diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-ami.yml b/.github/workflows/build-ami.yml
index 3f9b665..1683e20 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-ami.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-ami.yml
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build AMI
         id: build
         run: |
+          # pipefail is required so a packer failure isn't masked by the
+          # exit status of the `tee` at the end of the pipeline below.
+          set -eo pipefail
           cd packer
           BUILD_JOB_URL="https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}"
           COMMIT_HASH="${{ github.sha }}"
diff --git a/packer/scripts/install-nvidia-drivers.sh b/packer/scripts/install-nvidia-drivers.sh
index f017722..b322503 100755
--- a/packer/scripts/install-nvidia-drivers.sh
+++ b/packer/scripts/install-nvidia-drivers.sh
@@ -14,15 +14,17 @@ uname -r
 # Check for NVIDIA GPU (may not work in all environments)
 lspci | grep -i nvidia || echo "Note: NVIDIA GPU check may not work in build environment"
 
-# Verify gcc is installed
-gcc --version
-
 # Update package lists
 sudo apt-get update
 
-# Install required packages for CUDA installation
+# Install required packages for CUDA installation. build-essential provides
+# gcc, which is needed to build the NVIDIA kernel modules, so it must be
+# installed before the gcc verification below.
 sudo apt-get install -y linux-headers-$(uname -r) build-essential
 
+# Verify gcc is installed
+gcc --version
+
 # Force Ubuntu 24.04 repository (we must use Ubuntu 24.04)
 echo "Detecting Ubuntu version..."
 UBUNTU_VERSION=$(lsb_release -rs)