diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 69be55b36..40a9e3ede 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -423,6 +423,20 @@ jobs:
       working-directory: tests
       run: bash GoTest.sh
 
+  build-php:
+   name: Build PHP
+   runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+   steps:
+   - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+   - name: flatc
+     # FIXME: make test script not rely on flatc
+     run: cmake -G "Unix Makefiles" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DFLATBUFFERS_BUILD_TESTS=OFF -DFLATBUFFERS_INSTALL=OFF -DFLATBUFFERS_BUILD_FLATLIB=OFF -DFLATBUFFERS_BUILD_FLATHASH=OFF -DFLATBUFFERS_STRICT_MODE=ON . && make -j
+   - name: test
+     working-directory: tests
+     run: |
+       php phpTest.php
+       sh phpUnionVectorTest.sh
+
   build-swift:
     name: Build Swift
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/php/ByteBuffer.php b/php/ByteBuffer.php
index 9929a7df1..bb438001b 100644
--- a/php/ByteBuffer.php
+++ b/php/ByteBuffer.php
@@ -486,7 +486,12 @@ class ByteBuffer
     }
 
     private static function validateValue($min, $max, $value, $type, $additional_notes = "") {
-        if(!($min <= $value && $value <= $max)) {
+        if (
+          !(
+            ($type === "byte" && $min <= ord($value) && ord($value) <= $max) ||
+            ($min <= $value && $value <= $max)
+          )
+        ) {
             throw new \InvalidArgumentException(sprintf("bad number %s for type %s.%s", $value, $type, $additional_notes));
         }
     }
diff --git a/tests/phpTest.php b/tests/phpTest.php
index c1447c2d3..a854e783e 100644
--- a/tests/phpTest.php
+++ b/tests/phpTest.php
@@ -371,21 +371,21 @@ function testByteBuffer(Assert $assert) {
     $buffer = "\0";
     $uut = Google\FlatBuffers\ByteBuffer::wrap($buffer);
     $assert->Throws(new OutOfRangeException(), function()  use ($uut) {
-        $uut->putShort(2, "\x63"); // 99
+        $uut->putShort(2, 2); // 99
     });
 
     //Test: ByteBuffer_PutShortChecksLength
     $buffer = "\0";
     $uut = Google\FlatBuffers\ByteBuffer::wrap($buffer);
     $assert->Throws(new OutOfRangeException(), function()  use ($uut) {
-        $uut->putShort(0, "\x63"); // 99
+        $uut->putShort(0, 2); // 99
     });
 
     //Test: ByteBuffer_PutShortChecksLengthAndOffset
     $buffer = str_repeat("\0", 2);
     $uut = Google\FlatBuffers\ByteBuffer::wrap($buffer);
     $assert->Throws(new OutOfRangeException(), function()  use ($uut) {
-        $uut->putShort(1, "\x63"); // 99
+        $uut->putShort(1, 2); // 99
     });
 
     //Test: ByteBuffer_PutIntPopulatesBufferCorrectly
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ class Assert {
             throw new \Exception("passed statement don't throw an exception.");
         } catch (\Exception $e) {
             if (get_class($e) != get_class($class)) {
-                throw new Exception("passed statement doesn't throw " . get_class($class) . ". throwws " . get_class($e));
+                throw new Exception("passed statement doesn't throw " . get_class($class) . ". throws " . get_class($e) . ": {$e->getMessage()}");
             }
         }
     }