diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index 2b10d36..3620e4d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -10,15 +10,9 @@ jobs:
       - uses: ros-tooling/setup-ros@v0.7
         with:
           required-ros-distributions: rolling
-      - name: checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          repository: RobotLocomotion/drake-external-examples
-          ref: main
-          path: ros_ws/src
       - uses: ros-tooling/action-ros-ci@v0.3
         with:
-          package-name: drake drake_cmake_installed drake_cmake_installed_apt drake_ament_cmake_installed
+          package-name: drake
           target-ros2-distro: rolling
           skip-tests: true
           colcon-defaults: |
@@ -28,3 +22,17 @@ jobs:
                 "cmake-target": "install"
               }
             }
+      - name: checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          repository: RobotLocomotion/drake-external-examples
+          ref: main
+          path: ros_ws/src
+      - name: build tests
+        shell: bash
+        working-directory: ros_ws
+        run: |
+          . /opt/ros/rolling/setup.bash
+          . install/setup.bash
+          colcon graph
+          colcon build --packages-select drake_cmake_installed drake_cmake_installed_apt drake_ament_cmake_installed --event-handlers=console_direct+