diff --git a/.github/workflows/yocto-build-deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/yocto-build-deploy.yml
index caa400a37..dc1f6c975 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/yocto-build-deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/yocto-build-deploy.yml
@@ -245,6 +245,24 @@ jobs:
             Please contact a member of the organization for assistance."
           exit 1
 
+      - name Validate inputs
+        run: |
+          # This can't possibly work, can it?
+          validate_json_array() {
+            echo ${{ inputs.$1 }} | jq ".[]"
+            status=$?
+            if [ $status -ne 0 ]; then
+              echo "INPUT ERROR: $1 must be JSON array, got ${{ inputs.$1 }}"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          }
+
+          echo "Here we go..."
+          validate_json_array runs-on
+          validate_json_array test-suites
+          validate_json_array test-workers
+          echo "All done..."
+
       # this must be done before putting files in the workspace
       # https://github.com/easimon/maximize-build-space
       - name: Maximize build space
@@ -978,11 +996,6 @@ jobs:
               "WORKER_TYPE": ${{ inputs.test-workers }}
             }
         run: |
-          # Validate inputs meant to be JSON arrays.
-          echo ${{ inputs.runs-on }} | jq ".[]" || echo "INPUT ERROR: runs-on must be JSON array, got ${{ inputs.test-suites }}"
-          echo ${{ inputs.test-suites }} | jq ".[]" || echo "INPUT ERROR: test-suites must be JSON array, got ${{ inputs.test-suites }}"
-          echo ${{ inputs.test-workers }} | jq ".[]" || echo "INPUT ERROR: test-workers must be JSON array, got ${{ inputs.test-suites }}"
-
           echo $json
           json=$(jq -e -c . <<<"${MATRIX}") || exit $?
           echo "json=${json}" >> "${GITHUB_OUTPUT}"