diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml b/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
index ca8c1f2..7edfa93 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
@@ -50,38 +50,28 @@ jobs:
           echo "Token length: ${#FORGEJO_TOKEN}"
 
           TAG="${{ github.event.inputs.tag || github.ref_name }}"
-          # use internal docker network URL instead of external
-          API_BASE="http://forgejo:3000/api/v1"
+          API_BASE="${{ github.server_url }}/api/v1"
           REPO="${{ github.repository }}"
 
-          # ensure tag exists (create at HEAD if not)
-          curl -s -X POST \
-            -H "Authorization: token ${FORGEJO_TOKEN}" \
-            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-            -d "{\"tag_name\": \"${TAG}\"}" \
-            "${API_BASE}/repos/${REPO}/tags" || true
-
-          # get or create release
           echo "Looking for release: ${API_BASE}/repos/${REPO}/releases/tags/${TAG}"
-          RESPONSE=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: token ${FORGEJO_TOKEN}" \
-            "${API_BASE}/repos/${REPO}/releases/tags/${TAG}")
+          RESPONSE=$(wget -qO- --header="Authorization: token ${FORGEJO_TOKEN}" \
+            "${API_BASE}/repos/${REPO}/releases/tags/${TAG}" 2>/dev/null || echo '{}')
           echo "Lookup response: ${RESPONSE}"
-          RELEASE_ID=$(echo "$RESPONSE" | jq -r '.id')
+          RELEASE_ID=$(echo "$RESPONSE" | jq -r '.id // empty')
 
-          if [ "$RELEASE_ID" = "null" ] || [ -z "$RELEASE_ID" ]; then
+          if [ -z "$RELEASE_ID" ]; then
             echo "Creating release for ${TAG}..."
-            RESPONSE=$(curl -s -X POST \
-              -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-              -H "Authorization: token ${FORGEJO_TOKEN}" \
-              -d '{"tag_name": "'"${TAG}"'", "name": "'"${TAG}"'"}' \
-              "${API_BASE}/repos/${REPO}/releases")
+            RESPONSE=$(wget -qO- --header="Authorization: token ${FORGEJO_TOKEN}" \
+              --header="Content-Type: application/json" \
+              --post-data='{"tag_name": "'"${TAG}"'", "name": "'"${TAG}"'"}' \
+              "${API_BASE}/repos/${REPO}/releases" 2>&1)
             echo "Create response: ${RESPONSE}"
             RELEASE_ID=$(echo "$RESPONSE" | jq -r '.id')
           fi
 
           echo "Release ID: ${RELEASE_ID}"
 
-          # upload assets
+          # upload assets (still need curl for multipart)
           for file in lofivor-linux-x86_64 lofivor-windows-x86_64.exe; do
             echo "Uploading $file..."
             curl -sf -X POST \