diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 4f80465..04ab128 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -1,43 +1,24 @@
-name: CI
+name: Build
 
 on:
   push:
     branches: [ main, ci-cd-improvements ]
   pull_request:
 
-
 jobs:
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     steps:
-      - name: Check out repository  
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          lfs: true
-      - name: Set up JDK 17
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
-        with:
-          java-version: 17
-          distribution: adopt-hotspot
-      - name: Set Variables
-        id: environment
-        shell: bash
-        run: |
-          ./gradlew printVersion --console=plain -q
-          echo "version=$(./gradlew printVersion --console=plain -q)" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-      - name: Build plugin
-        run: |
-          chmod +x gradlew
-          ./gradlew check buildPlugin
+      - name: Build Plugin
+        id: build
+        uses: ./.github/workflows/buildPlugin.yml
       - name: Unpack unsigned plugin for repackaging
         shell: bash
         run: |
           cd ${{ github.workspace }}/build/distributions
           unzip *.zip -d pluginfiles
-          
       - name: Upload built plugin
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          name: autoconfig-plugin-${{ steps.environment.outputs.version }}
-          path: build/distributions/pluginfiles/*/*
-      
+          name: autoconfig-plugin-${{ steps.build.outputs.version }}
+          path: build/distributions/pluginfiles/*/*
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/buildPlugin.yml b/.github/workflows/buildPlugin.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e48671
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/buildPlugin.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+name: CI
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    outputs:
+      version:
+        value: ${{ jobs.buildPlugin.outputs.version }}
+
+
+jobs: 
+  buildPlugin:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    outputs: 
+      version: ${{ steps.environment.outputs.version }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          lfs: true
+      - name: Set up JDK 17
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+        with:
+          java-version: 17
+          distribution: adopt-hotspot
+      - name: Run Gradle Check # also ensures gradle is downloaded
+        run: |
+          chmod +x gradlew
+          ./gradlew check
+      - name: Set Variables
+        id: environment
+        shell: bash
+        run: echo "version=$(./gradlew printVersion --console=plain -q)" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+      - name: Build plugin
+        run: ./gradlew buildPlugin
+      - name: Unpack unsigned plugin for repackaging
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          cd ${{ github.workspace }}/build/distributions
+          unzip *.zip -d pluginfiles
\ No newline at end of file