diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows.yml b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
index 432a3d06ee..0fbe06cbfa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/windows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
@@ -34,13 +34,8 @@ jobs:
           curl.exe -L -O https://github.com/roc-lang/llvm-package-windows/releases/download/v13.0.1/LLVM-13.0.1-win64.7z
           7z x LLVM-13.0.1-win64.7z -oC:\LLVM-13.0.1-win64
 
-      # debug build helps prevent "zig: lld-link permission denied error", not sure why...
-      - run: cargo build
-      
-      - run: cargo build --release
-
       - name: build tests release without running
-        run: cargo test --locked --release --no-run
+        run: cargo test --locked --release --no-run || cargo test --locked --release --no-run
 
       - run: cargo test-gen-llvm