diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 6f2097338..daf83bfc3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ env:
         # and the companion needs.select-targets.outputs.merge-channel-files property (output values always have string
         # type).
         mergeable-channel-file: 'false'
+        # as this runs on a self hosted runner, we need to override the default working directory,
+        # otherwise paths in the build job will be too long for `light.exe`
+        working-directory: 'C:\a'
       artifacts:
         - path: '*Windows_64bit.exe'
           name: Windows_X86-64_interactive_installer
@@ -296,11 +299,15 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         if: fromJSON(matrix.config.container) == null
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
+        with:
+          path: ${{ matrix.config.working-directory }}
+        
       - name: Checkout
         # actions/checkout@v4 has dependency on a higher version of glibc than available in the Linux container.
         if: fromJSON(matrix.config.container) != null
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          path: ${{ matrix.config.working-directory }}
 
       - name: Install Node.js
         if: fromJSON(matrix.config.container) == null && runner.os != 'Windows'
@@ -360,6 +367,7 @@ jobs:
           CREATE_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.CREATE_USERNAME }}
           CREATE_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.CREATE_PASSWORD }}
           CREATE_CLIENT_SECRET: ${{ secrets.CREATE_CLIENT_SECRET }}
+        working-directory: ${{ matrix.config.working-directory || './' }}
         run: |
           # See: https://www.electron.build/code-signing
           if [ $CAN_SIGN = false ] || [ $IS_WINDOWS_CONFIG = true ]; then
@@ -389,6 +397,7 @@ jobs:
         if: >
           needs.select-targets.outputs.merge-channel-files == 'true' &&
           matrix.config.mergeable-channel-file == 'true'
+        working-directory: ${{ matrix.config.working-directory || './' }}
         run: |
           staged_channel_files_path="${{ runner.temp }}/staged-channel-files"
           mkdir "$staged_channel_files_path"
@@ -408,13 +417,14 @@ jobs:
         with:
           if-no-files-found: error
           name: ${{ env.STAGED_CHANNEL_FILES_ARTIFACT }}
-          path: ${{ env.STAGED_CHANNEL_FILES_PATH }}
+          path: ${{ matrix.config.working-directory && format('{0}/{1}', matrix.config.working-directory, env.STAGED_CHANNEL_FILES_PATH) || env.STAGED_CHANNEL_FILES_PATH }}
+          
 
       - name: Upload [GitHub Actions]
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
         with:
           name: ${{ env.JOB_TRANSFER_ARTIFACT }}
-          path: ${{ env.BUILD_ARTIFACTS_PATH }}
+          path: ${{ matrix.config.working-directory && format('{0}/{1}', matrix.config.working-directory, env.BUILD_ARTIFACTS_PATH) || env.BUILD_ARTIFACTS_PATH }}
 
   merge-channel-files:
     needs: