diff --git a/.changeset/republish-dist.md b/.changeset/republish-dist.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f3c9531
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/republish-dist.md
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+"@stainless-code/layers": patch
+"@stainless-code/layers-devtools": patch
+"@stainless-code/react-layers-devtools": patch
+"@stainless-code/react-layers": patch
+"@stainless-code/vue-layers": patch
+"@stainless-code/solid-layers": patch
+"@stainless-code/svelte-layers": patch
+"@stainless-code/preact-layers": patch
+"@stainless-code/alpine-layers": patch
+"@stainless-code/lit-layers": patch
+"@stainless-code/angular-layers": patch
+---
+
+Republish with built `dist/` — prior 0.2.x tarballs omitted it (pack ran without build).
diff --git a/scripts/release.ts b/scripts/release.ts
index 04e1790..4d8babe 100644
--- a/scripts/release.ts
+++ b/scripts/release.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,22 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bun
-import { readdirSync, readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { existsSync, readdirSync, readFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 
-// Bun cannot perform npm OIDC publishing. Pack with Bun to resolve `workspace:*`,
-// then publish the tarball with npm for OIDC authentication and provenance.
-// Create an annotated git tag, then print `New tag: <name>@<version>` so
-// changesets/action can push the tag and open a GitHub Release.
-// Existing registry versions are skipped so partial releases can be retried.
+// Pack with Bun (resolves workspace:*) then npm-publish the tarball — Bun can't do npm OIDC/provenance.
+// Build first and assert `exports` dist paths exist (CI checkout has no dist/).
+// After publish: annotated `name@version` tag + `New tag:` line for changesets/action (push + GitHub Release).
+// Skip versions already on the registry so partial releases can retry.
 import { $ } from "bun";
 
 const PACKAGES_DIR = "packages";
 
+interface PackageJson {
+  name?: string;
+  version?: string;
+  private?: boolean;
+  exports?: unknown;
+}
+
 async function isAlreadyPublished(
   name: string,
   version: string,
@@ -28,12 +34,42 @@ async function ensureReleaseTag(tag: string): Promise<void> {
   await $`git tag -a ${tag} -m ${tag}`;
 }
 
+function distExportPaths(exportsField: unknown): string[] {
+  const out = new Set<string>();
+  const visit = (value: unknown) => {
+    if (typeof value === "string") {
+      if (value.startsWith("./dist/")) out.add(value.slice(2));
+      return;
+    }
+    if (value && typeof value === "object") {
+      for (const nested of Object.values(value as Record<string, unknown>)) {
+        visit(nested);
+      }
+    }
+  };
+  visit(exportsField);
+  return [...out].sort();
+}
+
+function assertDistReady(dir: string, pkg: PackageJson): void {
+  const missing = distExportPaths(pkg.exports).filter(
+    (rel) => !existsSync(join(dir, rel)),
+  );
+  if (missing.length === 0) return;
+  throw new Error(
+    `${pkg.name}: missing dist export targets after build:\n  - ${missing.join("\n  - ")}`,
+  );
+}
+
+console.log("release: building packages…");
+await $`bun run build`;
+
 let published = 0;
 for (const entry of readdirSync(PACKAGES_DIR, { withFileTypes: true })) {
   if (!entry.isDirectory()) continue;
   const dir = join(PACKAGES_DIR, entry.name);
 
-  let pkg: { name?: string; version?: string; private?: boolean };
+  let pkg: PackageJson;
   try {
     pkg = JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(dir, "package.json"), "utf8"));
   } catch {
@@ -46,6 +82,8 @@ for (const entry of readdirSync(PACKAGES_DIR, { withFileTypes: true })) {
     continue;
   }
 
+  assertDistReady(dir, pkg);
+
   const packOut = await $`bun pm pack`.cwd(dir).text();
   const tarball = packOut
     .split("\n")