diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
index b4a16da..a24b2bd 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ name: Release
 # the vX.Y.Z tag. The build matrix + release job then run off that tag. No
 # more hand-editing versions across Cargo.toml and individual crate manifests.
 on:
+  push:
+    tags:
+      - 'v[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+*'
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       version:
@@ -26,14 +29,12 @@ jobs:
     name: bump + tag
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     outputs:
-      version: ${{ steps.stamp.outputs.version }}
-      tag: ${{ steps.stamp.outputs.tag }}
+      version: ${{ steps.tag.outputs.tag_prefix }}
+      tag: ${{ steps.tag.outputs.tag_full }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
-          # Push the release commit + tag back with a write-capable token.
-          token: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_TOKEN }}
 
       - uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@1.83
 
@@ -48,7 +49,15 @@ jobs:
           restore-keys: |
             ${{ runner.os }}-cargo-prepare-
 
+      - name: Extract version from tag (push trigger)
+        if: github.event_name == 'push'
+        id: tag
+        run: |
+          echo "tag_prefix=${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "tag=${GITHUB_REF_NAME}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
       - name: Validate version + stamp
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
         id: stamp
         env:
           VERSION: ${{ inputs.version }}
@@ -75,6 +84,7 @@ jobs:
         run: cargo test --workspace
 
       - name: Commit, tag, push
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
         env:
           VER: ${{ steps.stamp.outputs.version }}
           TAG: ${{ steps.stamp.outputs.tag }}