diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-test-aarch64-darwin.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-test-aarch64-darwin.yml
index 7d1b953ed..3773c5b7b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-test-aarch64-darwin.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-test-aarch64-darwin.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: install prerequisites
         run: |
-          brew install meson
+          brew install meson ninja
       - name: git checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ jobs:
           key: arm-darwin-cargo-and-target-${{ hashFiles('**/Cargo.lock') }}
       - name: cargo build for aarch64-apple-darwin
         run:  cargo build --release
+        # not quite sure why we need this on the runner, not needed locally
+      - run: |
+          mkdir build && cd build
+          meson setup ..
+          ninja tools/dav1d
       - run: .github/workflows/test.sh \
           -r ./target/release/dav1d \
           -s ./target/release/seek_stress