diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 178d9b9..5663078 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -17,3 +17,6 @@ PGADMIN_PASSWORD=changeme
 
 # Discord webhook for ELO alerts
 DISCORD_WEBHOOK_URL=https://discord.com/api/webhooks/your/webhook/url
+
+# MLflow
+MLFLOW_TRACKING_URI=http://mlflow:5000
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 89cd231..6e599b5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -80,6 +80,15 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: uv sync
 
+      - name: Load environment from .env.example
+        run: grep -v '^#' .env.example | grep -v '^$' >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
+      - name: Generate dbt manifest
+        run: uv run dbt parse --project-dir dbt --profiles-dir dbt
+
+      - name: Validate Dagster definitions
+        run: uv run dagster definitions validate
+
       - name: Run tests with coverage
         run: uv run pytest tests/ --cov=data_platform --cov-report=json:coverage.json
 
diff --git a/tests/test_dagster.py b/tests/test_dagster.py
index 8064d11..2b805f2 100644
--- a/tests/test_dagster.py
+++ b/tests/test_dagster.py
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 """Generic tests for Dagster definitions — schedules, jobs, and the Definitions object."""
 
-from pathlib import Path
-
 import pytest
 from dagster import DefaultScheduleStatus
 
@@ -95,14 +93,7 @@ class TestScheduleSpecific:
 # Definitions integration test
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-_MANIFEST = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "dbt" / "target" / "manifest.json"
-_skip_no_manifest = pytest.mark.skipif(
-    not _MANIFEST.exists(),
-    reason="dbt manifest not found (only available after local dbt compile)",
-)
 
-
-@_skip_no_manifest
 class TestDefinitions:
     def test_definitions_loads(self):
         from data_platform.definitions import defs