diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/build-release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/build-release.yml
index 3c2fd06..553d70e 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/build-release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/build-release.yml
@@ -426,3 +426,20 @@ jobs:
           echo ""
           echo "=== Contents ==="
           ls -la dist/
+
+      # ===============================================================
+      # Create Gitea Release
+      # ===============================================================
+      - name: Create Gitea Release
+        run: |
+          VERSION="${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}"
+          GITEA_URL="https://git.command.vigilcyber.com"
+
+          echo "=== Creating Gitea Release for ${VERSION} ==="
+          curl -s -X POST \
+            -H "Authorization: token ${{ secrets.GIT_TOKEN }}" \
+            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+            -d "{\"tag_name\": \"${VERSION}\", \"name\": \"Wraith ${VERSION}\", \"body\": \"Auto-release from CI build.\"}" \
+            "${GITEA_URL}/api/v1/repos/vstockwell/wraith/releases"
+          echo ""
+          echo "Release created."
diff --git a/internal/updater/service.go b/internal/updater/service.go
index 64889e1..ca3651e 100644
--- a/internal/updater/service.go
+++ b/internal/updater/service.go
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func (u *UpdateService) CheckForUpdate() (*UpdateInfo, error) {
 	}
 
 	// Fetch latest package version from the Gitea API.
-	// Use Gitea releases API to find the latest release tag
+	// Use Gitea releases API to find the latest release
 	apiURL := fmt.Sprintf(
 		"%s/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/releases/latest",
 		u.baseURL, u.owner, u.pkg,
@@ -101,13 +101,15 @@ func (u *UpdateService) CheckForUpdate() (*UpdateInfo, error) {
 
 	body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("read release API response: %w", err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("read release response: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	slog.Info("release API response", "status", resp.StatusCode, "body", string(body)[:min(len(body), 500)])
+	slog.Info("release API response", "status", resp.StatusCode, "bodyLen", len(body))
 
 	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected status %d from releases API: %s", resp.StatusCode, string(body))
+		// No releases yet — not an error, just nothing to update to
+		slog.Info("no releases found", "status", resp.StatusCode)
+		return info, nil
 	}
 
 	var release giteaRelease
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ func (u *UpdateService) CheckForUpdate() (*UpdateInfo, error) {
 	}
 
 	if release.TagName == "" {
-		slog.Info("no releases found")
+		slog.Info("release has no tag")
 		return info, nil
 	}