diff --git a/.github/scripts/issue_intake.py b/.github/scripts/issue_intake.py
index ecbcf1a..172c619 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/issue_intake.py
+++ b/.github/scripts/issue_intake.py
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+import sys
+
+PROJECT_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+if str(PROJECT_ROOT) not in sys.path:
+    sys.path.insert(0, str(PROJECT_ROOT))
+
 from scripts.issue_intake import main
 
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/issue-intake.yml b/.github/workflows/issue-intake.yml
index 4eee1f8..89920ca 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/issue-intake.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/issue-intake.yml
@@ -24,7 +24,17 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install lightweight dependencies
         run: pip install requests
 
+      - name: Validate intake imports
+        env:
+          PYTHONPATH: ${{ github.workspace }}
+        run: |
+          python - <<'PY'
+import scripts.issue_intake
+print("imports ok")
+PY
+
       - name: Run issue intake
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-        run: python .github/scripts/issue_intake.py
+          PYTHONPATH: ${{ github.workspace }}
+        run: python -m scripts.issue_intake