diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/build_release.yml b/.forgejo/workflows/build_release.yml
index 061238bf1..bcdf1398d 100755
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/build_release.yml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/build_release.yml
@@ -120,11 +120,11 @@ jobs:
             commit_logs='- Initial release'
           fi
 
-          {
-            echo 'COMMIT_LOGS<<EOF'
-            printf '%s\n' "$commit_logs"
-            echo 'EOF'
-          } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          # Do not pass multiline commit text via step outputs / env (breaks some Forgejo/act_runner
+          # runners before the shell starts — empty logs). Only pass a temp file path.
+          commit_log_file="$(mktemp /tmp/komikku-commit-logs.XXXXXX)"
+          printf '%s\n' "$commit_logs" > "${commit_log_file}"
+          echo "COMMIT_LOG_FILE=${commit_log_file}" >> "${GITHUB_ENV}"
 
       - name: Set up Gradle
         shell: bash
@@ -304,12 +304,12 @@ jobs:
           UPSTREAM_REPO: ${{ steps.prepare.outputs.UPSTREAM_REPO }}
           UPSTREAM_REF: ${{ steps.prepare.outputs.UPSTREAM_REF }}
           UPSTREAM_BASE: ${{ steps.prepare.outputs.UPSTREAM_BASE }}
-          COMMIT_LOGS: ${{ steps.prepare.outputs.COMMIT_LOGS }}
           REPO_URL: ${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}
           REPOSITORY_NAME: ${{ github.repository }}
           FORGEJO_CURL_INSECURE: "true"
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
+          echo "Create or update release: shell running; COMMIT_LOG_FILE=${COMMIT_LOG_FILE:-<unset>}"
 
           export PATH="/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:${PATH:-}"
 
@@ -389,7 +389,10 @@ jobs:
           payload_file="$(mktemp)"
           response_file="$(mktemp)"
 
-          commit_logs="${COMMIT_LOGS:-}"
+          commit_logs=""
+          if [ -n "${COMMIT_LOG_FILE:-}" ] && [ -f "${COMMIT_LOG_FILE}" ]; then
+            commit_logs="$(cat "${COMMIT_LOG_FILE}")"
+          fi
           commit_logs="$(printf '%s' "$commit_logs" | sed 's/^[[:space:]]*//;s/[[:space:]]*$//')"
           if [ -z "$commit_logs" ]; then
             commit_logs="- Initial release"