diff --git a/.github/scripts/unix.sh b/.github/scripts/unix.sh
index af9ac8991..c48921504 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/unix.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/unix.sh
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ function configure()
       -DGTSAM_POSE3_EXPMAP=${GTSAM_POSE3_EXPMAP:-ON} \
       -DGTSAM_USE_SYSTEM_EIGEN=${GTSAM_USE_SYSTEM_EIGEN:-OFF} \
       -DGTSAM_USE_SYSTEM_METIS=${GTSAM_USE_SYSTEM_METIS:-OFF} \
+      -DGTSAM_FORCE_SHARED_LIB=${GTSAM_FORCE_SHARED_LIB:-OFF} \
       -DGTSAM_BUILD_WITH_MARCH_NATIVE=OFF \
       -DGTSAM_SINGLE_TEST_EXE=OFF
 }
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-special.yml b/.github/workflows/build-special.yml
index fda1c2b91..0d1cd5bdd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-special.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-special.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ jobs:
       CTEST_PARALLEL_LEVEL: 2
       CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE: ${{ matrix.build_type }}
       GTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE: ON
+      GTSAM_FORCE_SHARED_LIB: ON  # Make shared library to save memory on CI
 
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false