diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index a5defad..d230683 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-# Automatically build the project and run any configured tests for every push
-# and submitted pull request. This can help catch issues that only occur on
-# certain platforms or Java versions, and provides a first line of defence
-# against bad commits.
-
 name: build
-on: [pull_request, push]
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - master
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - master
 
 jobs:
   build:
@@ -12,19 +13,51 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
       - name: validate gradle wrapper
         uses: gradle/actions/wrapper-validation@v4
+
       - name: setup jdk
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
           java-version: '21'
           distribution: 'microsoft'
+
       - name: make gradle wrapper executable
         run: chmod +x ./gradlew
+
       - name: build
         run: ./gradlew build
+
       - name: capture build artifacts
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: Artifacts
-          path: build/libs/
+          path: build/libs/*.jar
+          
+      - name: read gradle.properties release flags
+        id: release_props
+        if: github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/master'
+        run: |
+          SHOULD_RELEASE=$(grep -Po '^shouldRelease=.*' gradle.properties | cut -d= -f2 | xargs)
+
+          if [ "$SHOULD_RELEASE" != "true" ]; then
+            echo "shouldRelease is false — skipping release"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+
+          MOD_VERSION=$(grep -Po '^modVersion=.*' gradle.properties | cut -d= -f2 | xargs)
+
+          echo "SHOULD_RELEASE=$SHOULD_RELEASE" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "MOD_VERSION=$MOD_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: create GitHub release
+        if: steps.release_props.outputs.SHOULD_RELEASE == 'true'
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
+        with:
+          tag_name: v${{ steps.release_props.outputs.MOD_VERSION }}
+          name: Cobalt ${{ steps.release_props.outputs.MOD_VERSION }}
+          files: build/libs/*.jar
+          body: ${{ github.event.head_commit.message }}
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}