diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/ci.yml b/.forgejo/workflows/ci.yml
index 994bcdc..50d88e4 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -51,8 +51,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
           node-version: "22"
-          cache: "npm"
-          cache-dependency-path: frontend/package-lock.json
 
       - name: Install dependencies
         working-directory: frontend
@@ -94,38 +92,67 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -Eeuo pipefail
 
+          docker rm --force paperjet-ci >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+
           docker run \
             --detach \
             --name paperjet-ci \
-            --publish 18080:80 \
             --env PAPERJET_SECRET_KEY=ci-only-secret \
             --env PAPERJET_COOKIE_SECURE=false \
             --env PAPERJET_DEBUG=false \
             paperjet:ci
 
           cleanup() {
+            echo "----- PaperJet container logs -----"
+            docker logs paperjet-ci || true
             docker rm --force paperjet-ci >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
           }
           trap cleanup EXIT
 
-          curl --fail --retry 30 --retry-delay 1 --retry-connrefused \
-            http://127.0.0.1:18080/
-          curl --fail --retry 30 --retry-delay 1 --retry-connrefused \
-            http://127.0.0.1:18080/api/v1/health
+          for attempt in $(seq 1 30); do
+            running=$(docker inspect --format '{{.State.Running}}' paperjet-ci 2>/dev/null || true)
+            if [ "$running" != "true" ]; then
+              echo "PaperJet container exited before becoming ready"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+
+            if docker exec paperjet-ci \
+              python -c "import urllib.request; response = urllib.request.urlopen('http://127.0.0.1/', timeout=2); assert response.status == 200" \
+              >/dev/null 2>&1 \
+              && docker exec paperjet-ci \
+                python -c "import urllib.request; response = urllib.request.urlopen('http://127.0.0.1/api/v1/health', timeout=2); assert response.status == 200" \
+                >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+              break
+            fi
+
+            sleep 1
+          done
+
+          running=$(docker inspect --format '{{.State.Running}}' paperjet-ci)
+          if [ "$running" != "true" ]; then
+            echo "PaperJet container did not become ready within 30 seconds"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          docker exec paperjet-ci \
+            python -c "import urllib.request; response = urllib.request.urlopen('http://127.0.0.1/', timeout=2); assert response.status == 200"
+          docker exec paperjet-ci \
+            python -c "import urllib.request; response = urllib.request.urlopen('http://127.0.0.1/api/v1/health', timeout=2); assert response.status == 200"
 
           for attempt in $(seq 1 30); do
             status=$(docker inspect --format '{{.State.Health.Status}}' paperjet-ci)
             if [ "$status" = "healthy" ]; then
+              echo "PaperJet smoke test passed"
               exit 0
             fi
             if [ "$status" = "unhealthy" ]; then
-              docker logs paperjet-ci
+              echo "PaperJet container healthcheck reported unhealthy"
               exit 1
             fi
             sleep 1
           done
 
-          docker logs paperjet-ci
+          echo "PaperJet container did not become healthy within 30 seconds"
           exit 1
 
       - name: Log into Local Registry