diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 78f54e2..f60453d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ jobs:
           uv sync --active --frozen
           echo "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/.venv/bin" >> "${GITHUB_PATH}"
       - name: Run compile check
-        run: python -m py_compile src/*.py tests/*.py
+        run: python -m compileall -q src tests
       - name: Run unit and package-logic test suite
         run: python -m unittest discover -s tests -p 'test_*.py'
 
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index dbdea40..3db6c38 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ BUILD_DIR := $(CURDIR)/build
 RUN_ARGS := $(wordlist 2,$(words $(MAKECMDGOALS)),$(MAKECMDGOALS))
 RUN_CONFIG := $(if $(RUN_ARGS),$(abspath $(firstword $(RUN_ARGS))),$(CONFIG))
 
-.PHONY: run doctor self-check runtime-check eval-models build-heuristic-dataset sync-default-model check-default-model sync test check build package package-deb package-arch package-portable release-check release-prep install-local install-service install clean-dist clean-build clean
+.PHONY: run doctor self-check runtime-check eval-models build-heuristic-dataset sync-default-model check-default-model sync test compile-check check build package package-deb package-arch package-portable release-check release-prep install-local install-service install clean-dist clean-build clean
 EVAL_DATASET ?= $(CURDIR)/benchmarks/cleanup_dataset.jsonl
 EVAL_MATRIX ?= $(CURDIR)/benchmarks/model_matrix.small_first.json
 EVAL_OUTPUT ?= $(CURDIR)/benchmarks/results/latest.json
@@ -52,8 +52,11 @@ sync:
 test:
 	$(PYTHON) -m unittest discover -s tests -p 'test_*.py'
 
+compile-check:
+	$(PYTHON) -m compileall -q src tests
+
 check:
-	$(PYTHON) -m py_compile src/*.py
+	$(MAKE) compile-check
 	$(MAKE) test
 
 build:
@@ -72,7 +75,7 @@ package-portable:
 
 release-check:
 	$(MAKE) check-default-model
-	$(PYTHON) -m py_compile src/*.py tests/*.py
+	$(MAKE) compile-check
 	$(MAKE) runtime-check
 	$(MAKE) test
 	$(MAKE) build
diff --git a/docs/x11-ga/runtime-validation-report.md b/docs/x11-ga/runtime-validation-report.md
index 3a12754..b4d79ba 100644
--- a/docs/x11-ga/runtime-validation-report.md
+++ b/docs/x11-ga/runtime-validation-report.md
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ Completed on 2026-03-12:
 - `PYTHONPATH=src python3 -m unittest discover -s tests -p 'test_*.py'`
   - confirms the runtime and diagnostics changes do not regress the broader
     daemon, CLI, config, and portable bundle flows
-- `python3 -m py_compile src/*.py tests/*.py`
-  - verifies the updated runtime and diagnostics modules compile cleanly
+- `python3 -m compileall -q src tests`
+  - verifies the updated runtime, diagnostics, and nested package modules
+    compile cleanly
 
 ## Automated scenario coverage