diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index a3664ddf55a..88b3b429af6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -144,6 +144,24 @@ jobs:
       if: "!(runner.os == 'Windows' && (matrix.python == 3.8 || matrix.python == 3.9 || matrix.python == '3.10-dev'))"
       run: cmake --build build2 --target cpptest
 
+    # Third build - C++17 mode with unstable ABI
+    - name: Configure (unstable ABI)
+      run: >
+        cmake -S . -B build3
+        -DPYBIND11_WERROR=ON
+        -DDOWNLOAD_CATCH=ON
+        -DDOWNLOAD_EIGEN=ON
+        -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=17
+        -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS=-DPYBIND11_INTERNALS_VERSION=10000000
+        "-DPYBIND11_TEST_OVERRIDE=test_call_policies.cpp;test_gil_scoped.cpp;test_thread.cpp"
+        ${{ matrix.args }}
+
+    - name: Build (unstable ABI)
+      run: cmake --build build3 -j 2
+
+    - name: Python tests (unstable ABI)
+      run: cmake --build build3 --target pytest
+
     - name: Interface test
       run: cmake --build build2 --target test_cmake_build