diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-release.yml
index 712b9c5..3404327 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-release.yml
@@ -56,18 +56,22 @@ jobs:
         if: steps.version-check.outputs.SKIP == 'false'
         run: npm ci --legacy-peer-deps
 
+      - name: Ensure Electron Linux binary
+        if: steps.version-check.outputs.SKIP == 'false'
+        run: |
+          if [ ! -f node_modules/electron/dist/electron ]; then
+            echo "Electron Linux binary not found in dist/, triggering download..."
+            node node_modules/electron/install.js
+          fi
+          echo "=== Electron binaries ==="
+          echo "dist/electron: $(ls -lh node_modules/electron/dist/electron 2>/dev/null || echo MISSING)"
+          echo "dist-win/electron.exe: $(ls -lh node_modules/electron/dist-win/electron.exe 2>/dev/null || echo MISSING)"
+          echo "path.txt: $(cat node_modules/electron/path.txt 2>/dev/null || echo MISSING)"
+
       - name: Build source
         if: steps.version-check.outputs.SKIP == 'false'
         run: npm run build
 
-      - name: Verify Electron binaries
-        if: steps.version-check.outputs.SKIP == 'false'
-        run: |
-          echo "=== Electron dist (stock, for Linux build) ==="
-          ls node_modules/electron/dist/electron 2>/dev/null && echo "OK" || echo "MISSING"
-          echo "=== Electron dist-win (patched, for Windows build) ==="
-          ls node_modules/electron/dist-win/electron.exe 2>/dev/null && echo "OK" || echo "MISSING"
-
       - name: Build Windows distributables
         if: steps.version-check.outputs.SKIP == 'false'
         env:
@@ -76,7 +80,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Build Linux distributables
         if: steps.version-check.outputs.SKIP == 'false'
-        run: npx electron-builder --linux --publish never
+        run: npx electron-builder --linux -c.electronDist=node_modules/electron/dist --publish never
 
       - name: Report build sizes
         if: steps.version-check.outputs.SKIP == 'false'
diff --git a/electron-builder.yml b/electron-builder.yml
index a1ee34a..9f71f52 100644
--- a/electron-builder.yml
+++ b/electron-builder.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 appId: com.krunkercivilian.client
 productName: Krunker Civilian Client
-electronDist: node_modules/electron/dist
 directories:
   output: out
   buildResources: build
diff --git a/scripts/download-electron.js b/scripts/download-electron.js
index 68d9936..87cb720 100644
--- a/scripts/download-electron.js
+++ b/scripts/download-electron.js
@@ -151,11 +151,8 @@ async function main() {
 
     // Write path.txt so the electron package's lazy downloader (index.js)
     // considers the binary already installed and doesn't re-download stock.
-    // On non-Windows (CI cross-compilation), skip this so electron-nightly still
-    // downloads the native Linux binary into dist/ for the Linux build target.
-    if (IS_WIN) {
-        fs.writeFileSync(path.join(ELECTRON_DIST, '..', 'path.txt'), 'electron.exe');
-    }
+    const platformExe = IS_WIN ? 'electron.exe' : 'electron';
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(ELECTRON_DIST, '..', 'path.txt'), platformExe);
 
     // Write marker and verify
     if (fs.existsSync(VERSION_FILE)) {