diff --git a/.github/scripts/unix.sh b/.github/scripts/unix.sh
index b2e960fc1..931495744 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/unix.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/unix.sh
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ function configure()
       -DGTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=${GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS:-OFF} \
       -DGTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE=${GTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE:-ON} \
       -DGTSAM_WITH_TBB=${GTSAM_WITH_TBB:-OFF} \
-      -DGTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=${GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS:-ON} \
+      -DGTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=${GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS:-OFF} \
       -DGTSAM_ALLOW_DEPRECATED_SINCE_V43=${GTSAM_ALLOW_DEPRECATED_SINCE_V43:-OFF} \
       -DGTSAM_USE_QUATERNIONS=${GTSAM_USE_QUATERNIONS:-OFF} \
       -DGTSAM_ROT3_EXPMAP=${GTSAM_ROT3_EXPMAP:-ON} \
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ function finish ()
 # compile the code with the intent of populating the cache
 function build ()
 {
-  export GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=ON
   export GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=OFF
 
   configure
@@ -92,7 +91,6 @@ function build ()
 # run the tests
 function test ()
 {
-  export GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=OFF
   export GTSAM_BUILD_TESTS=ON
 
   configure
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-special.yml b/.github/workflows/build-special.yml
index d0a182975..5ad7039ed 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-special.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-special.yml
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ jobs:
             ubuntu-clang-system-libs,
             ubuntu-no-boost,
             ubuntu-no-unstable,
+            ubuntu-build-examples,
           ]
 
         build_type: [Debug, Release]
@@ -81,6 +82,12 @@ jobs:
             version: "14"
             flag: no_unstable
 
+          - name: ubuntu-build-examples
+            os: ubuntu-22.04
+            compiler: clang
+            version: "14"
+            flag: build_examples
+
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -158,6 +165,11 @@ jobs:
           echo "GTSAM_ROT3_EXPMAP=OFF" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo "GTSAM Uses Cayley map for Rot3"
 
+      - name: Build Examples
+        if: matrix.flag == 'build_examples'
+        run: |
+          echo "GTSAM_BUILD_EXAMPLES_ALWAYS=ON" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
       - name: Use system versions of 3rd party libraries
         if: matrix.flag == 'system'
         run: |
diff --git a/gtsam_unstable/discrete/examples/schedulingExample.cpp b/gtsam_unstable/discrete/examples/schedulingExample.cpp
index 2b52a3e3a..47bcd0a85 100644
--- a/gtsam_unstable/discrete/examples/schedulingExample.cpp
+++ b/gtsam_unstable/discrete/examples/schedulingExample.cpp
@@ -108,7 +108,8 @@ void runLargeExample() {
 
   // Do brute force product and output that to file
   if (scheduler.nrStudents() == 1) { // otherwise too slow
-    DecisionTreeFactor product = scheduler.product();
+    DecisionTreeFactor product =
+        *std::dynamic_pointer_cast<DecisionTreeFactor>(scheduler.product());
     product.dot("scheduling-large", DefaultKeyFormatter, false);
   }
 
diff --git a/gtsam_unstable/discrete/examples/schedulingQuals12.cpp b/gtsam_unstable/discrete/examples/schedulingQuals12.cpp
index 913bfb21a..869c13459 100644
--- a/gtsam_unstable/discrete/examples/schedulingQuals12.cpp
+++ b/gtsam_unstable/discrete/examples/schedulingQuals12.cpp
@@ -108,7 +108,8 @@ void runLargeExample() {
 
   // Do brute force product and output that to file
   if (scheduler.nrStudents() == 1) { // otherwise too slow
-    DecisionTreeFactor product = scheduler.product();
+    DecisionTreeFactor product =
+        *std::dynamic_pointer_cast<DecisionTreeFactor>(scheduler.product());
     product.dot("scheduling-large", DefaultKeyFormatter, false);
   }
 
diff --git a/gtsam_unstable/discrete/examples/schedulingQuals13.cpp b/gtsam_unstable/discrete/examples/schedulingQuals13.cpp
index e52e3d0c6..487215e03 100644
--- a/gtsam_unstable/discrete/examples/schedulingQuals13.cpp
+++ b/gtsam_unstable/discrete/examples/schedulingQuals13.cpp
@@ -132,7 +132,8 @@ void runLargeExample() {
 
   // Do brute force product and output that to file
   if (scheduler.nrStudents() == 1) { // otherwise too slow
-    DecisionTreeFactor product = scheduler.product();
+    DecisionTreeFactor product =
+        *std::dynamic_pointer_cast<DecisionTreeFactor>(scheduler.product());
     product.dot("scheduling-large", DefaultKeyFormatter, false);
   }