diff --git a/.github/workflows/theia-zowe-explorer-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/theia-zowe-explorer-ci.yml
index 91988abae3..d1fcf25d60 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/theia-zowe-explorer-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/theia-zowe-explorer-ci.yml
@@ -31,8 +31,10 @@ jobs:
       # install pnpm
       - run: npm install -g pnpm
 
-      # install dependencies
-      - run: pnpm install
+      # install dependencies & build
+      - run: |
+         pnpm install
+         pnpm build
 
       # copy test data file needed for build :-(
       - name: Create test data file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/zowe-explorer-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/zowe-explorer-ci.yml
index ccb2149905..4ca8d44206 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/zowe-explorer-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/zowe-explorer-ci.yml
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ jobs:
       # install pnpm
       - run: npm install -g pnpm
 
-      - run: pnpm config set network-timeout 60000 && pnpm install
+      - run: pnpm config set network-timeout 60000 && pnpm install && pnpm build
 
       - run: pnpm test
         env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/zowe-explorer-ftp-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/zowe-explorer-ftp-ci.yml
index d21bb230d9..1f3f8ec753 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/zowe-explorer-ftp-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/zowe-explorer-ftp-ci.yml
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ jobs:
       # install pnpm
       - run: npm install -g pnpm
 
-      - run: pnpm config set network-timeout 60000 && pnpm install
+      - run: pnpm config set network-timeout 60000 && pnpm install && pnpm build
 
       - run: pnpm --filter zowe-explorer-ftp-extension test
         env: