diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 0e77873..ab7616c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build core
         run: npm run build --workspace=@codeburn/core
 
+      - name: Verify every export target exists
+        run: npm run verify-dist --workspace=@codeburn/core
+
       - name: Verify package contents
         run: npm pack --workspace=@codeburn/core --dry-run
 
diff --git a/packages/core/package.json b/packages/core/package.json
index 1936151..16fc433 100644
--- a/packages/core/package.json
+++ b/packages/core/package.json
@@ -181,7 +181,9 @@
     "build": "tsup && tsc -p tsconfig.build.json",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
     "test": "vitest run",
-    "emit-schemas": "tsx scripts/emit-schemas.mts"
+    "emit-schemas": "tsx scripts/emit-schemas.mts",
+    "verify-dist": "node scripts/verify-dist.mjs",
+    "prepublishOnly": "npm run build && npm run verify-dist"
   },
   "engines": {
     "node": ">=22.13.0"
diff --git a/packages/core/scripts/verify-dist.mjs b/packages/core/scripts/verify-dist.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dd21249
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/scripts/verify-dist.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+// Refuses to let a half-built dist reach npm.
+//
+// `npm run build` is `tsup && tsc`. tsup runs with clean:true, so it wipes dist
+// and writes JavaScript; if tsc then fails, dist holds .js with no declarations.
+// The build exits non-zero, but nothing rebuilds at publish time, so a later
+// `npm publish` would ship a package whose every `types` target 404s. Verified:
+// removing the declarations and running `npm pack --dry-run` succeeds with
+// 41/41 exports subpaths pointing at files that are not in the tarball.
+//
+// This script is the assertion that closes that gap. It runs from
+// `prepublishOnly` (after the build) and in CI, so it is exercised on every
+// push rather than only on the rare publish.
+import { existsSync, readFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path'
+
+const pkgRoot = join(dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), '..')
+const pkg = JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(pkgRoot, 'package.json'), 'utf8'))
+
+const problems = []
+let checked = 0
+
+for (const [subpath, entry] of Object.entries(pkg.exports ?? {})) {
+  for (const condition of ['import', 'types']) {
+    const relative = entry?.[condition]
+    if (!relative) {
+      problems.push(`exports["${subpath}"] declares no "${condition}" target`)
+      continue
+    }
+    checked++
+    if (!existsSync(join(pkgRoot, relative))) {
+      problems.push(`exports["${subpath}"].${condition} -> ${relative} does not exist`)
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+// `files` decides what actually ships; a target outside it is unreachable to a
+// consumer even when it exists on disk here.
+const shipped = pkg.files ?? []
+if (!shipped.includes('dist')) {
+  problems.push('package.json#files does not include "dist", so no export target would ship')
+}
+
+if (problems.length > 0) {
+  console.error(`dist verification failed (${problems.length} problem(s)):`)
+  for (const problem of problems) console.error(`  - ${problem}`)
+  console.error('\nRun `npm run build --workspace=@codeburn/core` and re-check.')
+  process.exit(1)
+}
+
+console.log(
+  `dist verified: ${checked} export targets across ${Object.keys(pkg.exports ?? {}).length} subpaths all present`,
+)