diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/build-server.yml b/.gitea/workflows/build-server.yml
index 822ae47..d7f30ad 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/build-server.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/build-server.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Server CI: tests on every push touching server/; on server-v* tags builds
+# Server RELEASE: on server-v* tags builds
 # and pushes the container image to the Gitea registry AND attaches static
 # binaries to a Gitea release (the artifact --self-update consumes).
 #
@@ -8,26 +8,13 @@
 # Required secrets: none beyond the built-in GITHUB_TOKEN — it can push to
 # the registry of its own repo and create releases.
 
-name: server
+name: server-release
 on:
   push:
-    paths: ["server/**", ".gitea/workflows/build-server.yml"]
     tags: ["server-v*.*.*"]
 
 jobs:
-  test:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    defaults: { run: { working-directory: server } }
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
-        with: { go-version: "1.26", cache-dependency-path: server/go.mod }
-      - run: go vet ./...
-      - run: go test ./...
-
   release:
-    if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/server-v')
-    needs: test
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/test-server.yml b/.gitea/workflows/test-server.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b16bbca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/test-server.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Runs the server tests on every branch push touching server/.
+# Release builds live in build-server.yml (server-v* tags) — kept separate
+# because mixing `paths` and `tags` filters under one `push` trigger makes
+# branch pushes stop matching (tags-only semantics).
+
+name: server-test
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [main, master]
+    paths: ["server/**", ".gitea/workflows/test-server.yml"]
+
+jobs:
+  test:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    defaults: { run: { working-directory: server } }
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+        with: { go-version: "1.26", cache-dependency-path: server/go.mod }
+      - run: go vet ./...
+      - run: go test ./...