diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_nsfplay3.yml b/.github/workflows/build_nsfplay3.yml
index b5825e9..30c715c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_nsfplay3.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_nsfplay3.yml
@@ -10,14 +10,16 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
-  check-gen:
-    name: Check Generated Files
+  code-tests:
+    name: Code Tests
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Checkout Files
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Verify Enums
+      - name: Verify Generated Enums
         run: make enums_verify
+      - name: Build Minimal Core
+        run: make core_minimal
 
   build-msvc:
     name: Windows MSVC
diff --git a/core/makefile b/core/makefile
index 2ea7b19..977fccd 100644
--- a/core/makefile
+++ b/core/makefile
@@ -13,6 +13,13 @@ OBJS = $(addprefix $(CORE_INTDIR)/,$(SRCS:.cpp=.o))
 DEPS = $(addprefix $(CORE_INTDIR)/,$(SRCS:.cpp=.d))
 CXXFLAGS_ALL = $(CXXFLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS_EXTRA) $(INC_COMMON)
 
+# minimal build test to make sure the core still compiles with as much defined out as possible
+
+MINIMAL ?= 0
+ifeq ($(MINIMAL),1)
+	CXXFLAGS_ALL += -DNSF_NOTEXT
+endif
+
 # precompiled header
 
 PCH_H = core.h
diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index cfe3aba..767d534 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 include makefile.common
 
-.PHONY: default core cmd gui nsfplay mac winamp icons enums enums_verify wxlib install uninstall clean
+.PHONY: default core core_minimal cmd gui nsfplay mac winamp icons enums enums_verify wxlib install uninstall clean
 
 default: core cmd nsfplay
 
 core:
 	$(MAKE) -C core
 
+core_minimal:
+	$(MAKE) -C core MINIMAL=1
+
 cmd: core
 	$(MAKE) -C cmd
 
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index c0ebffc..3a7e162 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ On Windows (including MSYS2), you don't need to keep the cmake generated directo
 * `make` - builds `cmd`, `gui`
 * `make clean` - deletes `intermediate/` and `output/` directories.
 * `make core` - build core library `nsfcore` to `output/make/`.
+* `make core_minimal` - build core with all optional features defined out.
 * `make cmd` - build `nsfplac` to `output/make/`.
 * `make gui` - build gui library `nsfgui` to `output/make/`.
 * `make nsfplay` - build `nsfplay` to `output/make/`.