diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
index 7dfc8b00..94c67b90 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
@@ -88,6 +88,12 @@ jobs:
           # Dry-deployment
           check-command: |
             ./gradlew check :compiler-plugin:check :gradle-plugin:check --parallel
+            # Stop the Gradle Daemon on windows to try to prevent
+            # "The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process"
+            if ${{ runner.os == 'Windows' }}; then
+              ./gradlew --stop
+              # powershell kill-windows-processes.ps1
+            fi
           deploy-command: |
             NEXT_VERSION="${{ needs.staging-repo.outputs.next-version }}"
             OVERRIDE_VERSION=$([[ "$NEXT_VERSION" != "" ]] && echo "-PforceVersion=$(echo $NEXT_VERSION)" || echo "")
diff --git a/kill-windows-processes.ps1 b/kill-windows-processes.ps1
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..2547cb7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kill-windows-processes.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+$buildFolderPath = "build"
+
+function Get-LockingProcess { param ($filePath)
+    $handleOutput = &handle.exe $filePath 2>&1
+    return if ($handleOutput -match "pid: (\d+)\s+") { [int]$matches[1] } else { $null }
+}
+
+function Terminate-LockingProcess { param ($processId)
+    try { Stop-Process -Id $processId -Force; Write-Host "Terminated process with ID $processId." }
+    catch { Write-Host "Unable to terminate process with ID $processId." }
+}
+
+Get-ChildItem -Path $buildFolderPath -File | ForEach-Object {
+    $lockingProcessId = Get-LockingProcess $_.FullName
+    if ($lockingProcessId) {
+        Terminate-LockingProcess $lockingProcessId
+    } else {
+        Write-Host "$($_.FullName) is not locked."
+    }
+}
+
+Write-Host "Completed checking for locked files in $buildFolderPath."