diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-tests.yml
index e3e1cc9d..0e41001a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-tests.yml
@@ -19,9 +19,8 @@ jobs:
         node-version: 24
         cache: pnpm
     - run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
+    # Full build (babel + tsc -b declarations) so PRs catch type errors
+    # before the Release workflow does
     - name: Build gl-react packages
-      run: |
-        for d in packages/gl-react packages/gl-react-dom packages/gl-react-headless packages/gl-react-image packages/gl-react-blur; do
-          pnpm exec babel --root-mode upward --source-maps --extensions '.ts,.tsx' -d "$d/lib" "$d/src"
-        done
+      run: pnpm build
     - run: xvfb-run -s "-ac -screen 0 1280x1024x24" pnpm test
diff --git a/packages/gl-react-blur/src/Blur.tsx b/packages/gl-react-blur/src/Blur.tsx
index 2fa01ef5..7a8d1c7a 100644
--- a/packages/gl-react-blur/src/Blur.tsx
+++ b/packages/gl-react-blur/src/Blur.tsx
@@ -36,6 +36,6 @@ const Blur = connectSize(
       );
     return rec(passes);
   }
-) as React.ComponentType<BlurProps>;
+) as unknown as React.ComponentType<BlurProps>;
 
 export default Blur;
diff --git a/packages/gl-react-blur/src/Blur1D.tsx b/packages/gl-react-blur/src/Blur1D.tsx
index 5756cb38..3b1fc514 100644
--- a/packages/gl-react-blur/src/Blur1D.tsx
+++ b/packages/gl-react-blur/src/Blur1D.tsx
@@ -43,6 +43,6 @@ const Blur1D = connectSize(
       uniforms={{ t, resolution: [width, height], direction }}
     />
   )
-) as React.ComponentType<Blur1DProps>;
+) as unknown as React.ComponentType<Blur1DProps>;
 
 export default Blur1D;
diff --git a/packages/gl-react-blur/src/BlurV.tsx b/packages/gl-react-blur/src/BlurV.tsx
index d43daf60..46c8ae74 100644
--- a/packages/gl-react-blur/src/BlurV.tsx
+++ b/packages/gl-react-blur/src/BlurV.tsx
@@ -39,6 +39,6 @@ const BlurV = connectSize(
       );
     return rec(passes);
   }
-) as React.ComponentType<BlurVProps>;
+) as unknown as React.ComponentType<BlurVProps>;
 
 export default BlurV;
diff --git a/packages/gl-react-blur/src/BlurV1D.tsx b/packages/gl-react-blur/src/BlurV1D.tsx
index 2a50dc22..f0728b15 100644
--- a/packages/gl-react-blur/src/BlurV1D.tsx
+++ b/packages/gl-react-blur/src/BlurV1D.tsx
@@ -45,6 +45,6 @@ const BlurV1D = connectSize(
       uniforms={{ t, map, resolution: [width, height], direction }}
     />
   )
-) as React.ComponentType<BlurV1DProps>;
+) as unknown as React.ComponentType<BlurV1DProps>;
 
 export default BlurV1D;