diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 74c2dbdb7b..eab6fd34f6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -64,6 +64,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: build API docs
         run: yarn docs
 
+      # build the API docs in markdown for agoric/documentation repo to verify it works
+      - name: build API docs in markdown
+        run: yarn docs:markdown-for-agoric-documentation-repo
+
   test:
     name: test
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b025314306..7ab3588c70 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "ts-api-utils": "~1.0.1",
     "type-coverage": "^2.26.3",
     "typedoc": "^0.25.12",
+    "typedoc-plugin-markdown": "^3.17.1",
     "typescript": "~5.4.3",
     "typescript-eslint": "^7.3.1"
   },
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@
     "cover": "lerna run cover",
     "depcheck": "node scripts/check-mismatched-dependencies.js",
     "docs": "typedoc",
+    "docs:markdown-for-agoric-documentation-repo": "typedoc --plugin typedoc-plugin-markdown --tsconfig tsconfig.build.json",
     "update": "lernaupdate --dedupe",
     "format": "yarn prettier --write .github packages",
     "lint": "yarn prettier --check .github packages && lerna run lint",
diff --git a/packages/patterns/src/types.js b/packages/patterns/src/types.js
index 0e06dc4912..1eecd02bef 100644
--- a/packages/patterns/src/types.js
+++ b/packages/patterns/src/types.js
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ export {};
  *
  * @property {(subPatt: Pattern) => Pattern} eref
  * Matches any Passable that is either matched by `subPatt` or is a promise object.
- * Note that validation is immediate, so (unlike the TypeScript ERef<T>
+ * Note that validation is immediate, so (unlike the TypeScript `ERef<T>`
  * type) `M.eref` matches a promise object whose fulfillment value is
  * _not_ matched by `subPatt`.
  * For describing a top-level parameter,
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 3f42661299..47f28f4be7 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -8049,6 +8049,13 @@ typedarray@^0.0.6:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/typedarray/-/typedarray-0.0.6.tgz#867ac74e3864187b1d3d47d996a78ec5c8830777"
   integrity sha512-/aCDEGatGvZ2BIk+HmLf4ifCJFwvKFNb9/JeZPMulfgFracn9QFcAf5GO8B/mweUjSoblS5In0cWhqpfs/5PQA==
 
+typedoc-plugin-markdown@^3.17.1:
+  version "3.17.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/typedoc-plugin-markdown/-/typedoc-plugin-markdown-3.17.1.tgz#c33f42363c185adf842f4699166015f7fe0ed02b"
+  integrity sha512-QzdU3fj0Kzw2XSdoL15ExLASt2WPqD7FbLeaqwT70+XjKyTshBnUlQA5nNREO1C2P8Uen0CDjsBLMsCQ+zd0lw==
+  dependencies:
+    handlebars "^4.7.7"
+
 typedoc@^0.25.12:
   version "0.25.12"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/typedoc/-/typedoc-0.25.12.tgz#f73f0a8d3731d418cc604d4230f95a857799e27a"