diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 64c9b2029..4a6f148ff 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -30,6 +30,15 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
+          path: mate-panel
+          submodules: true
+
+      - name: Checkout mate-desktop
+        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          repository: mate-desktop/mate-desktop
+          ref: v1.27.1
+          path: mate-desktop
           submodules: true
 
       - name: Install dependencies
@@ -75,21 +84,36 @@ jobs:
       - name: ccache
         uses: hendrikmuhs/ccache-action@v1.2
 
+      - name: Configure mate-desktop
+        run: |
+          cd mate-desktop
+          NOCONFIGURE=1 ./autogen.sh
+          mkdir _build
+          cd _build
+          { ../configure --prefix=/usr || { cat config.log; exit 1; } ; }
+
+      - name: Build mate-desktop
+        run: make -C mate-desktop/_build -j ${{ env.JOBS }}
+
+      - name: Install mate-desktop
+        run: make -C mate-desktop/_build -j ${{ env.JOBS }} install
+
       - name: Configure
         run: |
+          cd mate-panel
           NOCONFIGURE=1 ./autogen.sh
           mkdir _build
           cd _build
           { ../configure || { cat config.log; exit 1; } ; }
 
       - name: Build
-        run: make -C _build -j ${{ env.JOBS }}
+        run: make -C mate-panel/_build -j ${{ env.JOBS }}
 
       - name: Run Tests
-        run: make -C _build -j ${{ env.JOBS }} check
+        run: make -C mate-panel/_build -j ${{ env.JOBS }} check
 
       - name: Run distcheck
-        run: make -C _build -j ${{ env.JOBS }} distcheck
+        run: make -C mate-panel/_build -j ${{ env.JOBS }} distcheck
 
       - name: cppcheck
-        run: cppcheck --enable=warning,style,performance,portability,information,missingInclude -i'gtk-layer-shell-build' .
+        run: cppcheck --enable=warning,style,performance,portability,information,missingInclude -i'gtk-layer-shell-build' mate-panel