diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate.yml b/.github/workflows/validate.yml
index b7e2bab..4f5cc4c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate.yml
@@ -19,8 +19,14 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
           node-version: "18"
+      - working-directory: "./oxide-api"
+        run: npm install
+      - name: Typecheck
+        working-directory: "./oxide-api"
+        run: npm run tsc
       - working-directory: "./oxide-openapi-gen-ts"
         run: npm install
+      # TODO: this probably doesn't make sense anymore, it should be done already
       - name: Generate client
         run: "./tools/gen.sh"
       - name: Typecheck
diff --git a/oxide-api/package.json b/oxide-api/package.json
index c7b668c..5e354b3 100644
--- a/oxide-api/package.json
+++ b/oxide-api/package.json
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@
   },
   "scripts": {
     "build": "tsup --dts",
-    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
+    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1",
+    "tsc": "tsc"
   },
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",