diff --git a/.github/scripts/freebsd/install-pkg.sh b/.github/scripts/freebsd/install-pkg.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..3e40dda114
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/freebsd/install-pkg.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -e
+
+echo "--> install extra dependencies"
+pkg install -y \
+    curl \
+    git \
+    libdrm \
+    libepoll-shim \
+    libX11 \
+    libxkbfile \
+    libxshmfence \
+    libXfont2 \
+    libxcvt \
+    libglvnd \
+    libepoxy \
+    mesa-dri \
+    mesa-libs \
+    meson \
+    pixman \
+    pkgconf \
+    xcb-util-image \
+    xcb-util-keysyms \
+    xcb-util-renderutil \
+    xcb-util-wm \
+    xkbcomp \
+    xorgproto
diff --git a/.github/scripts/freebsd/run-xserver-build.sh b/.github/scripts/freebsd/run-xserver-build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..363432306d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/freebsd/run-xserver-build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -e
+
+./.github/scripts/freebsd/install-pkg.sh
+
+echo "--> running xserver build ...."
+export MESON_BUILDDIR=_build
+
+rm -rf "$MESON_BUILDDIR"
+meson setup "$MESON_BUILDDIR" $MESON_ARGS
+meson configure "$MESON_BUILDDIR"
+meson compile -v -C "$MESON_BUILDDIR" $jobcount $ninja_args
+# tests not working yet
+# meson test -C "$MESON_BUILDDIR" --print-errorlogs $MESON_TEST_ARGS
+meson install --no-rebuild  -C "$MESON_BUILDDIR" $MESON_INSTALL_ARGS
+# making trouble w/ git tree copied into the VM
+# meson dist -C "$MESON_BUILDDIR" $MESON_DIST_ARGS
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-xserver.yml b/.github/workflows/build-xserver.yml
index d7bbb22009..9e1dafe8a7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-xserver.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-xserver.yml
@@ -225,6 +225,23 @@ jobs:
             - name: manpage check
               run:  .gitlab-ci/manpages-check
 
+    xserver-build-freebsd:
+        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+        env:
+            MYTOKEN : ${{ secrets.MYTOKEN }}
+            MYTOKEN2: "value2"
+            MESON_ARGS: -Dc_args="-fno-common" -Dprefix=/usr -Dxephyr=true -Dwerror=false -Dxcsecurity=true -Dxorg=true -Dxvfb=true -Dxnest=true
+        steps:
+            - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+            - name: run in freebsd VM
+              id: xserver-build
+              uses: vmactions/freebsd-vm@v1
+              with:
+                  envs: 'MYTOKEN MYTOKEN2 MESON_ARGS'
+                  usesh: true
+                  release: "14.3"
+                  run:     ./.github/scripts/freebsd/run-xserver-build.sh
+
     release:
         name: Release pushed tag
         runs-on: ubuntu-latest