diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index a82fa6d..421f9b4 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -6,10 +6,11 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   build:
-    # RN/NDK builds starve the 4-core VPS — run on the desktop runner
-    # (marcusDesktop). Jobs queue while the desktop is off and start when it
-    # comes online; switch back to ubuntu-latest to build on the VPS.
-    runs-on: desktop
+    # RN/NDK builds starve the 4-core VPS, so `desktop` (marcusDesktop) is the
+    # preferred runner — but jobs queue while the desktop is off. On
+    # ubuntu-latest the VPS builds immediately; flip back when the desktop is
+    # reliably online.
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     container:
       image: eclipse-temurin:21-jdk
     steps: