diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 598c0f449..4e3701dd3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 # Change Log
 
+## 2025-05-06 - CLI 0.17.4
+
+- fix: fully install go sdk in dev mode [#811](https://github.com/hypermodeinc/modus/pull/811)
+
 ## 2025-04-29 - Go SDK 0.17.4
 
 - fix: Relax postgresql connString regex to allow host to be templated [#830](https://github.com/hypermodeinc/modus/pull/830)
diff --git a/cli/src/commands/dev/index.ts b/cli/src/commands/dev/index.ts
index 55dd56110..41cc14c91 100644
--- a/cli/src/commands/dev/index.ts
+++ b/cli/src/commands/dev/index.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import { getAppInfo } from "../../util/appinfo.js";
 import { isOnline, withSpinner } from "../../util/index.js";
 import { readHypermodeSettings } from "../../util/hypermode.js";
 import BuildCommand from "../build/index.js";
+import SDKInstallCommand from "../sdk/install/index.js";
 import { BaseCommand } from "../../baseCommand.js";
 
 const MANIFEST_FILE = "modus.json";
@@ -85,16 +86,7 @@ export default class DevCommand extends BaseCommand {
     }
 
     if (!(await vi.sdkVersionIsInstalled(sdk, sdkVersion))) {
-      const sdkText = `Modus ${sdk} SDK ${sdkVersion}`;
-      await withSpinner(chalk.dim("Downloading and installing " + sdkText), async (spinner) => {
-        try {
-          await installer.installSDK(sdk, sdkVersion);
-        } catch (e) {
-          spinner.fail(chalk.red(`Failed to download ${sdkText}`));
-          throw e;
-        }
-        spinner.succeed(chalk.dim(`Installed ${sdkText}`));
-      });
+      await SDKInstallCommand.run([sdk, sdkVersion, "--no-logo"]);
     }
 
     let runtimeVersion = flags.runtime;
diff --git a/cli/src/util/versioninfo.ts b/cli/src/util/versioninfo.ts
index de744a6b2..a3f918917 100644
--- a/cli/src/util/versioninfo.ts
+++ b/cli/src/util/versioninfo.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
 
+import chalk from "chalk";
 import semver from "semver";
+import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
 import * as http from "./http.js";
 import * as fs from "./fs.js";
@@ -179,7 +181,28 @@ export async function runtimeReleaseExists(version: string): Promise<boolean> {
 }
 
 export async function sdkVersionIsInstalled(sdk: globals.SDK, version: string): Promise<boolean> {
-  return await fs.exists(getSdkPath(sdk, version));
+  // normal check for SDK path
+  const sdkPath = getSdkPath(sdk, version);
+  const installed = await fs.exists(sdkPath);
+  if (!installed) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // extra check for Go build tool, due to prior issue with it not being installed in all cases
+  if (sdk === globals.SDK.Go) {
+    const ext = os.platform() === "win32" ? ".exe" : "";
+    const buildTool = path.join(sdkPath, "modus-go-build" + ext);
+    if (await fs.exists(buildTool)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    // SDK installed, but build tool not found, so delete and return false so it can be reinstalled
+    console.log(chalk.yellow(`ⓘ Detected incomplete installation of Modus Go SDK ${version}.  Reinstalling...`));
+    await fs.rm(sdkPath, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  return installed;
 }
 
 export async function runtimeVersionIsInstalled(version: string): Promise<boolean> {