diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 33177cfc0ec4c..54be22db3f563 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -135,6 +135,9 @@ jobs:
                 target="${{ matrix.target }}"
                 flags=()
 
+                # TODO: default GHA runners run out of RAM when building with any debug info
+                export CARGO_PROFILE_release_DEBUG=0
+
                 # `keccak-asm` does not support MSVC or aarch64 Linux.
                 [[ "$target" != *msvc* && "$target" != "aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu" ]] && flags+=(--features=asm-keccak)
 
@@ -144,7 +147,6 @@ jobs:
                 [[ "$target" == *windows* ]] && exe=".exe"
 
                 cargo build --release --bins --target "${{ matrix.target }}" "${flags[@]}"
-                code=$?
 
                 for name in (anvil cast chisel forge); do
                   bin=./target/${{ matrix.target }}/release/$name$exe
@@ -153,8 +155,6 @@ jobs:
                   $bin --version
                 done
 
-                exit $code
-
             - name: Archive binaries
               id: artifacts
               env: