diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index f5a1cd8..6011f1a 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ jobs:
       release_id: ${{ steps.create.outputs.release_id }}
       version: ${{ steps.create.outputs.version }}
     steps:
+      - name: Fetch RELEASE_NOTES.md only
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          sparse-checkout: RELEASE_NOTES.md
+          sparse-checkout-cone-mode: false
+
       - name: Create Gitea release
         id: create
         env:
@@ -27,11 +33,9 @@ jobs:
             IS_PRE="true"
           fi
 
-          # Scan for RELEASE_NOTES.md (repo root first, then up to 3 levels deep)
-          NOTES_FILE=$(find . -maxdepth 3 -name "RELEASE_NOTES.md" -type f | head -1)
-          if [ -n "$NOTES_FILE" ]; then
-            export RELEASE_NOTES=$(cat "$NOTES_FILE")
-            echo "Found release notes: $NOTES_FILE"
+          if [ -f RELEASE_NOTES.md ]; then
+            export RELEASE_NOTES=$(cat RELEASE_NOTES.md)
+            echo "Found RELEASE_NOTES.md"
           else
             export RELEASE_NOTES=""
             echo "No RELEASE_NOTES.md found"