diff --git a/.github/workflows/verify_microsite-next.yml b/.github/workflows/verify_microsite-next.yml
index fc42ec4225..6c9edf2031 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/verify_microsite-next.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/verify_microsite-next.yml
@@ -29,10 +29,16 @@ jobs:
 
         # Skip caching of microsite dependencies, it keeps the global cache size
         # smaller, which make Windows builds a lot faster for the rest of the project.
+      - name: top-level install
+        run: yarn install --immutable
+
       - name: yarn install
         run: yarn install --immutable
         working-directory: microsite-next
 
+      - name: build API reference
+        run: yarn build:api-docs
+
       - name: verify yarn dependency duplicates
         run: node scripts/verify-lockfile-duplicates.js