diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index f39e81d..2588f67 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -126,12 +126,18 @@ jobs:
         with:
           dotnet-version: '8.0.x'
 
-      - name: Ensure tooling (jq)
+      - name: Ensure tooling (jq, zip)
         shell: bash
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
-          command -v jq >/dev/null 2>&1 || { sudo apt-get update -y && sudo apt-get install -y jq; }
+          missing=""
+          command -v jq  >/dev/null 2>&1 || missing="$missing jq"
+          command -v zip >/dev/null 2>&1 || missing="$missing zip"
+          if [ -n "$missing" ]; then
+            sudo apt-get update -y && sudo apt-get install -y $missing
+          fi
           jq --version
+          zip --version | head -2
 
       # Test gate: pure-Go, so no C toolchain is needed. A failure stops the
       # release before anything is built or published.