diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 9ba8f7d..0e3e933 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -23,9 +23,14 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
 
       - name: Set up Node.js
+        # Pinned to 22 (not 24): electron-forge 7.11.2 (latest stable) silently
+        # fails to run the makers under Node 24.x — `make` stops after packaging
+        # and emits no .dmg/.zip, so the release produces no installers. Node 22
+        # builds them correctly. Revisit when a stable electron-forge supports
+        # Node 24 (only 8.0.0-alpha does today).
         uses: actions/setup-node@v6
         with:
-          node-version: '24'
+          node-version: '22'
 
       - name: Set version in package.json
         run: npm version ${{ inputs.version }} --no-git-tag-version
diff --git a/CHANGES/2026-06-04_ci-release-node-22.md b/CHANGES/2026-06-04_ci-release-node-22.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..759dad9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGES/2026-06-04_ci-release-node-22.md
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# ci: pin release build to Node 22 (real fix for empty release artifacts)
+
+**Date:** 2026-06-04
+**Type:** CI
+
+## Intent
+The v0.0.20 release produced no installers: the macOS build jobs succeeded but
+emitted no `.dmg`/`.zip`, so "Create Release" failed downloading missing
+artifacts. Root cause (reproduced locally both ways): **electron-forge 7.11.2
+(latest stable) silently fails under Node 24.x** — `electron-forge make` runs the
+package phase, stops at "Finalizing package", never runs the makers, and exits 0
+with an empty `out/make`. Under **Node 22** the same code + deps produce the
+dmg/zip. The earlier electron 42→41 pin (#119) was a misdiagnosis: electron was
+never the cause (v0.0.19 shipped on electron 42.2.0); both 41 and 42 build fine
+on Node 22 and both fail on Node 24.
+
+`ci.yml` never runs `electron-forge make`, so this only surfaced at release time.
+No stable electron-forge supports Node 24 yet (only 8.0.0-alpha targets it), so
+pinning the release build to Node 22 is the robust fix.
+
+### Prompts summary
+1. After two failed release attempts, investigated the Node 24 packaging break and chose to pin the release build to Node 22 and restore electron to ^42.
+
+## Changes
+
+### `.github/workflows/release.yml`
+- Build job `setup-node` `node-version` `'24'` → `'22'` (with a comment explaining why).
+
+### `package.json` / `package-lock.json`
+- Restore `electron` `^41.7.1` → `^42.0.0` (reverts the #119 pin; resolves 42.3.3).
+
+## Verification
+- Locally, `npm ci` + `npx electron-forge make --arch=arm64` on **Node 22 +
+  electron 42.3.3** runs both makers and produces `out/make/PapaStudio.dmg` and
+  the arm64 zip. On Node 24 the same setup produces nothing.
+
+## Files modified
+
+| File | Change |
+|------|--------|
+| `.github/workflows/release.yml` | Pin release build to Node 22 |
+| `package.json` | Restore `electron` to `^42.0.0` |
+| `package-lock.json` | Regenerated for electron 42.3.3 |
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 57a150b..bb52a9d 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
         "@electron-forge/maker-dmg": "^7.11.1",
         "@electron-forge/maker-zip": "^7.11.1",
         "@playwright/test": "1.60.0",
-        "electron": "^42.0.0"
+        "electron": "^42.3.3"
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@electron-forge/cli": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index af93afc..df3c9a9 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -25,6 +25,6 @@
     "@electron-forge/maker-dmg": "^7.11.1",
     "@electron-forge/maker-zip": "^7.11.1",
     "@playwright/test": "1.60.0",
-    "electron": "^42.0.0"
+    "electron": "^42.3.3"
   }
 }