diff --git a/src/dev/ci_setup/setup_env.sh b/src/dev/ci_setup/setup_env.sh
index 2deafaaf35a94..2f292b8a9c278 100644
--- a/src/dev/ci_setup/setup_env.sh
+++ b/src/dev/ci_setup/setup_env.sh
@@ -195,4 +195,10 @@ fi
 echo "# Appended by $KIBANA_DIR/src/dev/ci_setup/setup.sh" >> "$HOME/.bazelrc"
 echo "build --remote_header=x-buildbuddy-api-key=$KIBANA_BUILDBUDDY_CI_API_KEY" >> "$HOME/.bazelrc"
 
+###
+### disables building TS project references on CI as part of bootstrap
+### types will still be checked with scripts/type_check
+###
+export KBN_NO_BOOTSTRAP_TS_REFS=true
+
 export CI_ENV_SETUP=true
diff --git a/test/scripts/checks/build_ts_refs.sh b/test/scripts/checks/build_ts_refs.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..83379aeb2252a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/scripts/checks/build_ts_refs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+source src/dev/ci_setup/setup_env.sh
+
+checks-reporter-with-killswitch "Build TS Refs" \
+  node scripts/build_ts_refs
diff --git a/test/scripts/jenkins_unit.sh b/test/scripts/jenkins_unit.sh
index 9e387f97a016e..996dfdc414917 100755
--- a/test/scripts/jenkins_unit.sh
+++ b/test/scripts/jenkins_unit.sh
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ if [[ -z "$CODE_COVERAGE" ]] ; then
   ./test/scripts/checks/ts_projects.sh
   ./test/scripts/checks/jest_configs.sh
   ./test/scripts/checks/doc_api_changes.sh
+  ./test/scripts/checks/build_ts_refs.sh
   ./test/scripts/checks/type_check.sh
   ./test/scripts/checks/bundle_limits.sh
   ./test/scripts/checks/i18n.sh