diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index b8dfd87..285aa6a 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-# Fenris release workflow — dormant (no runner registered yet).
-# When a runner is provisioned, this replicates `make release` automatically.
-# Spec: §5, issue #52
+# Fenris release workflow — release path on Coolify-hosted Gitea runner.
+# The runner is repository-scoped and executes package build, signing, validation,
+# registry publication, and release attachment. Spec: §5, issue #52
 name: Release
 
 on:
@@ -43,58 +43,97 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build packages
         run: make package
 
-      - name: Sign RPM payload
+      - name: Import packaging key
         env:
           GPG_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.GPG_PRIVATE_KEY }}
         run: |
-          echo "$GPG_PRIVATE_KEY" | gpg --batch --import
-          make sign-rpm
+          set -euo pipefail
+          if [ -z "${GPG_PRIVATE_KEY}" ]; then
+            echo "::error::GPG_PRIVATE_KEY repository secret is not configured"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          printf '%s\n' "${GPG_PRIVATE_KEY}" | gpg --batch --import
+          SECRET_FINGERPRINT="$(gpg --batch --list-secret-keys --with-colons 'packaging@bongbetic.com' | awk -F: '$1 == "fpr" { print $10; exit }')"
+          PUBLIC_FINGERPRINT="$(gpg --batch --show-keys --with-colons packaging/keys/fenris-packaging.asc | awk -F: '$1 == "fpr" { print $10; exit }')"
+          if [ -z "${PUBLIC_FINGERPRINT}" ]; then
+            echo "::error::packaging/keys/fenris-packaging.asc has no OpenPGP key"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if [ "${SECRET_FINGERPRINT}" != "${PUBLIC_FINGERPRINT}" ]; then
+            echo "::error::packaging public key does not match imported private key"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "Packaging key fingerprint verified: ${PUBLIC_FINGERPRINT}"
+
+      - name: Sign RPM payload
+        run: make sign-rpm
 
       - name: Generate and clearsign SHA256SUMS
         run: make clearsign
 
+      - name: Validate signatures and checksums
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          VERSION="$(sed -n 's/^version = "\(.*\)"/\1/p' pyproject.toml)"
+          RPM="fenris-${VERSION}-1.x86_64.rpm"
+          RPM_VERIFY="$(rpm -Kv "dist/${RPM}" 2>&1)"
+          printf '%s\n' "${RPM_VERIFY}"
+          printf '%s\n' "${RPM_VERIFY}" | grep -Eiq 'signature.*: *ok'
+          gpg --batch --verify dist/SHA256SUMS.asc dist/SHA256SUMS
+          (cd dist && sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS)
+
+      - name: Remove packaging key material
+        if: always()
+        run: |
+          set +e
+          FINGERPRINT="$(gpg --batch --list-secret-keys --with-colons 'packaging@bongbetic.com' 2>/dev/null | awk -F: '$1 == "fpr" { print $10; exit }')"
+          if [ -n "${FINGERPRINT}" ]; then
+            gpg --batch --yes --delete-secret-keys "${FINGERPRINT}"
+            gpg --batch --yes --delete-keys "${FINGERPRINT}"
+          fi
+
       - name: Determine version
         id: version
         run: echo "version=$(sed -n 's/^version = "\(.*\)"/\1/p' pyproject.toml)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
       - name: Upload deb packages to registry
         env:
-          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
+          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ gitea.token }}
         run: |
           VERSION=${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
           DEB="fenris_${VERSION}_amd64.deb"
           for CODENAME in bookworm jammy noble; do
             curl --fail -X PUT \
-              -u "xavierk:${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+              -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
               -T "dist/${DEB}" \
               "https://git.bongbetic.com/api/packages/xavierk/debian/pool/${CODENAME}/main/upload"
           done
 
       - name: Upload RPM to registry
         env:
-          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
+          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ gitea.token }}
         run: |
           VERSION=${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
           RPM="fenris-${VERSION}-1.x86_64.rpm"
           curl --fail -X PUT \
-            -u "xavierk:${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+            -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
             -T "dist/${RPM}" \
             "https://git.bongbetic.com/api/packages/xavierk/rpm/fenris/upload"
 
       - name: Create Gitea release
         env:
-          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
+          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ gitea.token }}
         run: |
           VERSION=${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
           # Check if release already exists (idempotent re-runs)
           EXISTING=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code}' \
-            -u "xavierk:${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+            -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
             "https://git.bongbetic.com/api/v1/repos/xavierk/Fenris/releases/tags/v${VERSION}")
           if [ "$EXISTING" = "200" ]; then
             echo "Release v${VERSION} already exists, skipping creation"
           else
             curl --fail -X POST \
-              -u "xavierk:${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+              -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
               -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
               -d "{\"tag_name\":\"v${VERSION}\",\"name\":\"v${VERSION}\"}" \
               "https://git.bongbetic.com/api/v1/repos/xavierk/Fenris/releases"
@@ -102,12 +141,12 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Attach artifacts to release
         env:
-          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}
+          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ gitea.token }}
         run: |
           VERSION=${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
           # Get release ID for this tag
           RELEASE_ID=$(curl -s \
-            -u "xavierk:${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+            -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
             "https://git.bongbetic.com/api/v1/repos/xavierk/Fenris/releases/tags/v${VERSION}" \
             | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin)['id'])")
           # Attach deb, rpm, and clearsigned checksums
@@ -115,7 +154,7 @@ jobs:
                        "dist/fenris-${VERSION}-1.x86_64.rpm" \
                        "dist/SHA256SUMS.asc"; do
             curl --fail -X POST \
-              -u "xavierk:${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+              -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
               -F "attachment=@${FILE}" \
               "https://git.bongbetic.com/api/v1/repos/xavierk/Fenris/releases/${RELEASE_ID}/assets"
           done