadline(TIMEOUT_SECONDS)
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ def initialize(config, project: nil, pipeline: nil, sha: nil, user: nil, parent_
       rescue *rescue_errors => e
         raise Config::ConfigError, e.message
       end
+      # rubocop: enable Metrics/ParameterLists
 
       def valid?
         @root.valid?
@@ -157,13 +159,14 @@ def find_sha(project)
         end
       end
 
-      def build_context(project:, pipeline:, sha:, user:, parent_pipeline:)
+      def build_context(project:, pipeline:, sha:, user:, parent_pipeline:, pipeline_config:)
         Config::External::Context.new(
           project: project,
           sha: sha || find_sha(project),
           user: user,
           parent_pipeline: parent_pipeline,
           variables: build_variables(pipeline: pipeline),
+          pipeline_config: pipeline_config,
           logger: logger)
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/context.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/context.rb
index 6eef279d3de843396efe9d3e6399babb1bea6f5f..ab0477e4d44f0063f23d6d5ede2142438ca53dca 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/context.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/context.rb
@@ -14,20 +14,21 @@ class Context
 
           include ::Gitlab::Utils::StrongMemoize
 
-          attr_reader :project, :sha, :user, :parent_pipeline, :variables
+          attr_reader :project, :sha, :user, :parent_pipeline, :variables, :pipeline_config
           attr_reader :expandset, :execution_deadline, :logger, :max_includes
 
           delegate :instrument, to: :logger
 
           def initialize(
             project: nil, sha: nil, user: nil, parent_pipeline: nil, variables: nil,
-            logger: nil
+            pipeline_config: nil, logger: nil
           )
             @project = project
             @sha = sha
             @user = user
             @parent_pipeline = parent_pipeline
             @variables = variables || Ci::Variables::Collection.new
+            @pipeline_config = pipeline_config
             @expandset = Feature.enabled?(:ci_includes_count_duplicates, project) ? [] : Set.new
             @execution_deadline = 0
             @logger = logger || Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Logger.new(project: project)
@@ -91,6 +92,12 @@ def includes
             expandset.map(&:metadata)
           end
 
+          # Some ProjectConfig sources inject an `include` into the config content. We use this
+          # method to exclude that `include` from the calculation of the total included files.
+          def contains_internal_include?
+            !!pipeline_config&.contains_internal_include?
+          end
+
           protected
 
           attr_writer :expandset, :execution_deadline, :logger, :max_includes
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/command.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/command.rb
index d2dc712e366a6b985680ed836a9aa974eb0fad8e..4bc2f6c7be70cb38c09743d49bdaf1a9de30e8f2 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/command.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/command.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ module Chain
           :seeds_block, :variables_attributes, :push_options,
           :chat_data, :allow_mirror_update, :bridge, :content, :dry_run, :logger,
           # These attributes are set by Chains during processing:
-          :config_content, :yaml_processor_result, :workflow_rules_result, :pipeline_seed
+          :config_content, :yaml_processor_result, :workflow_rules_result, :pipeline_seed,
+          :pipeline_config
         ) do
           include Gitlab::Utils::StrongMemoize
 
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/content.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/content.rb
index d41213ef6dde3ebc38ac2ce52b6a01d34235cc16..779aac7d5209eb4e600423dab4a14371b11bba8f 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/content.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/content.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ def perform!
                 @pipeline.build_pipeline_config(content: pipeline_config.content)
                 @command.config_content = pipeline_config.content
                 @pipeline.config_source = pipeline_config.source
+                @command.pipeline_config = pipeline_config
               else
                 error('Missing CI config file')
               end
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/process.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/process.rb
index ad6b2fd341172f4e0d55b8bc73719a5fbacab37c..4976e075727b3edcbb81056bd9b690edbb07209f 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/process.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/process.rb
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ def perform!
                     source: @pipeline.source,
                     user: current_user,
                     parent_pipeline: parent_pipeline,
+                    pipeline_config: @command.pipeline_config,
                     logger: logger
                   }
                 )
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config.rb
index ded6877ef2915bb70187c240b9e3c1ff47097498..e69efb85a937f63d443c7307e12cb29dc7c7a641 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config.rb
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ def initialize(project:, sha:, custom_content: nil, pipeline_source: nil, pipeli
       end
 
       delegate :content, :source, to: :@config, allow_nil: true
+      delegate :contains_internal_include?, to: :@config
 
       def exists?
         !!@config&.exists?
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/auto_devops.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/auto_devops.rb
index c6905f480a2a61fbf4596aa0d46c3132aa980104..70f8c7b9bb3f2385c6bf2dc13f3c8325e66ed6cc 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/auto_devops.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/auto_devops.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ def content
           end
         end
 
+        def contains_internal_include?
+          true
+        end
+
         def source
           :auto_devops_source
         end
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/external_project.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/external_project.rb
index 0ed5d6fa2268b8052191090ad45248c8a815a5e7..b29825514585cbd4e85ce36e84ce60c52a2000f9 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/external_project.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/external_project.rb
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ def content
           end
         end
 
+        def contains_internal_include?
+          true
+        end
+
         def source
           :external_project_source
         end
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/remote.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/remote.rb
index cf1292706d23720c64ccd39335e15e6abc4bcc65..17d5a9ee68fd9618c5dd74c7d053a8f72cd2d67c 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/remote.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/remote.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ def content
           end
         end
 
+        def contains_internal_include?
+          true
+        end
+
         def source
           :remote_source
         end
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/repository.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/repository.rb
index 435ad4d42fe6c4ede68fb92a3db85e8dc339f818..c975023d35e27a1a7471f3c63a9030e9719330df 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/repository.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/repository.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ def content
           end
         end
 
+        def contains_internal_include?
+          true
+        end
+
         def source
           :repository_source
         end
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/source.rb b/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/source.rb
index ebe5728163b007cd61d7cbe764773a36509594da..30edf1b552a5bb47ef58633c820c79ce2c35c8ac 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/source.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/source.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ def content
           raise NotImplementedError
         end
 
+        # Indicates if we are internally injecting an 'include' into the content
+        def contains_internal_include?
+          false
+        end
+
         def source
           raise NotImplementedError
         end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/context_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/context_spec.rb
index ee28137e54f2831e6be462892a6f62ad2f1ca3ec..bae898e13ebdfb37a74b2027f62d2b03566afca0 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/context_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/config/external/context_spec.rb
@@ -170,4 +170,29 @@
   describe '#sentry_payload' do
     it { expect(subject.sentry_payload).to match(a_hash_including(:project, :user)) }
   end
+
+  describe '#contains_internal_include?' do
+    context 'when pipeline_config is provided' do
+      let(:pipeline_config) { instance_double(Gitlab::Ci::ProjectConfig) }
+      let(:attributes) do
+        { project: project, user: user, sha: sha, variables: variables, pipeline_config: pipeline_config }
+      end
+
+      where(:value) { [true, false] }
+
+      with_them do
+        it 'returns the value of .contains_internal_include?' do
+          allow(pipeline_config).to receive(:contains_internal_include?).and_return(value)
+
+          expect(subject.contains_internal_include?).to eq(value)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when pipeline_config is not provided' do
+      it 'returns false' do
+        expect(subject.contains_internal_include?).to eq(false)
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/content_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/content_spec.rb
index e0d656f456eddb15a8fe2896873aeea15e10d8e4..434acfb52742e11a705b2c0548f4edb6553fce48 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/content_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/pipeline/chain/config/content_spec.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 require 'spec_helper'
 
-RSpec.describe Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Chain::Config::Content do
+RSpec.describe Gitlab::Ci::Pipeline::Chain::Config::Content, feature_category: :continuous_integration do
   let(:project) { create(:project, ci_config_path: ci_config_path) }
   let(:pipeline) { build(:ci_pipeline, project: project) }
   let(:content) { nil }
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
         expect(pipeline.config_source).to eq 'bridge_source'
         expect(command.config_content).to eq 'the-yaml'
+        expect(command.pipeline_config.contains_internal_include?).to eq(false)
       end
     end
 
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@
         expect(pipeline.config_source).to eq 'repository_source'
         expect(pipeline.pipeline_config.content).to eq(config_content_result)
         expect(command.config_content).to eq(config_content_result)
+        expect(command.pipeline_config.contains_internal_include?).to eq(true)
       end
     end
 
@@ -71,6 +73,7 @@
         expect(pipeline.config_source).to eq 'remote_source'
         expect(pipeline.pipeline_config.content).to eq(config_content_result)
         expect(command.config_content).to eq(config_content_result)
+        expect(command.pipeline_config.contains_internal_include?).to eq(true)
       end
     end
 
@@ -91,6 +94,7 @@
         expect(pipeline.config_source).to eq 'external_project_source'
         expect(pipeline.pipeline_config.content).to eq(config_content_result)
         expect(command.config_content).to eq(config_content_result)
+        expect(command.pipeline_config.contains_internal_include?).to eq(true)
       end
 
       context 'when path specifies a refname' do
@@ -111,6 +115,7 @@
           expect(pipeline.config_source).to eq 'external_project_source'
           expect(pipeline.pipeline_config.content).to eq(config_content_result)
           expect(command.config_content).to eq(config_content_result)
+          expect(command.pipeline_config.contains_internal_include?).to eq(true)
         end
       end
     end
@@ -138,6 +143,7 @@
         expect(pipeline.config_source).to eq 'repository_source'
         expect(pipeline.pipeline_config.content).to eq(config_content_result)
         expect(command.config_content).to eq(config_content_result)
+        expect(command.pipeline_config.contains_internal_include?).to eq(true)
       end
     end
 
@@ -161,6 +167,7 @@
         expect(pipeline.config_source).to eq 'auto_devops_source'
         expect(pipeline.pipeline_config.content).to eq(config_content_result)
         expect(command.config_content).to eq(config_content_result)
+        expect(command.pipeline_config.contains_internal_include?).to eq(true)
       end
     end
 
@@ -181,6 +188,7 @@
         expect(pipeline.config_source).to eq 'parameter_source'
         expect(pipeline.pipeline_config.content).to eq(content)
         expect(command.config_content).to eq(content)
+        expect(command.pipeline_config.contains_internal_include?).to eq(false)
       end
     end
 
@@ -197,6 +205,7 @@
         expect(pipeline.config_source).to eq('unknown_source')
         expect(pipeline.pipeline_config).to be_nil
         expect(command.config_content).to be_nil
+        expect(command.pipeline_config).to be_nil
         expect(pipeline.errors.full_messages).to include('Missing CI config file')
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/repository_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/repository_spec.rb
index 2105b691d9ee356221f7fe2b98314c663f7fa557..b31a909934879bf981053c4007d925141b1b68f8 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/repository_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/repository_spec.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 require 'spec_helper'
 
-RSpec.describe Gitlab::Ci::ProjectConfig::Repository do
+RSpec.describe Gitlab::Ci::ProjectConfig::Repository, feature_category: :continuous_integration do
   let(:project) { create(:project, :custom_repo, files: files) }
   let(:sha) { project.repository.head_commit.sha }
   let(:files) { { 'README.md' => 'hello' } }
@@ -44,4 +44,10 @@
 
     it { is_expected.to eq(:repository_source) }
   end
+
+  describe '#contains_internal_include?' do
+    subject { config.contains_internal_include? }
+
+    it { is_expected.to eq(true) }
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/source_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/source_spec.rb
index dda5c7cdce83120d6e4ebe37f0be0786d05175b9..5248cf080e8df019aa8f3b0f24d060268eda104c 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/source_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/ci/project_config/source_spec.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 require 'spec_helper'
 
-RSpec.describe Gitlab::Ci::ProjectConfig::Source do
+RSpec.describe Gitlab::Ci::ProjectConfig::Source, feature_category: :continuous_integration do
   let_it_be(:custom_config_class) { Class.new(described_class) }
   let_it_be(:project) { build_stubbed(:project) }
   let_it_be(:sha) { '123456' }
@@ -20,4 +20,10 @@
 
     it { expect { source }.to raise_error(NotImplementedError) }
   end
+
+  describe '#contains_internal_include?' do
+    subject(:contains_internal_include) { custom_config.contains_internal_include? }
+
+    it { expect(contains_internal_include).to eq(false) }
+  end
 end