diff --git a/.github/actions/install-frontend-dependencies/action.yml b/.github/actions/install-frontend-dependencies/action.yml
index 5ac9ddccb..9af6b9e4d 100644
--- a/.github/actions/install-frontend-dependencies/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/install-frontend-dependencies/action.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 name: Install and build the frontend
-description: Set up Node.js, install the frontend workspace dependencies and bundle the browser assets
+description: Set up Node.js, install frontend dependencies and optionally build browser assets
+inputs:
+  build-frontend:
+    description: Whether to bundle the browser assets after installing dependencies
+    required: false
+    default: 'true'
 runs:
   using: composite
   steps:
@@ -9,5 +14,6 @@ runs:
         cache: npm
     - run: npm ci --ignore-scripts
       shell: bash
-    - run: npm run build
+    - if: inputs.build-frontend == 'true'
+      run: npm run build
       shell: bash
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index b72e4e7f9..3b7295c6a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -191,6 +191,8 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v7
       - uses: ./.github/actions/install-frontend-dependencies
+        with:
+          build-frontend: 'false'
       - run: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y unixodbc-dev
       - run: npx playwright install --with-deps --only-shell chromium
       # The browser tests exercise the official site, but they do not need a