diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
index 60bdda5..1c91973 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: https://github.com/actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
           node-version: 22
-          registry-url: https://dev.pivoine.art/api/packages/valknar/npm/
 
       - run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
 
@@ -31,7 +30,13 @@ jobs:
       - name: Set package version from the tag
         run: npm pkg set version="${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}"
 
+      # Scoped to this one registry host+path (via publishConfig.registry in package.json) rather
+      # than actions/setup-node's registry-url, which would set it as the *default* registry for
+      # every install - breaking `pnpm install` for this project's own (unscoped, public) deps.
+      - name: Configure registry auth for publish
+        run: pnpm config set "//dev.pivoine.art/api/packages/valknar/npm/:_authToken" "$PACKAGE_TOKEN"
+        env:
+          PACKAGE_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PACKAGE_TOKEN }}
+
       - name: Publish to Gitea npm registry
         run: pnpm publish --no-git-checks
-        env:
-          NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PACKAGE_TOKEN }}