diff --git a/lib/analyze-action-post.js b/lib/analyze-action-post.js
index 10b5ba3f7c..4466b39598 100644
--- a/lib/analyze-action-post.js
+++ b/lib/analyze-action-post.js
@@ -26443,7 +26443,7 @@ var require_package = __commonJS({
       description: "CodeQL action",
       scripts: {
         _build_comment: "echo 'Run the full build so we typecheck the project and can reuse the transpiled files in npm test'",
-        build: "npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
+        build: "./scripts/check-node-modules.sh && npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
         lint: "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 .",
         "lint-ci": "SARIF_ESLINT_IGNORE_SUPPRESSED=true eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --format @microsoft/eslint-formatter-sarif --output-file=eslint.sarif",
         "lint-fix": "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --fix",
diff --git a/lib/analyze-action.js b/lib/analyze-action.js
index 54e1c30da6..7129a18960 100644
--- a/lib/analyze-action.js
+++ b/lib/analyze-action.js
@@ -32292,7 +32292,7 @@ var require_package = __commonJS({
       description: "CodeQL action",
       scripts: {
         _build_comment: "echo 'Run the full build so we typecheck the project and can reuse the transpiled files in npm test'",
-        build: "npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
+        build: "./scripts/check-node-modules.sh && npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
         lint: "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 .",
         "lint-ci": "SARIF_ESLINT_IGNORE_SUPPRESSED=true eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --format @microsoft/eslint-formatter-sarif --output-file=eslint.sarif",
         "lint-fix": "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --fix",
diff --git a/lib/autobuild-action.js b/lib/autobuild-action.js
index ca3d71e98e..cf4e82a6bb 100644
--- a/lib/autobuild-action.js
+++ b/lib/autobuild-action.js
@@ -26443,7 +26443,7 @@ var require_package = __commonJS({
       description: "CodeQL action",
       scripts: {
         _build_comment: "echo 'Run the full build so we typecheck the project and can reuse the transpiled files in npm test'",
-        build: "npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
+        build: "./scripts/check-node-modules.sh && npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
         lint: "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 .",
         "lint-ci": "SARIF_ESLINT_IGNORE_SUPPRESSED=true eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --format @microsoft/eslint-formatter-sarif --output-file=eslint.sarif",
         "lint-fix": "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --fix",
diff --git a/lib/init-action-post.js b/lib/init-action-post.js
index 26412f352c..73fb6e86c8 100644
--- a/lib/init-action-post.js
+++ b/lib/init-action-post.js
@@ -32292,7 +32292,7 @@ var require_package = __commonJS({
       description: "CodeQL action",
       scripts: {
         _build_comment: "echo 'Run the full build so we typecheck the project and can reuse the transpiled files in npm test'",
-        build: "npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
+        build: "./scripts/check-node-modules.sh && npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
         lint: "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 .",
         "lint-ci": "SARIF_ESLINT_IGNORE_SUPPRESSED=true eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --format @microsoft/eslint-formatter-sarif --output-file=eslint.sarif",
         "lint-fix": "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --fix",
diff --git a/lib/init-action.js b/lib/init-action.js
index 08298bc816..a4ecce9a33 100644
--- a/lib/init-action.js
+++ b/lib/init-action.js
@@ -32292,7 +32292,7 @@ var require_package = __commonJS({
       description: "CodeQL action",
       scripts: {
         _build_comment: "echo 'Run the full build so we typecheck the project and can reuse the transpiled files in npm test'",
-        build: "npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
+        build: "./scripts/check-node-modules.sh && npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
         lint: "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 .",
         "lint-ci": "SARIF_ESLINT_IGNORE_SUPPRESSED=true eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --format @microsoft/eslint-formatter-sarif --output-file=eslint.sarif",
         "lint-fix": "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --fix",
diff --git a/lib/resolve-environment-action.js b/lib/resolve-environment-action.js
index 0eaf2183eb..816fa8eed2 100644
--- a/lib/resolve-environment-action.js
+++ b/lib/resolve-environment-action.js
@@ -26443,7 +26443,7 @@ var require_package = __commonJS({
       description: "CodeQL action",
       scripts: {
         _build_comment: "echo 'Run the full build so we typecheck the project and can reuse the transpiled files in npm test'",
-        build: "npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
+        build: "./scripts/check-node-modules.sh && npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
         lint: "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 .",
         "lint-ci": "SARIF_ESLINT_IGNORE_SUPPRESSED=true eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --format @microsoft/eslint-formatter-sarif --output-file=eslint.sarif",
         "lint-fix": "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --fix",
diff --git a/lib/start-proxy-action-post.js b/lib/start-proxy-action-post.js
index 25d1e2d1aa..98cff4159e 100644
--- a/lib/start-proxy-action-post.js
+++ b/lib/start-proxy-action-post.js
