diff --git a/.changeset/beige-tools-yawn.md b/.changeset/beige-tools-yawn.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f0e0bb362
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/beige-tools-yawn.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+"@web5/api": patch
+---
+
+add reference types from dwn-sdk-js to avoid pnpm build error
+
+https://github.com/microsoft/TypeScript/issues/47663#issuecomment-1962129199
diff --git a/packages/api/src/protocol.ts b/packages/api/src/protocol.ts
index 98985fdd3..63ba4a866 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/protocol.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/protocol.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+/**
+ * NOTE: Added reference types here to avoid a `pnpm` bug during build.
+ * https://github.com/TBD54566975/web5-js/pull/507
+ */
+/// <reference types="@tbd54566975/dwn-sdk-js" />
+
 import type { DwnMessage, DwnResponseStatus, Web5Agent } from '@web5/agent';
 
 import { DwnInterface } from '@web5/agent';
diff --git a/packages/api/src/record.ts b/packages/api/src/record.ts
index 70342f93e..e3a1ff256 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/record.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/record.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+/**
+ * NOTE: Added reference types here to avoid a `pnpm` bug during build.
+ * https://github.com/TBD54566975/web5-js/pull/507
+ */
+/// <reference types="@tbd54566975/dwn-sdk-js" />
+
 import type { Readable } from '@web5/common';
 import type {
   Web5Agent,