diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 75cbf7f3603a..7d830ceea54f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -96,6 +96,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build TileDB
         if: false
         run: cmake --build build --config Release -j
+      - name: Build dummy files
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p build
+          touch build/tiledb.obj
       - name: Install TileDB
         if: false
         run: cmake --build build --config Release --target install-tiledb