diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml b/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
index b43fe5e..06e7109 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 name: release
 
 on:
-  release:
-    types: [published]
-  workflow_dispatch:  # allows manual runs from ui
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+    tags:
+      - 'v*'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      tag:
+        description: 'Tag to release (empty = build only)'
+        required: false
 
 jobs:
   build:
@@ -35,18 +42,29 @@ jobs:
           zig build -Dtarget=x86_64-windows-gnu -Doptimize=ReleaseFast
           mv zig-out/bin/sandbox.exe lofivor-windows-x86_64.exe
 
-      - name: Upload to release
+      - name: Create release and upload
+        if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/') || github.event.inputs.tag != ''
         env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          FORGEJO_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.FORGEJO_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          RELEASE_ID="${{ github.event.release.id }}"
-          API_URL="${{ github.api_url }}/repos/${{ github.repository }}/releases/${RELEASE_ID}/assets"
+          TAG="${{ github.event.inputs.tag || github.ref_name }}"
+          API_BASE="${{ github.server_url }}/api/v1"
+          REPO="${{ github.repository }}"
 
+          # create release
+          RELEASE_ID=$(curl -sf -X POST \
+            -H "Authorization: token ${FORGEJO_TOKEN}" \
+            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+            -d "{\"tag_name\": \"${TAG}\", \"name\": \"${TAG}\"}" \
+            "${API_BASE}/repos/${REPO}/releases" | jq -r '.id')
+
+          echo "Created release ${RELEASE_ID}"
+
+          # upload assets
           for file in lofivor-linux-x86_64 lofivor-windows-x86_64.exe; do
             echo "Uploading $file..."
-            curl -X POST \
-              -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}" \
-              -H "Content-Type: application/octet-stream" \
-              --data-binary @"$file" \
-              "${API_URL}?name=${file}"
+            curl -sf -X POST \
+              -H "Authorization: token ${FORGEJO_TOKEN}" \
+              -F "attachment=@${file}" \
+              "${API_BASE}/repos/${REPO}/releases/${RELEASE_ID}/assets?name=${file}"
           done