diff --git a/.github/workflows/builds.yml b/.github/workflows/builds.yml
index 77254c8..69b05d9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/builds.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/builds.yml
@@ -61,23 +61,23 @@ jobs:
         include:
           - os: ubuntu-latest
             name: linux-x64
-            build_cmd: ./build.sh release-tests
+            build_cmd: ./build.sh release-tests && ./build.sh release-examples
             build_dir: build-release
           - os: ubuntu-24.04-arm
             name: linux-arm64
-            build_cmd: ./build.sh release-tests
+            build_cmd: ./build.sh release-tests && ./build.sh release-examples
             build_dir: build-release
           - os: macos-latest
             name: macos-arm64
-            build_cmd: ./build.sh release-tests
+            build_cmd: ./build.sh release-tests && ./build.sh release-examples
             build_dir: build-release
           - os: macos-latest
             name: macos-x64
-            build_cmd: ./build.sh release-tests --macos-arch x86_64
+            build_cmd: ./build.sh release-tests && ./build.sh release-examples --macos-arch x86_64
             build_dir: build-release
           - os: windows-latest
             name: windows-x64
-            build_cmd: .\build.cmd release-tests
+            build_cmd: .\build.cmd release-tests && .\build.cmd release-examples
             build_dir: build-release
 
     name: Build (${{ matrix.name }})
@@ -181,6 +181,106 @@ jobs:
         shell: pwsh
         run: ${{ matrix.build_cmd }}
 
+      # ---------- Smoke test cpp-example-collection binaries ----------
+      # Built under cpp-example-collection-build/ (not build-dir/bin). Visual Studio
+      # multi-config places executables in per-target Release/ (or Debug/) subdirs.
+      - name: Smoke test examples (Unix)
+        if: runner.os != 'Windows'
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          set -x
+          failed=false
+          examples_base="${{ matrix.build_dir }}/cpp-example-collection-build"
+          resolve_exe() {
+            local dir="$1" name="$2"
+            local p="${examples_base}/${dir}/${name}"
+            if [[ -x "${p}" ]]; then
+              printf '%s' "${p}"
+              return 0
+            fi
+            p="${examples_base}/${dir}/Release/${name}"
+            if [[ -x "${p}" ]]; then
+              printf '%s' "${p}"
+              return 0
+            fi
+            return 1
+          }
+          for pair in "SimpleRoom:simple_room" "SimpleRpc:simple_rpc" "SimpleDataStream:simple_data_stream"; do
+            exe="${pair%%:*}"
+            dir="${pair#*:}"
+            if ! exe_path="$(resolve_exe "${dir}" "${exe}")"; then
+              echo "ERROR: ${exe} not found under ${examples_base}/${dir}/"
+              failed=true
+              continue
+            fi
+            echo "Testing ${exe}..."
+            output=$("${exe_path}" --help 2>&1) || true
+            if [[ -z "${output}" ]]; then
+              echo "ERROR: ${exe} produced no output"
+              failed=true
+            else
+              echo "${output}"
+              echo "${exe} ran successfully"
+            fi
+          done
+          if [[ "$failed" == "true" ]]; then exit 1; fi
+
+      - name: Smoke test examples (Windows)
+        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          $ErrorActionPreference = 'Continue'
+          $examplesBase = "${{ matrix.build_dir }}/cpp-example-collection-build"
+          $examples = @(
+            @{ Name = 'SimpleRoom'; Dir = 'simple_room' },
+            @{ Name = 'SimpleRpc'; Dir = 'simple_rpc' },
+            @{ Name = 'SimpleDataStream'; Dir = 'simple_data_stream' }
+          )
+          $failed = $false
+          foreach ($ex in $examples) {
+            $name = $ex.Name
+            $dir = $ex.Dir
+            $inDir = Join-Path $examplesBase $dir
+            $candidates = @(
+              (Join-Path $inDir "$name.exe"),
+              (Join-Path (Join-Path $inDir 'Release') "$name.exe")
+            )
+            $exePath = $null
+            foreach ($p in $candidates) {
+              if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $p) {
+                $exePath = $p
+                break
+              }
+            }
+            if ($null -ne $exePath) {
+              Write-Host "Testing ${name}..."
+              $pinfo = New-Object System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo
+              $pinfo.FileName = $exePath
+              $pinfo.Arguments = "--help"
+              $pinfo.RedirectStandardOutput = $true
+              $pinfo.RedirectStandardError = $true
+              $pinfo.UseShellExecute = $false
+              $p = New-Object System.Diagnostics.Process
+              $p.StartInfo = $pinfo
+              $p.Start() | Out-Null
+              $stdout = $p.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd()
+              $stderr = $p.StandardError.ReadToEnd()
+              $p.WaitForExit()
+              $output = $stdout + $stderr
+              if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($output)) {
+                Write-Host "ERROR: ${name} produced no output"
+                $failed = $true
+              } else {
+                Write-Host $output
+                Write-Host "${name} ran successfully"
+              }
+            } else {
+              Write-Host "ERROR: ${name} not found under ${examplesBase}/${dir}/"
+              $failed = $true
+            }
+          }
+          if ($failed) { exit 1 } else { exit 0 }
+
       # ---------- Run unit tests ----------
       - name: Run unit tests (Unix)
         if: runner.os != 'Windows'