diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs.yml b/.github/workflows/docs_build_push.yml
similarity index 97%
rename from .github/workflows/docs.yml
rename to .github/workflows/docs_build_push.yml
index ef2d19420..78e82612d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs_build_push.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: documentation
+name: build and deploy docs to gh-pages
 
 on:
   workflow_call:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs_build_test.yml b/.github/workflows/docs_build_test.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dac5bf2a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs_build_test.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+name: test that docs build
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - main
+
+# This job installs dependencies, build the book, and pushes it to `gh-pages`
+jobs:
+  build-and-deploy:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+    - name: Install pandoc
+      run: sudo apt-get install pandoc
+
+    # Install dependencies
+    - name: Set up Python
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      with:
+        python-version: 3.11
+
+    - name: Install dependencies
+      run: |
+        python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+        if [ -f packages/requirements.txt ]; then pip install -r packages/requirements.txt; fi
+        if [ -f packages/requirements-optional.txt ]; then pip install -r packages/requirements-optional.txt; fi
+        pip install -e packages/fairchem-core[docs,adsorbml]
+        pip install -e packages/fairchem-data-oc[dev]
+        pip install -e packages/fairchem-demo-ocpapi[dev]
+        pip install -e packages/fairchem-applications-cattsunami
+
+    # Build the book
+    - name: Build the book
+      run: |
+        jupyter-book build docs