diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.action.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.action.yml
index a5691bdf..2d8733f2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.action.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.action.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ on:
       - action.ts
       - action.yml
       - package.json
+      - installer.sh
+      - .github/workflows/ci.action.yml
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.ref || 'ci' }}/action.ts
@@ -31,7 +33,7 @@ jobs:
           name: dist
           path: dist
       - uses: ./
-      - run: pkgx --version
+      - run: if [[ $(pkgx --version) != "pkgx "1.* ]]; then exit 1; fi
 
   plus-pkgs:
     needs: dist
diff --git a/action.ts b/action.ts
index 454ffb3b..50098160 100644
--- a/action.ts
+++ b/action.ts
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ async function go() {
     // use our installer to install any required pre-requisites from the system packager
     const installer_script = path.join(path.dirname(__filename), "installer.sh")
     if (process.getuid && process.getuid() == 0) {
-      await exec(installer_script)
+      await exec(installer_script, [], { env: {...process.env, PKGX_ONLY_INSTALL_PREREQS: '1' } })
     } else {
       await exec('sudo', [installer_script])
     }
diff --git a/installer.sh b/installer.sh
index 6ff353de..e0a71758 100755
--- a/installer.sh
+++ b/installer.sh
@@ -147,6 +147,11 @@ _should_install_pkgx() {
 
 ########################################################################### meat
 
+if [ "$PKGX_ONLY_INSTALL_PREREQS" = 1 ]; then
+  _install_pre_reqs
+  exit 0
+fi
+
 if _should_install_pkgx; then
   _install_pkgx "$@"
 elif [ $# -eq 0 ]; then