diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
index e002da9..aa1f547 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -15,11 +15,36 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       # Plain git clone instead of actions/checkout (a JS action that would
       # require node on the host). Full history so setuptools_scm sees tags.
+      # ${{ }} expressions are substituted by the runner, so both shells work.
       - name: Checkout
+        if: matrix.os != 'windows'
         shell: bash
         run: |
-          git clone "$GITHUB_SERVER_URL/$GITHUB_REPOSITORY.git" .
-          git checkout -f "$GITHUB_SHA"
+          git clone "${{ gitea.server_url }}/${{ gitea.repository }}.git" .
+          git checkout -f "${{ gitea.sha }}"
+
+      - name: Checkout (Windows)
+        if: matrix.os == 'windows'
+        shell: powershell
+        run: |
+          git clone "${{ gitea.server_url }}/${{ gitea.repository }}.git" .
+          git checkout -f "${{ gitea.sha }}"
+
+      # The sdist build compiles the Vue frontend and needs node/npm.
+      # Install per-job via uv so runner hosts don't need node set up.
+      - name: Install Node.js
+        if: matrix.os != 'windows'
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          uv tool install nodejs-wheel
+          echo "$HOME/.local/bin" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
+
+      - name: Install Node.js (Windows)
+        if: matrix.os == 'windows'
+        shell: powershell
+        run: |
+          uv tool install nodejs-wheel
+          Add-Content $env:GITHUB_PATH "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin"
 
       - name: Build GUI app zip and dist packages
         run: uv run --extra gui scripts/guibuild.py
@@ -33,7 +58,7 @@ jobs:
           GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
         run: uv run scripts/release.py
 
-      - name: Attach platform zip to the Gitea release
+      - name: Attach platform artifact to the Gitea release
         if: matrix.os != 'linux'
         env:
           GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}