diff --git a/cmd/nix-tool/resolve.go b/cmd/nix-tool/resolve.go
index 99313ec..cbad498 100644
--- a/cmd/nix-tool/resolve.go
+++ b/cmd/nix-tool/resolve.go
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@ func buildAndResolve(ctx nix.Context, name string, installable *string, collecti
 		return err
 	}
 
+	log.Printf("building %q...", *installable)
+	if err := nix.Build(ctx, slices.Values([]string{*installable})); err != nil {
+		return commandHandlerError(fmt.Sprintf("cannot build: %v", err))
+	}
+
 	log.Printf("evaluating %q...", *installable)
 	var installables []string
 	if v, err := nix.EvalInstantiated(ctx, *installable); err != nil {