@@ -26443,7 +26443,7 @@ var require_package = __commonJS({
       description: "CodeQL action",
       scripts: {
         _build_comment: "echo 'Run the full build so we typecheck the project and can reuse the transpiled files in npm test'",
-        build: "npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
+        build: "./scripts/check-node-modules.sh && npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
         lint: "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 .",
         "lint-ci": "SARIF_ESLINT_IGNORE_SUPPRESSED=true eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --format @microsoft/eslint-formatter-sarif --output-file=eslint.sarif",
         "lint-fix": "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --fix",
diff --git a/lib/start-proxy-action.js b/lib/start-proxy-action.js
index 8a94566569..56006078a3 100644
--- a/lib/start-proxy-action.js
+++ b/lib/start-proxy-action.js
@@ -44971,7 +44971,7 @@ var require_package = __commonJS({
       description: "CodeQL action",
       scripts: {
         _build_comment: "echo 'Run the full build so we typecheck the project and can reuse the transpiled files in npm test'",
-        build: "npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
+        build: "./scripts/check-node-modules.sh && npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
         lint: "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 .",
         "lint-ci": "SARIF_ESLINT_IGNORE_SUPPRESSED=true eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --format @microsoft/eslint-formatter-sarif --output-file=eslint.sarif",
         "lint-fix": "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --fix",
diff --git a/lib/upload-lib.js b/lib/upload-lib.js
index 8dfb2a1e22..eebca8831c 100644
--- a/lib/upload-lib.js
+++ b/lib/upload-lib.js
@@ -33589,7 +33589,7 @@ var require_package = __commonJS({
       description: "CodeQL action",
       scripts: {
         _build_comment: "echo 'Run the full build so we typecheck the project and can reuse the transpiled files in npm test'",
-        build: "npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
+        build: "./scripts/check-node-modules.sh && npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
         lint: "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 .",
         "lint-ci": "SARIF_ESLINT_IGNORE_SUPPRESSED=true eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --format @microsoft/eslint-formatter-sarif --output-file=eslint.sarif",
         "lint-fix": "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --fix",
diff --git a/lib/upload-sarif-action-post.js b/lib/upload-sarif-action-post.js
index 216b905035..2bad6677a0 100644
--- a/lib/upload-sarif-action-post.js
+++ b/lib/upload-sarif-action-post.js
@@ -26443,7 +26443,7 @@ var require_package = __commonJS({
       description: "CodeQL action",
       scripts: {
         _build_comment: "echo 'Run the full build so we typecheck the project and can reuse the transpiled files in npm test'",
-        build: "npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
+        build: "./scripts/check-node-modules.sh && npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
         lint: "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 .",
         "lint-ci": "SARIF_ESLINT_IGNORE_SUPPRESSED=true eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --format @microsoft/eslint-formatter-sarif --output-file=eslint.sarif",
         "lint-fix": "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --fix",
diff --git a/lib/upload-sarif-action.js b/lib/upload-sarif-action.js
index 828d74c212..103783ec0c 100644
--- a/lib/upload-sarif-action.js
+++ b/lib/upload-sarif-action.js
@@ -32292,7 +32292,7 @@ var require_package = __commonJS({
       description: "CodeQL action",
       scripts: {
         _build_comment: "echo 'Run the full build so we typecheck the project and can reuse the transpiled files in npm test'",
-        build: "npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
+        build: "./scripts/check-node-modules.sh && npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
         lint: "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 .",
         "lint-ci": "SARIF_ESLINT_IGNORE_SUPPRESSED=true eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --format @microsoft/eslint-formatter-sarif --output-file=eslint.sarif",
         "lint-fix": "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --fix",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 178ee04344..89183893e8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   "description": "CodeQL action",
   "scripts": {
     "_build_comment": "echo 'Run the full build so we typecheck the project and can reuse the transpiled files in npm test'",
-    "build": "npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
+    "build": "./scripts/check-node-modules.sh && npm run transpile && node build.mjs",
     "lint": "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 .",
     "lint-ci": "SARIF_ESLINT_IGNORE_SUPPRESSED=true eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --format @microsoft/eslint-formatter-sarif --output-file=eslint.sarif",
     "lint-fix": "eslint --report-unused-disable-directives --max-warnings=0 . --fix",
diff --git a/scripts/check-node-modules.sh b/scripts/check-node-modules.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..a777406d31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check-node-modules.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e
+
+# Check if npm install is likely needed before proceeding
+if [ ! -d node_modules ] || [ package-lock.json -nt node_modules/.package-lock.json ]; then
+  npm install
+fi