diff --git a/Directory.Packages.props b/Directory.Packages.props
index cd66084b..8b0370ed 100644
--- a/Directory.Packages.props
+++ b/Directory.Packages.props
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
         <PackageVersion Include="BenchmarkDotNet" Version="0.15.8" />
         <PackageVersion Include="coverlet.collector" Version="10.0.1" />
         <PackageVersion Include="Fluidify" Version="1.0.1" />
-        <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Build.Framework" Version="18.9.6" />
-        <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Build.Utilities.Core" Version="18.9.6" />
+        <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Build.Framework" Version="18.10.1" />
+        <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Build.Utilities.Core" Version="18.10.1" />
         <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.CodeAnalysis.Analyzers" Version="3.11.0" />
         <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.CodeAnalysis.CSharp" Version="4.14.0" />
         <PackageVersion Include="Microsoft.Extensions.Logging" Version="10.0.12" />
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
         <PackageVersion Include="ppy.SDL3_image-CS" Version="2026.722.0" />
         <PackageVersion Include="ppy.SDL3_mixer-CS" Version="2026.722.0" />
         <PackageVersion Include="ppy.SDL3_ttf-CS" Version="2026.722.0" />
-        <PackageVersion Include="SlangDxcBundle.Toolchain" Version="[2026.17.0]" />
+        <PackageVersion Include="SlangDxcBundle.Toolchain" Version="[2026.17.1]" />
         <PackageVersion Include="ZLogger" Version="2.5.10" />
     </ItemGroup>
 </Project>
diff --git a/src/Pixely.SdlangCompiler/SdlangCompileTask.cs b/src/Pixely.SdlangCompiler/SdlangCompileTask.cs
index 7f72b68f..ddd602ba 100644
--- a/src/Pixely.SdlangCompiler/SdlangCompileTask.cs
+++ b/src/Pixely.SdlangCompiler/SdlangCompileTask.cs
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@ public class SdlangCompileTask : Microsoft.Build.Utilities.Task
     private static readonly string[] GeneratedShaderExtensions = ["spv", "dxil", "metal"];
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// The input shader file to compile. If empty or null, the task succeeds without compiling.
+    /// The input shader file to compile.
     /// </summary>
-    public string? InputFile { get; set; }
+    [Required]
+    public string InputFile { get; set; } = "";
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Path to the slangc executable. Slang is build-time tooling, so it is located through this
@@ -35,11 +36,6 @@ public override bool Execute()
     {
         GeneratedFiles = [];
 
-        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(InputFile))
-        {
-            return true;
-        }
-
         if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(SlangCompilerPath))
         {
             Log.LogError(
diff --git a/src/Pixely.SdlangCompiler/build/Pixely.SdlangCompiler.props b/src/Pixely.SdlangCompiler/build/Pixely.SdlangCompiler.props
index e9afaeff..826ec2db 100644
--- a/src/Pixely.SdlangCompiler/build/Pixely.SdlangCompiler.props
+++ b/src/Pixely.SdlangCompiler/build/Pixely.SdlangCompiler.props
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     </PropertyGroup>
 
     <PropertyGroup>
-        <SlangVersion>2026.17.0</SlangVersion>
+        <SlangVersion>2026.17.1</SlangVersion>
         <SlangToolSourceDirectory>$(SlangDxcToolchainRoot)$(SlangPlatform)/</SlangToolSourceDirectory>
         <SlangCompilerExeName>slangc</SlangCompilerExeName>
         <SlangCompilerExeName Condition="$([MSBuild]::IsOSPlatform('Windows'))">slangc.exe</SlangCompilerExeName>
diff --git a/tests/Pixely.SdlangCompiler.Tests/SdlangCompileTaskTests.cs b/tests/Pixely.SdlangCompiler.Tests/SdlangCompileTaskTests.cs
index 5a0dc0c7..cf3f608e 100644
--- a/tests/Pixely.SdlangCompiler.Tests/SdlangCompileTaskTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Pixely.SdlangCompiler.Tests/SdlangCompileTaskTests.cs
@@ -24,18 +24,4 @@ public void CompiledShaderOutputExists()
             Assert.That(File.Exists(metadataPath), Is.True, "Compiled shader output file should exist at: " + metadataPath);
         }
     }
-
-    [Test]
-    public void Execute_WithNullInputFile_ReturnsTrue()
-    {
-        SdlangCompileTask task = new SdlangCompileTask { InputFile = null };
-        Assert.That(task.Execute(), Is.True);
-    }
-
-    [Test]
-    public void Execute_WithEmptyInputFile_ReturnsTrue()
-    {
-        SdlangCompileTask task = new SdlangCompileTask { InputFile = "" };
-        Assert.That(task.Execute(), Is.True);
-    }
 }