diff --git a/check.sh b/check.sh
index 0140b6f..fa7fcd3 100755
--- a/check.sh
+++ b/check.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ if [[ ! -d build ]]; then
     meson setup -Dfuzz=enabled -Dtests=enabled build || exit $?
 fi
 
+meson compile -C build || exit $?
+
 ebegin "running check commands"
 parallel --halt soon,fail=1 --keep-order -j$(nproc) < check_commands.txt
 eend $? || exit $?