diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index ea78321f..82e96d3f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          submodules: true
+
       - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
         uses: actions/setup-python@v4
         with:
@@ -64,6 +67,9 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           HED_GITHUB_TOKEN=${{ secrets.HED_GITHUB_TOKEN }} coverage run -m unittest
 
+      - name: Run spec_test coverage
+        run: HED_GITHUB_TOKEN=${{ secrets.HED_GITHUB_TOKEN }} coverage run --append -m unittest spec_tests/test_errors.py
+
       - name: Archive code coverage results
         if: ${{matrix.python-version == '3.9'}}
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3