diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index f7ed398..3cde192 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -27,14 +27,16 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      # Buckets 1-8 compile with a JDK 21 toolchain; 26.2 needs JDK 25, which
-      # Gradle provisions on its own through the foojay resolver in
-      # settings.gradle -- the same mechanism a local build uses.
-      - name: Set up JDK 21
+      # Loom checks the Minecraft jar against the Gradle JVM at configuration
+      # time, and 26.2's jar requires Java 25 -- so Gradle itself has to run on
+      # 25. The JDK 21 toolchain the other buckets and the shared modules
+      # compile with is provisioned by Gradle through the foojay resolver in
+      # settings.gradle, the same mechanism a local build uses.
+      - name: Set up JDK 25
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
           distribution: temurin
-          java-version: '21'
+          java-version: '25'
 
       - name: Set up Gradle
         uses: gradle/actions/setup-gradle@v4