diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index c082948..76decff 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -24,3 +24,15 @@ jobs:
       - name: CI Build
         run: |
           ./script/cibuild
+  setup-py:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - name: Setup python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v2
+        with:
+          python-version: '3.10'
+          architecture: x64
+      - name: CI setup.py
+        run: |
+          ./script/cibuild-setup-py
diff --git a/script/cibuild b/script/cibuild
index 2826596..77d7a2c 100755
--- a/script/cibuild
+++ b/script/cibuild
@@ -26,16 +26,4 @@ echo "## lint ##################################################################
 script/lint
 echo "## tests/coverage ##############################################################"
 script/coverage
-echo "## validate setup.py build #####################################################"
-python setup.py build
-echo "## validate setup.py install ###################################################"
-deactivate
-TMP_DIR=$(mktemp -d -t ci-XXXXXXXXXX)
-python3 -m venv $TMP_DIR
-. "$TMP_DIR/bin/activate"
-python setup.py install
-octodns-sync --help
-echo "## validate tests can run against installed code ###############################"
-pip install pytest pytest-network
-pytest --disable-network
 echo "## complete ####################################################################"
diff --git a/script/cibuild-setup-py b/script/cibuild-setup-py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..49f8409
--- /dev/null
+++ b/script/cibuild-setup-py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+cd "$(dirname "$0")/.."
+
+echo "## create test venv ############################################################"
+TMP_DIR=$(mktemp -d -t ci-XXXXXXXXXX)
+python3 -m venv $TMP_DIR
+. "$TMP_DIR/bin/activate"
+echo "## environment & versions ######################################################"
+python --version
+pip --version
+echo "## validate setup.py build #####################################################"
+python setup.py build
+echo "## validate setup.py install ###################################################"
+python setup.py install
+echo "## validate tests can run against installed code ###############################"
+pip install pytest pytest-network
+pytest --disable-network
+echo "## complete ####################################################################"