diff --git a/.gitpod.yml b/.gitpod.yml
index 92cf51b5ccdd3..61bf069e34517 100644
--- a/.gitpod.yml
+++ b/.gitpod.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 image: jsii/superchain
 tasks:
-  - init: yarn build --skip-test --no-bail --skip-prereqs
+  - init: yarn build --skip-test --no-bail --skip-prereqs --skip-compat
 
 vscode:
   extensions:
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 754f7ce10111e..a17b80797c8ec 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ set -euo pipefail
 bail="--bail"
 runtarget="build+test"
 check_prereqs="true"
+check_compat="true"
 while [[ "${1:-}" != "" ]]; do
     case $1 in
         -h|--help)
@@ -22,6 +23,9 @@ while [[ "${1:-}" != "" ]]; do
         --skip-prereqs)
             check_prereqs="false"
             ;;
+        --skip-compat)
+            check_compat="false"
+            ;;
         *)
             echo "Unrecognized parameter: $1"
             exit 1
@@ -70,6 +74,8 @@ echo "==========================================================================
 echo "building..."
 time lerna run $bail --stream $runtarget || fail
 
-/bin/bash scripts/check-api-compatibility.sh
+if [ "$check_compat" == "true" ]; then
+  /bin/bash scripts/check-api-compatibility.sh
+fi
 
 touch $BUILD_INDICATOR