diff --git a/.github/workflows/create-release.yaml b/.github/workflows/create-release.yaml
index 1058323..f9fd6a8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create-release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create-release.yaml
@@ -1,60 +1,77 @@
-name: "Create Release"
+name: "Create Gitea Release"
 
-on: # yamllint disable-line rule:truthy
+# This workflow is triggered manually from the Gitea Actions UI
+on:
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       RELEASE_TAG:
-        description: 'v{Major}.{Minor}.{Patch}'  
+        description: 'The release tag to create, formatted as v{Major}.{Minor}.{Patch}'
+        required: true
 
 jobs:
   release:
     name: "Release"
-    permissions:
-      contents: write
     runs-on: "ubuntu-latest"
 
     steps:
-      
+      # Step 1: Check out the repository source code and its submodules.
+      # The TOKEN_GITEA is used here to grant permission for the later 'git push'.
       - name: Checkout source
-        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        uses: "actions/checkout@v4"
         with:
-          token: ${{ secrets.ACTIONS_ACCESS_TOKEN }}
+          token: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_GITEA }}
           submodules: true
 
-      - name: Create branch and tag submodule
+      # Step 2: Create a new release branch, update the submodule to the specified tag,
+      # and push the new branch to the Gitea repository.
+      - name: Create Branch and Update Submodule
         run: |
-          git config user.email "actions@github.com"
-          git config user.name "actions-user"
-          git submodule update --init --remote
+          # Configure git user for the commit
+          git config user.email "actions@gitea.local"
+          git config user.name "Gitea Actions"
+
+          # Create the new release branch
           git checkout -b 'release-${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}'
+
+          # Enter the submodule directory, fetch the latest tags, and check out the correct one.
+          # This points the submodule to the specific commit associated with the release tag.
           (cd calcom && git fetch --tags origin && git checkout 'refs/tags/${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}')
+
+          # Stage and commit the change to the submodule pointer
           git add calcom
-          git commit -m "tag version Cal.com version ${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}"
+          git commit -m "Update submodule to Cal.com version ${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}"
+
+          # Push the newly created release branch to the remote Gitea repository
           git push origin 'release-${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}'
 
-      # note: instead of secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN here, we need to use a PAT 
-      #       so that the release creation triggers the image build workflow
-      - name: "Create release"
-        uses: "actions/github-script@v6"
-        with:
-          github-token: "${{ secrets.ACTIONS_ACCESS_TOKEN }}"
-          script: |
-            const isPreRelease = '${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}'.includes('-rc'); 
-            try {
-              const response = await github.rest.repos.createRelease({
-                draft: false,
-                generate_release_notes: true,
-                body: 'For Cal.com release details, see: https://github.com/calcom/cal.com/releases/tag/${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}',
-                name: '${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}',
-                target_commitish: 'release-${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}',
-                owner: context.repo.owner,
-                prerelease: isPreRelease,
-                repo: context.repo.repo,
-                tag_name: '${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}',
-              });
+      # Step 3: Call the Gitea API to create the official release object.
+      # This uses the same API token to authorize the action.
+      - name: "Create Gitea Release"
+        env:
+          GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.TOKEN_GITEA }}
+          GITEA_API_URL: ${{ gitea.instance }}/api/v1
+          OWNER: ${{ gitea.repository_owner }}
+          REPO: ${{ gitea.repository_name }}
+        run: |
+          # Determine if the tag indicates a pre-release
+          is_prerelease=false
+          if [[ "${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}" == *"-rc"* || "${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}" == *"-beta"* ]]; then
+            is_prerelease=true
+          fi
 
-              core.exportVariable('RELEASE_ID', response.data.id);
-              core.exportVariable('RELEASE_UPLOAD_URL', response.data.upload_url);
-            } catch (error) {
-              core.setFailed(error.message);
-            }
+          echo "Creating release ${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}..."
+          echo "Is prerelease: $is_prerelease"
+
+          # Use curl to send a POST request to the Gitea API's 'create release' endpoint
+          curl --fail --silent --show-error -L -X POST \
+            -H "accept: application/json" \
+            -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+            "${GITEA_API_URL}/repos/${OWNER}/${REPO}/releases" \
+            -d '{
+              "tag_name": "${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}",
+              "target_commitish": "release-${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}",
+              "name": "${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}",
+              "body": "For Cal.com release details, see: https://github.com/calcom/cal.com/releases/tag/${{ inputs.RELEASE_TAG }}",
+              "prerelease": '${is_prerelease}'
+            }'
\ No newline at end of file