diff --git a/ci/release-linux.sh b/ci/release-linux.sh
index 82d878f..eaa6296 100644
--- a/ci/release-linux.sh
+++ b/ci/release-linux.sh
@@ -97,10 +97,16 @@ trap cleanup EXIT
 upload_package() {
   local file="$1" name
   name="$(basename "$file")"
-  curl --fail-with-body --retry 3 --netrc-file "$netrc" \
+  local status
+  status="$(curl --silent --show-error --retry 3 --netrc-file "$netrc" \
     --upload-file "$file" \
-    "$gitea_base/api/packages/justme/generic/monitor-node/$version/$name" >/dev/null
-  echo "uploaded Gitea package $name"
+    --output /dev/null --write-out '%{http_code}' \
+    "$gitea_base/api/packages/justme/generic/monitor-node/$version/$name")"
+  case "$status" in
+    2*) echo "uploaded Gitea package $name" ;;
+    409) echo "Gitea package $name already exists; reusing the existing release file" ;;
+    *) echo "Gitea package upload failed for $name (HTTP $status)" >&2; return 1 ;;
+  esac
 }
 
 package_node agent
@@ -111,7 +117,7 @@ package_node probe
 container_context="$root/.release/container/linux-$arch"
 mkdir -p "$container_context/app" "$container_context/data"
 cp -a "$output/backend/." "$container_context/app/"
-cp "$root/packaging/container/data/.keep" "$container_context/data/.keep"
+: > "$container_context/data/.keep"
 
 export REGISTRY_AUTH_FILE="$root/.release/auth/zot-linux-$arch.json"
 mkdir -p "$(dirname "$REGISTRY_AUTH_FILE")"
diff --git a/ci/release-windows.ps1 b/ci/release-windows.ps1
index b634da2..f4e23a1 100644
--- a/ci/release-windows.ps1
+++ b/ci/release-windows.ps1
@@ -101,11 +101,19 @@ function Publish-Package([string]$Role, [string]$BinaryDirectory) {
     foreach ($file in @($archive, $checksumPath)) {
         $name = Split-Path -Leaf $file
         $url = "$giteaBase/api/packages/justme/generic/monitor-node/$version/$name"
-        & curl.exe --fail-with-body --retry 3 --netrc-file $netrc --upload-file $file $url
+        $status = & curl.exe --silent --show-error --retry 3 --netrc-file $netrc --upload-file $file --output NUL --write-out '%{http_code}' $url
         if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
             throw "Gitea package upload failed for $name."
         }
-        Write-Output "uploaded Gitea package $name"
+        if ($status -match '^2') {
+            Write-Output "uploaded Gitea package $name"
+        }
+        elseif ($status -eq '409') {
+            Write-Output "Gitea package $name already exists; reusing the existing release file"
+        }
+        else {
+            throw "Gitea package upload failed for $name (HTTP $status)."
+        }
     }
 }