A check valve for pick-and-place applications includes a valve housing with a chamber, and a chamber shuttle with a cavity. The chamber shuttle is accessible from outside the chamber and adapted to receive a suction head. The chamber shuttle is adapted to travel within the chamber and establish “valve-open” and “valve-closed” states based upon the contact of the suction head upon the work piece surface. Blow off of the work piece surface is allowed by a fluid flow channel interposed between the suction head and the chamber shuttle cavity.