diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index 3c2e10a..f87d118 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -3,11 +3,45 @@ name: Release
 on:
   push:
     branches: [main]
+    paths:
+      - 'src/**'
+      - 'src-tauri/**'
+      - 'package.json'
+      - 'vite.config.ts'
+      - 'index.html'
 
 jobs:
+  test:
+    name: Run Tests
+    if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, '[skip ci]')"
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 20
+
+      - name: Install npm deps
+        run: npm ci
+
+      - name: Frontend tests
+        run: npx vitest run
+
+      - name: Install uv
+        run: |
+          curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh
+          echo "$HOME/.local/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
+
+      - name: Python tests
+        run: |
+          uv venv .testvenv
+          VIRTUAL_ENV=.testvenv uv pip install pytest httpx pytest-asyncio anyio fastapi pydantic pyyaml uvicorn requests
+          .testvenv/bin/python -m pytest backend/tests/ client/tests/ -v --tb=short
+
   bump-version:
     name: Bump version and tag
-    if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, '[skip ci]')"
+    needs: test
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     outputs:
       new_version: ${{ steps.bump.outputs.new_version }}
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/sidecar-release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/sidecar-release.yml
index 6bd6439..f7357b9 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/sidecar-release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/sidecar-release.yml
@@ -12,8 +12,27 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
+  test:
+    name: Run Tests
+    if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, '[skip ci]')"
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Install uv
+        run: |
+          curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh
+          echo "$HOME/.local/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
+
+      - name: Python tests
+        run: |
+          uv venv .testvenv
+          VIRTUAL_ENV=.testvenv uv pip install pytest httpx pytest-asyncio anyio fastapi pydantic pyyaml uvicorn requests
+          .testvenv/bin/python -m pytest backend/tests/ client/tests/ -v --tb=short
+
   bump-sidecar-version:
     name: Bump sidecar version and tag
+    needs: test
     if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, '[skip ci]')"
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     outputs:
@@ -61,7 +80,6 @@ jobs:
           NEW_VERSION="${MAJOR}.${MINOR}.${NEW_PATCH}"
           echo "New sidecar version: ${NEW_VERSION}"
 
-          # Only update pyproject.toml -- version.py is owned by the app release workflow
           sed -i "s/^version = \"${CURRENT}\"/version = \"${NEW_VERSION}\"/" pyproject.toml
 
           echo "version=${NEW_VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/test.yml b/.gitea/workflows/test.yml
index de396f6..9f40287 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/test.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ on:
     branches: [main]
   pull_request:
     branches: [main]
+  workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
   python-tests:
@@ -13,12 +14,20 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - name: Install test dependencies
+      - name: Install uv
         run: |
-          pip install --break-system-packages pytest httpx pytest-asyncio anyio fastapi pydantic pyyaml uvicorn requests
+          if command -v uv &> /dev/null; then
+            echo "uv already installed: $(uv --version)"
+          else
+            curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh
+            echo "$HOME/.local/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
+          fi
 
       - name: Run pytest
-        run: python3 -m pytest backend/tests/ client/tests/ -v --tb=short
+        run: |
+          uv venv .testvenv
+          VIRTUAL_ENV=.testvenv uv pip install pytest httpx pytest-asyncio anyio fastapi pydantic pyyaml uvicorn requests
+          .testvenv/bin/python -m pytest backend/tests/ client/tests/ -v --tb=short
 
   frontend-tests:
     name: Frontend Tests