diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index dbf7a9a8..ba5fb168 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -74,6 +74,18 @@ jobs:
             --env-file .env.production \
             up -d --wait --remove-orphans
 
+      - name: Smoke test deployed environment
+        # See nightly.yml — same three checks, against the prod vhost.
+        run: |
+          set -e
+          URL="https://archiv.raddatz.cloud"
+          echo "Smoke test: $URL"
+          curl -fsS --max-time 10 "$URL/login" -o /dev/null
+          curl -fsS --max-time 10 -I "$URL/" | grep -qi 'strict-transport-security'
+          status=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" --max-time 10 "$URL/actuator/health")
+          [ "$status" = "404" ] || { echo "expected 404 from /actuator/health, got $status"; exit 1; }
+          echo "All smoke checks passed"
+
       - name: Cleanup env file
         if: always()
         run: rm -f .env.production