diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
index 9c780bf..71e8bc4 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -14,31 +14,30 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
-        with:
-          python-version: "3.11"
-
-      - name: Install dependencies & build tool
+      - name: Set up Python venv & dependencies
         run: |
+          python3 -m venv .venv
+          . .venv/bin/activate
+          pip install --upgrade pip
           pip install uv pytest
 
       - name: Run unit tests
         run: |
+          . .venv/bin/activate
           PYTHONPATH=plugin pytest plugin/tests
 
       - name: Build wheel and sdist
         run: |
+          . .venv/bin/activate
           uv build plugin/
 
-      - name: Publish Gitea Release (on tag or main)
+      - name: Publish Gitea Release
         if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')
         env:
           GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN || secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
           tag_name="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
           echo "Publishing release for $tag_name"
-          # Upload via Gitea Release API if curl & jq present
           wheel_file=$(ls plugin/dist/*.whl | head -n 1)
           tar_file=$(ls plugin/dist/*.tar.gz | head -n 1)