diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
index 155976b..53b1165 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
+      - name: Get short SHA
+        id: sha
+        run: |
+          SHORT_SHA=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
+          echo "short_sha=${SHORT_SHA}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
       - name: Cargo test
         run: cargo test -p mem-ingest --lib 2>&1 | tail -50 || true
 
@@ -49,6 +55,35 @@ jobs:
           SHORT_SHA=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
           echo "short_sha=${SHORT_SHA}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
+      - name: Pre-verify Docker and Registry
+        run: |
+          echo "=== Docker Setup Verification ==="
+          echo "✓ Docker daemon available"
+          docker version --format "Engine: {{.Server.Version}}"
+          echo ""
+          echo "=== Registry Credentials Check ==="
+          if [ -z "${REGISTRY_USER}" ] || [ -z "${REGISTRY_TOKEN}" ]; then
+            echo "❌ FAILED: FORGEJO_REGISTRY_USER or FORGEJO_REGISTRY_TOKEN not set"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "✓ Registry credentials are set"
+          echo ""
+          echo "=== Dockerfile Check ==="
+          if [ ! -f Dockerfile ]; then
+            echo "❌ FAILED: Dockerfile not found"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "✓ Dockerfile exists"
+          echo ""
+          echo "=== Image Tag Check ==="
+          echo "✓ IMAGE will be: ${IMAGE}:${{ steps.sha.outputs.short_sha }}"
+          echo "✓ Latest will be: ${IMAGE}:latest"
+          echo ""
+          echo "=== All pre-checks passed ==="
+        env:
+          REGISTRY_USER: ${{ secrets.FORGEJO_REGISTRY_USER }}
+          REGISTRY_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.FORGEJO_REGISTRY_TOKEN }}
+
       - name: Registry login
         run: |
           echo "${REGISTRY_TOKEN}" | docker login "${REGISTRY}" \