diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/build.yml b/.forgejo/workflows/build.yml
index 929f8df..1f44141 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/build.yml
@@ -25,11 +25,16 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Build Debian package
         run: |
-          mkdir -p build/"$BRANCH"
+          mkdir -p build/"$BRANCH"/staging
           SHORT_HASH=$(echo "$COMMIT" | cut -c1-7)
           PKG_NAME="fahclient-${BRANCH}-${SHORT_HASH}.deb"
-          dpkg-deb --build . build/"$BRANCH"/"$PKG_NAME"
-          echo "🎉 Built $PKG_NAME"
+
+          # Copy only actual package data, excluding Git/CI junk
+          rsync -a --exclude='.git*' --exclude='build' --exclude='.forgejo' ./ build/"$BRANCH"/staging/
+
+          # Build from clean staging dir
+          dpkg-deb --build build/"$BRANCH"/staging build/"$BRANCH"/"$PKG_NAME"
+          echo "🎉 Built $PKG_NAME from clean staging directory"
 
       - name: Verify package
         run: |