diff --git a/.github/workflows/create-or-promote-release.yml b/.github/workflows/create-or-promote-release.yml
index 0d5877270..3c6ddd61a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create-or-promote-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create-or-promote-release.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ on:
         required: true
         type: boolean
         default: false
+      build_desktop:
+        description: 'Whether to build the desktop distribution'
+        required: true
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
 
 permissions:
   contents: write
@@ -124,6 +129,7 @@ jobs:
       tag_name: ${{ needs.determine-tags.outputs.final_tag }}
       channel: ${{ inputs.channel }}
       base_version: ${{ inputs.base_version }}
+      build_desktop: ${{ inputs.build_desktop }}
     secrets: inherit
 
   call-promote-workflow:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index e03e9618a..4b7f6f4b9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ on:
         description: 'The channel to create a release for or promote to'
         required: true
         type: string
+      build_desktop:
+        description: 'Whether to build the desktop distribution'
+        required: false
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
     secrets:
       GSERVICES:
         required: true
@@ -270,6 +275,7 @@ jobs:
           subject-path: app/build/outputs/apk/fdroid/release/*.apk
 
   release-desktop:
+    if: ${{ inputs.build_desktop }}
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     needs: [prepare-build-info]
     environment: Release
@@ -334,6 +340,7 @@ jobs:
           if-no-files-found: ignore
 
   github-release:
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() && !failure() }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04-arm
     needs: [prepare-build-info, release-google, release-fdroid, release-desktop]
     env: