diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index 5c203078..352332eb 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -28,18 +28,32 @@ jobs:
           dotnet --version
           dotnet --list-sdks
 
-      - name: Complete Release gate
+      # NOT tools/run-release-gate.ps1 here. That script redirects every child
+      # process to its own log file, so the step emits nothing for minutes at a
+      # time; Forgejo treats a task that stops reporting as a zombie and fails
+      # it while the work is still running (observed: job marked failed with 20
+      # dotnet processes still alive and a complete 8.7 MB TRX on disk). Running
+      # the projects directly keeps output streaming. The script stays the
+      # canonical LOCAL gate; the trait filter below is copied from its default.
+      - name: Build
         shell: pwsh
-        run: ./tools/run-release-gate.ps1
+        run: dotnet build AcDream.slnx -c Release --nologo
 
-      - name: Upload gate evidence
-        if: always()
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        with:
-          name: release-gate-windows
-          path: artifacts/release-gate/
-          if-no-files-found: warn
-          retention-days: 14
+      - name: Test (lane-filtered, streaming)
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
+          $filter = 'Lane!=InstalledDat&Lane!=PreparedPackage&Lane!=Live&Lane!=Manual&Lane!=Windows&Lane!=Linux&Lane!=SystemFont&Purpose!=Diagnostic&Status!=KnownFailure'
+          $failed = @()
+          foreach ($proj in Get-ChildItem tests -Directory | Sort-Object Name) {
+            $csproj = Join-Path $proj.FullName "$($proj.Name).csproj"
+            if (-not (Test-Path $csproj)) { continue }
+            Write-Host "::group::$($proj.Name)"
+            dotnet test $csproj -c Release --no-build --nologo --filter $filter
+            if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { $failed += $proj.Name }
+            Write-Host "::endgroup::"
+          }
+          if ($failed.Count) { throw "Failed test projects: $($failed -join ', ')" }
 
   linux-portable:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest