diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
index e1f66ae..4470ce5 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -23,6 +23,25 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
+      - name: Verify registry secrets
+        run: |
+          echo "=== Registry Login Diagnostic ==="
+          if [ -z "${REGISTRY_USER}" ]; then
+            echo "❌ ERROR: FORGEJO_REGISTRY_USER secret is empty/not set"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if [ -z "${REGISTRY_TOKEN}" ]; then
+            echo "❌ ERROR: FORGEJO_REGISTRY_TOKEN secret is empty/not set"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "✓ REGISTRY_USER is set (length: ${#REGISTRY_USER})"
+          echo "✓ REGISTRY_TOKEN is set (length: ${#REGISTRY_TOKEN})"
+          echo "✓ Registry: ${REGISTRY}"
+          echo "=== Secrets verified successfully ==="
+        env:
+          REGISTRY_USER: ${{ secrets.FORGEJO_REGISTRY_USER }}
+          REGISTRY_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.FORGEJO_REGISTRY_TOKEN }}
+
       - name: Cargo test
         run: cargo test -p mem-ingest --lib 2>&1 | tail -50 || true
 
@@ -49,35 +68,15 @@ jobs:
           SHORT_SHA=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)
           echo "short_sha=${SHORT_SHA}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
-      - name: Verify registry secrets
-        run: |
-          echo "=== Registry Login Diagnostic ==="
-          if [ -z "${REGISTRY_USER}" ]; then
-            echo "❌ ERROR: FORGEJO_REGISTRY_USER secret is empty/not set"
-            exit 1
-          fi
-          if [ -z "${REGISTRY_TOKEN}" ]; then
-            echo "❌ ERROR: FORGEJO_REGISTRY_TOKEN secret is empty/not set"
-            exit 1
-          fi
-          echo "✓ REGISTRY_USER is set (length: ${#REGISTRY_USER})"
-          echo "✓ REGISTRY_TOKEN is set (length: ${#REGISTRY_TOKEN})"
-          echo "✓ Registry: ${REGISTRY}"
-          echo "=== Attempting login test ==="
-        env:
-          REGISTRY_USER: ${{ secrets.FORGEJO_REGISTRY_USER }}
-          REGISTRY_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.FORGEJO_REGISTRY_TOKEN }}
-
       - name: Registry login
         run: |
+          echo "✓ Attempting login to ${REGISTRY}..."
           echo "${REGISTRY_TOKEN}" | docker login "${REGISTRY}" \
-            --username "${REGISTRY_USER}" --password-stdin 2>&1
-          if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
-            echo "✓ Login successful"
-          else
-            echo "❌ Login failed"
+            --username "${REGISTRY_USER}" --password-stdin 2>&1 || {
+            echo "❌ Login failed - secrets may be empty or invalid"
             exit 1
-          fi
+          }
+          echo "✓ Login successful"
         env:
           REGISTRY_USER: ${{ secrets.FORGEJO_REGISTRY_USER }}
           REGISTRY_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.FORGEJO_REGISTRY_TOKEN }}