diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index ade7ea50..364ea393 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ jobs:
         python-version: '3.11'
     - name: Install dependencies
       run: tools/pcommand install_pip_reqs
-    - name: All featuresets removed
+    - name: Build prereqs
+      run: make prereqs
+    - name: Build spinoff project with no featuresets
       run: tools/pcommand spinoff_test empty
       
   # Most of our toolset doesn't work on raw Windows without WSL set up,