diff --git a/CedarJava/CHANGELOG.md b/CedarJava/CHANGELOG.md
index fd16ae48..dc1fe4b7 100644
--- a/CedarJava/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CedarJava/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 ### Added
+* Added Zig version validation for publishing artifacts [#306](https://github.com/cedar-policy/cedar-java/pull/306)
+
+## 4.3.0
+### Added
 * Introduced new model classes for improved type safety and functionality:
   * `com.cedarpolicy.model.Context` - Policy context representation (will replace `Map<String,Value>`) [#286](https://github.com/cedar-policy/cedar-java/pull/286)
   * `com.cedarpolicy.model.entity.Entities` - Entity collection management (will replace `Set<Entity>`) [#293](https://github.com/cedar-policy/cedar-java/pull/293)
diff --git a/CedarJava/build.gradle b/CedarJava/build.gradle
index ef81c444..d0a4da70 100644
--- a/CedarJava/build.gradle
+++ b/CedarJava/build.gradle
@@ -124,6 +124,26 @@ tasks.register('installCargoZigbuild', Exec) {
     commandLine 'cargo', '+' + RustVersion, 'install', 'cargo-zigbuild@0.19.7'
 }
 
+def ZigVersion = '0.11'
+tasks.register('validateZigVersion') {
+    group = 'Build'
+    description = 'Validates that the correct zig version is installed'
+    
+    doLast {
+        def output = new ByteArrayOutputStream()
+        exec {
+            commandLine 'zig', 'version'
+            standardOutput = output
+        }
+        def version = output.toString().trim()
+        println "Detected Zig version: ${version}"
+        if (!version.startsWith(ZigVersion)) {
+            throw new GradleException("Zig version must be ${ZigVersion} but found: ${version}")        
+        }
+        println "Zig version validation successful"
+    }
+}
+
 tasks.register('compileFFI') {
     dependsOn('installCargoZigbuild')
     group 'Build'
@@ -252,6 +272,7 @@ java {
 /*
  Configures Maven publishing
  */
+publish.dependsOn('validateZigVersion')
 publishing {
     publications {
         mavenJava(MavenPublication) {