diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index cbcbca3c..6eee5ac5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ jobs:
     - name: Run checks and tests
       run: make -j2 check test
 
+  # Compile just a server binary but don't run asset builds/etc.
+  # (to spare my asset file server)
   compile_linux:
     runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
     steps:
@@ -34,10 +36,8 @@ jobs:
       uses: actions/setup-python@v1
       with:
         python-version: 3.8
-    - name: Install dependencies
-      run: tools/pcommand install_pip_reqs
     - name: Compile binary
-      run: make cmake-server-build
+      run: make _cmake-simple-ci-server-build
       
   # Most of our toolset doesn't work on raw windows (outside of WSL).
   # However, it's nice to at least run unit tests there since some behavior