diff --git a/lang/js/package-lock.json b/lang/js/package-lock.json
index 0382d6e9832..3e32efec013 100644
--- a/lang/js/package-lock.json
+++ b/lang/js/package-lock.json
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
       "name": "avro-js",
       "version": "1.13.0-SNAPSHOT",
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "underscore": "^1.13.2"
+      },
       "devDependencies": {
         "jshint": "^2.13.4",
         "mocha": "11.7.6",
@@ -2736,6 +2739,12 @@
         "is-typedarray": "^1.0.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/underscore": {
+      "version": "1.13.8",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/underscore/-/underscore-1.13.8.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-DXtD3ZtEQzc7M8m4cXotyHR+FAS18C64asBYY5vqZexfYryNNnDc02W4hKg3rdQuqOYas1jkseX0+nZXjTXnvQ==",
+      "license": "MIT"
+    },
     "node_modules/update-browserslist-db": {
       "version": "1.2.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/update-browserslist-db/-/update-browserslist-db-1.2.3.tgz",
diff --git a/lang/js/package.json b/lang/js/package.json
index a28b71fc11f..258a3e1a025 100644
--- a/lang/js/package.json
+++ b/lang/js/package.json
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@
     "interop-data-generate": "node test/interop_data_generate.js",
     "interop-data-test": "mocha test/interop_data_test.js"
   },
-  "dependencies": {},
+  "dependencies": {
+    "underscore": "^1.13.2"
+  },
   "devDependencies": {
     "nyc": "^18.0.0",
     "jshint": "^2.13.4",
diff --git a/lang/js/test/test_index.js b/lang/js/test/test_index.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..508c99fe447
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lang/js/test/test_index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/* jshint node: true, mocha: true */
+
+/**
+ *  Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+ *  or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+ *  distributed with this work for additional information
+ *  regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+ *  to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ *  "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ *  with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *  https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ *  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ *  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ *  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ *  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ *  limitations under the License.
+ *
+ */
+
+'use strict';
+
+var assert = require('assert');
+
+
+describe('package', function () {
+
+  it('loads the public entry point', function () {
+    assert.doesNotThrow(function () {
+      require('..');
+    });
+  });
+
+});