diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-litellm-ui-build.yml b/.github/workflows/test-litellm-ui-build.yml
index b3a07a6e0ff..4eb6b272c43 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-litellm-ui-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-litellm-ui-build.yml
@@ -19,9 +19,6 @@ jobs:
   build-ui:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 10
-    defaults:
-      run:
-        working-directory: ui/litellm-dashboard
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
@@ -35,18 +32,11 @@ jobs:
         with:
           category: ui
 
-      - name: Setup Node.js
+      # Built through the image stage rather than the checkout, because the
+      # stage copies ui/litellm-dashboard/ alone: an import reaching above the
+      # dashboard root resolves in a checkout and fails in every image we ship.
+      # Dockerfile, docker/Dockerfile.non_root and ui/Dockerfile share this
+      # stage verbatim, so building one covers all three.
+      - name: Build the dashboard as the shipped images build it
         if: steps.changes.outputs.decision != 'skip'
-        uses: actions/setup-node@a0853c24544627f65ddf259abe73b1d18a591444 # v5.0.0
-        with:
-          node-version-file: ui/litellm-dashboard/.nvmrc
-          cache: "npm"
-          cache-dependency-path: ui/litellm-dashboard/package-lock.json
-
-      - name: Install dependencies
-        if: steps.changes.outputs.decision != 'skip'
-        run: npm ci
-
-      - name: Build
-        if: steps.changes.outputs.decision != 'skip'
-        run: npm run build
+        run: docker build --target ui-builder -f Dockerfile .