diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index c8c6cc6..8c9fbca 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -61,7 +61,10 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: release-jvm-workdir
-          path: .
+          include-hidden-files: true
+          path: |
+            .
+            !.git/
           retention-days: 7
 
   release-js:
@@ -101,12 +104,17 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: release-js-workdir
-          path: .
+          include-hidden-files: true
+          path: |
+            .
+            !.git/
           retention-days: 7
 
   create-github-release:
     name: Create GitHub release (draft)
-    needs: release-js
+    needs:
+      - release-jvm
+      - release-js
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 2
     environment:
@@ -163,9 +171,6 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 5
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
       - name: Download artifact
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
@@ -188,9 +193,6 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-24-arm-2-cores
     timeout-minutes: 5
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
       - name: Download artifact
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
@@ -213,9 +215,6 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: macos-13
     timeout-minutes: 5
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
       - name: Download artifact
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
@@ -238,9 +237,6 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: macos-14
     timeout-minutes: 5
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
       - name: Download artifact
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
@@ -263,9 +259,6 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: windows-latest
     timeout-minutes: 5
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
       - name: Download artifact
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
diff --git a/js/cli/.npmignore b/js/cli/.npmignore
index 40b4068..f42c71b 100644
--- a/js/cli/.npmignore
+++ b/js/cli/.npmignore
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@
 !/target/**
 !/polyfills/**
 !/package.json
+!/README.md
diff --git a/js/core/.npmignore b/js/core/.npmignore
index 58911bd..d20718d 100644
--- a/js/core/.npmignore
+++ b/js/core/.npmignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 *
 !/target/**
 !/package.json
+!/README.md
diff --git a/js/http/.npmignore b/js/http/.npmignore
index 58911bd..d20718d 100644
--- a/js/http/.npmignore
+++ b/js/http/.npmignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 *
 !/target/**
 !/package.json
+!/README.md
diff --git a/js/jvm-types/.npmignore b/js/jvm-types/.npmignore
index 04a0206..581eb2c 100644
--- a/js/jvm-types/.npmignore
+++ b/js/jvm-types/.npmignore
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@
 !/**/*.js
 !/**/*.d.ts
 !/package.json
+!/README.md