diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index bf4fa82c..247e87a3 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
+      - name: 🟢 Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 20
+          cache: 'npm'
+
       # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
       # LOGGING: Registry Login Phase
       # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
@@ -57,6 +63,75 @@ jobs:
           fi
           echo ""
 
+      # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+      # LOGGING: Build Phase
+      # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+      - name: 🏗️ Build application on runner
+        run: |
+          echo "╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗"
+          echo "║ Step: Build Application on Runner                                            ║"
+          echo "╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝"
+          echo ""
+          echo "📦 Installing dependencies..."
+          npm ci
+          
+          echo "🏗️ Building Next.js application..."
+          npm run build
+        env:
+          NEXT_PUBLIC_BASE_URL: ${{ secrets.NEXT_PUBLIC_BASE_URL }}
+          NEXT_PUBLIC_UMAMI_WEBSITE_ID: ${{ secrets.NEXT_PUBLIC_UMAMI_WEBSITE_ID }}
+          NEXT_PUBLIC_UMAMI_SCRIPT_URL: ${{ secrets.NEXT_PUBLIC_UMAMI_SCRIPT_URL }}
+
+      # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+      # LOGGING: Smoke Test Phase
+      # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+      - name: 🧪 Run Smoke Test
+        run: |
+          echo "╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗"
+          echo "║ Step: Smoke Test                                                             ║"
+          echo "╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝"
+          echo ""
+          echo "🧪 Starting local smoke test to verify build integrity..."
+          
+          # Start the application in the background
+          # We use the standalone output which is what runs in production
+          export PORT=3001
+          export NODE_ENV=production
+          export NEXT_PUBLIC_BASE_URL="http://localhost:3001"
+          
+          node .next/standalone/server.js &
+          APP_PID=$!
+          
+          echo "⏳ Waiting for application to start on port 3001 (PID: $APP_PID)..."
+          
+          # Wait for health check to pass
+          MAX_RETRIES=10
+          RETRY_COUNT=0
+          SUCCESS=false
+          
+          while [ $RETRY_COUNT -lt $MAX_RETRIES ]; do
+            if curl -s http://localhost:3001/health > /dev/null; then
+              SUCCESS=true
+              break
+            fi
+            echo "  • Waiting... ($((RETRY_COUNT + 1))/$MAX_RETRIES)"
+            sleep 3
+            RETRY_COUNT=$((RETRY_COUNT + 1))
+          done
+          
+          if [ "$SUCCESS" = true ]; then
+            echo "✅ Smoke test passed: Application started successfully"
+            kill $APP_PID
+          else
+            echo "❌ Smoke test failed: Application failed to start or health check timed out"
+            echo "🔍 Application Logs:"
+            # Try to get some logs before killing
+            kill -0 $APP_PID 2>/dev/null && sleep 2
+            kill $APP_PID
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo ""
+
       # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
       # LOGGING: Build Phase
       # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
@@ -107,57 +182,6 @@ jobs:
           fi
           echo ""
 
-      # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-      # LOGGING: Smoke Test Phase
-      # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
-      - name: 🧪 Run Smoke Test
-        run: |
-          echo "╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗"
-          echo "║ Step: Smoke Test                                                             ║"
-          echo "╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝"
-          echo ""
-          echo "🧪 Starting local smoke test to verify build integrity..."
-          
-          # Start the application in the background
-          # We use the standalone output which is what runs in production
-          # We need to provide minimal env vars for it to start
-          export PORT=3001
-          export NODE_ENV=production
-          export NEXT_PUBLIC_BASE_URL="http://localhost:3001"
-          
-          node .next/standalone/server.js &
-          APP_PID=$!
-          
-          echo "⏳ Waiting for application to start on port 3001 (PID: $APP_PID)..."
-          
-          # Wait for health check to pass
-          MAX_RETRIES=10
-          RETRY_COUNT=0
-          SUCCESS=false
-          
-          while [ $RETRY_COUNT -lt $MAX_RETRIES ]; do
-            if curl -s http://localhost:3001/health > /dev/null; then
-              SUCCESS=true
-              break
-            fi
-            echo "  • Waiting... ($((RETRY_COUNT + 1))/$MAX_RETRIES)"
-            sleep 3
-            RETRY_COUNT=$((RETRY_COUNT + 1))
-          done
-          
-          if [ "$SUCCESS" = true ]; then
-            echo "✅ Smoke test passed: Application started successfully"
-            kill $APP_PID
-          else
-            echo "❌ Smoke test failed: Application failed to start or health check timed out"
-            echo "🔍 Application Logs:"
-            # Try to get some logs before killing
-            kill -0 $APP_PID 2>/dev/null && sleep 2
-            kill $APP_PID
-            exit 1
-          fi
-          echo ""
-
       # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
       # LOGGING: Deployment Phase
       # ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════