diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index 61fda10..82adc67 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,13 @@ jobs:
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
+      - name: Set up Java 17
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+        with:
+          distribution: temurin
+          java-version: "17"
+          cache: gradle
+
       - name: Build, sign, and publish release
         shell: bash
         run: |
diff --git a/tests/release-scripts.test.sh b/tests/release-scripts.test.sh
index 6dca8c4..64deff2 100755
--- a/tests/release-scripts.test.sh
+++ b/tests/release-scripts.test.sh
@@ -681,6 +681,8 @@ test_release_workflow_uses_scoped_job_token() (
   grep -Fqx '  releases: write' "$workflow"
   grep -Fq 'GITEA_BASE_URL: ${{ github.server_url }}' "$workflow"
   grep -Fq 'GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITEA_TOKEN }}' "$workflow"
+  grep -Fq 'uses: actions/setup-java@v4' "$workflow"
+  grep -Fq 'java-version: "17"' "$workflow"
   ! grep -Fq 'RELEASE_GITEA_TOKEN' "$workflow"
   ! grep -Fq 'vars.GITEA_BASE_URL' "$workflow"
 )