diff --git a/.github/workflows/make.yml b/.github/workflows/make.yml
index 7f2987b6..fdca31f6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/make.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/make.yml
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ jobs:
     - name: Install Prerequisites
       run: |
         sudo apt update
-        sudo apt install python3-pil asciidoc unzip zip ruby dos2unix
+        sudo apt install python3-pil asciidoc unzip zip ruby dos2unix \
+                         inkscape
         sudo gem install asciidoctor-pdf --pre
     - name: Install Deutex
       run: |
@@ -43,6 +44,10 @@ jobs:
           export VERSION=${VERSION:1}
         fi
         echo "VERSION=$VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+    - name: Make manual cover PDFs
+      run: |
+        cd manual
+        make covers
     - name: Upload Freedoom
       uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
       with:
diff --git a/manual/Makefile b/manual/Makefile
index f840145f..b8e6eab0 100644
--- a/manual/Makefile
+++ b/manual/Makefile
@@ -11,9 +11,16 @@
 ASCIIDOCTOR_FLAGS = -a pdf-page-size=A5
 MANUAL_ADOC_FILES=$(wildcard freedoom-manual-??.adoc)
 MANUAL_PDF_FILES=$(subst .adoc,.pdf,$(MANUAL_ADOC_FILES))
+COVER_PDF_FILES=cover.pdf
 
 all: $(MANUAL_PDF_FILES)
 
+# We only build the cover PDFs if the user explicitly runs `make covers`;
+# this is because it requires Inkscape and we don't want it as a build
+# dependency. Most users won't ever need these, we only use them when we're
+# uploading the PDF files to print physical manuals.
+covers: $(COVER_PDF_FILES)
+
 freedoom-manual-%.pdf: freedoom-manual-%.adoc
 	-asciidoctor-pdf $(ASCIIDOCTOR_FLAGS) $< -o $@
 
@@ -21,4 +28,4 @@ cover.pdf: cover/cover.svg cover/serpentipede.png cover/minigunner.png
 	inkscape -o $@ $<
 
 clean:
-	$(RM) $(MANUAL_PDF_FILES)
+	$(RM) $(MANUAL_PDF_FILES) $(COVER_PDF_FILES)