diff --git a/.github/workflows/r_package.yml b/.github/workflows/r_package.yml
index b7fd546c3155..4fa7f2ff8683 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/r_package.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/r_package.yml
@@ -177,6 +177,8 @@ jobs:
         with:
           fetch-depth: 5
           submodules: true
+      - name: Install pandoc
+        uses: r-lib/actions/setup-pandoc@v2
       - name: install tinytex
         if: startsWith(matrix.os, 'windows')
         uses: r-lib/actions/setup-tinytex@v2