diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy-web-apps.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy-web-apps.yml
index cc0bac1..c478def 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy-web-apps.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy-web-apps.yml
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: https://github.com/actions/checkout@v4
 
+      - name: Restore npm cache
+        uses: https://github.com/actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: ~/AppData/Local/npm-cache
+          key: npm-windows-${{ hashFiles('package-lock.json', 'website/package-lock.json') }}
+          restore-keys: npm-windows-
+
       - name: Install root dependencies
         env:
           NODE_ENV: development
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release-draft.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release-draft.yml
index adebc2a..8c6d144 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release-draft.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release-draft.yml
@@ -48,18 +48,30 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: https://github.com/actions/checkout@v4
 
+      - name: Restore npm cache
+        uses: https://github.com/actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: /root/.npm
+          key: npm-linux-${{ hashFiles('package-lock.json', 'server/package-lock.json') }}
+          restore-keys: npm-linux-
+
+      - name: Restore Electron cache
+        uses: https://github.com/actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: |
+            /root/.cache/electron
+            /root/.cache/electron-builder
+          key: electron-linux-${{ hashFiles('package.json') }}
+          restore-keys: electron-linux-
+
       - name: Install dependencies
         env:
           NODE_ENV: development
         run: |
+          apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends zip
           npm ci
           cd server && npm ci
 
-      - name: Install zip utility
-        run: |
-          apt-get update
-          apt-get install -y zip
-
       - name: Set CI release version
         run: >
           node tools/set-release-version.js
@@ -108,6 +120,22 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: https://github.com/actions/checkout@v4
 
+      - name: Restore npm cache
+        uses: https://github.com/actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: ~/AppData/Local/npm-cache
+          key: npm-windows-${{ hashFiles('package-lock.json', 'server/package-lock.json') }}
+          restore-keys: npm-windows-
+
+      - name: Restore Electron cache
+        uses: https://github.com/actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: |
+            ~/AppData/Local/electron/Cache
+            ~/AppData/Local/electron-builder/Cache
+          key: electron-windows-${{ hashFiles('package.json') }}
+          restore-keys: electron-windows-
+
       - name: Install dependencies
         env:
           NODE_ENV: development
@@ -136,8 +164,6 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           $projectRoot = $PWD.ProviderPath
           $electronBuilderWorkspace = Join-Path $env:TEMP ([guid]::NewGuid().ToString('N'))
-          $electronBuilderCache = Join-Path $electronBuilderWorkspace 'electron-builder-cache'
-          $electronCache = Join-Path $electronBuilderWorkspace 'electron-cache'
           $locationPushed = $false
 
           function Invoke-RoboCopy {
@@ -157,21 +183,27 @@ jobs:
           # electron-builder rejects junction-backed files during asar creation
           # because their resolved path sits outside the package root.
           New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $electronBuilderWorkspace | Out-Null
-          New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $electronBuilderCache | Out-Null
-          New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $electronCache | Out-Null
-          $env:ELECTRON_BUILDER_CACHE = $electronBuilderCache
-          $env:ELECTRON_CACHE = $electronCache
+
+          # Point electron-builder at the Electron binary already present
+          # in the main workspace so the packaging workspace can skip it.
+          $env:ELECTRON_OVERRIDE_DIST_PATH = Join-Path $projectRoot 'node_modules\electron\dist'
 
           try {
             Copy-Item -Path (Join-Path $projectRoot 'package.json') -Destination (Join-Path $electronBuilderWorkspace 'package.json') -Force
             Copy-Item -Path (Join-Path $projectRoot 'package-lock.json') -Destination (Join-Path $electronBuilderWorkspace 'package-lock.json') -Force
             Invoke-RoboCopy (Join-Path $projectRoot 'dist') (Join-Path $electronBuilderWorkspace 'dist')
             Invoke-RoboCopy (Join-Path $projectRoot 'images') (Join-Path $electronBuilderWorkspace 'images')
-            Invoke-RoboCopy (Join-Path $projectRoot 'node_modules') (Join-Path $electronBuilderWorkspace 'node_modules')
 
             Push-Location $electronBuilderWorkspace
             $locationPushed = $true
-            npx electron-builder --win --publish never
+
+            # Install only production dependencies — much faster than
+            # mirroring the full node_modules tree via robocopy and also
+            # avoids the junction/symlink issues that require the temp workspace.
+            npm ci --omit=dev --ignore-scripts
+
+            $electronBuilderBin = Join-Path $projectRoot 'node_modules\.bin\electron-builder.cmd'
+            & $electronBuilderBin --win --publish never
             if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
               throw "electron-builder failed with exit code $LASTEXITCODE"
             }
@@ -217,9 +249,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: https://github.com/actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - name: Install dependencies
-        run: npm ci --omit=dev
-
       - name: Download previous manifest
         env:
           GITEA_RELEASE_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_TOKEN }}