diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index c164167..a6977ff 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -118,6 +118,54 @@ jobs:
             else
               echo "Skipping translation pipeline."
             fi
+      - run:
+          name: Collect build artifacts
+          command: |
+            mkdir -p .release
+            cp gf-entries-in-excel-*.zip .release/
+      - store_artifacts:
+          path: .release
+          destination: release
+      - persist_to_workspace:
+          root: /home/circleci
+          paths:
+            - plugin/.release
+            - plugin/gf-entries-in-excel-*.zip
+
+  run_post_build_smoke:
+    <<: *default_job_config
+    machine:
+      image: default
+      docker_layer_caching: true
+    resource_class: xlarge
+    steps:
+      - attach_workspace:
+          at: /home/circleci
+      - run:
+          name: Post-build smoke
+          # Unzips .release/*.zip, restores dev deps via gktools' Docker composer,
+          # boots wp-env with retry, runs `playwright test --grep=@smoke` against
+          # the built artifact. See @gravitykit/e2e-bootstrap README for details.
+          command: |
+            npx @gravitykit/e2e-bootstrap smoke \
+              --composer-cmd "npx @gravitykit/gktools composer install"
+      - store_artifacts:
+          path: tests/E2E/results
+      - store_artifacts:
+          path: tests/E2E/report
+      - store_test_results:
+          path: tests/E2E/results/junit.xml
+
+  publish_release:
+    <<: *default_job_config
+    steps:
+      - attach_workspace:
+          at: /home/circleci
+      - run:
+          name: Configure git
+          command: |
+            git config user.email "support@gravitykit.com"
+            git config user.name "GravityKit - CI"
       - run:
           name: Create GitHub release
           command: npx @gravitykit/gktools release
@@ -127,14 +175,6 @@ jobs:
             if ! git log -1 --pretty=%B | grep -iq "\[skip notify\]"; then
               npx @gravitykit/gktools announce
             fi
-      - run:
-          name: Collect build artifacts
-          command: |
-            mkdir -p .release
-            cp gf-entries-in-excel-*.zip .release/ 2>/dev/null || true
-      - store_artifacts:
-          path: .release
-          destination: release
 
 workflows:
   version: 2
@@ -148,3 +188,11 @@ workflows:
           <<: *context
           requires:
             - prepare
+      - run_post_build_smoke:
+          <<: *context
+          requires:
+            - build_package_release
+      - publish_release:
+          <<: *context
+          requires:
+            - run_post_build_smoke
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 834f96e..435a8ec 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
       "version": "1.0.0",
       "license": "GPL-2.0",
       "devDependencies": {
-        "@gravitykit/e2e-bootstrap": "^1.0.0",
+        "@gravitykit/e2e-bootstrap": "^1.1.0",
         "@playwright/test": "1.56.1",
         "@wordpress/env": "^10.0.0",
         "grunt": "^1.5.3",
@@ -18,15 +18,18 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@gravitykit/e2e-bootstrap": {
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "resolved": "https://npm.pkg.github.com/download/@gravitykit/e2e-bootstrap/1.0.0/4f5bef34f2b159367dbc43bbb46e02e1de39f579",
-      "integrity": "sha512-fSsX3g5iLy3p6UuuV8qsihqlqdq6LsxkcmQGRC90xd3s85Ve1GwSkC766XmvWIGHtTTZBP0WwJmgykrLJTSAfw==",
+      "version": "1.1.0",
+      "resolved": "https://npm.pkg.github.com/download/@gravitykit/e2e-bootstrap/1.1.0/d14bcc5d6e2b8e4a37e0ae43497895a41710473c",
+      "integrity": "sha512-TCUlswVxxcOI7ItXeO/3eXZyJhLzxZk9hYuekZW/GdU+Arf1GPbn6Pj1DGbGU9Cgg7rmDf9Qrl9Xas6nf7FNWQ==",
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@gravitykit/e2e-fixtures": "^1.2.0",
         "dotenv": "^16.4.5"
       },
+      "bin": {
+        "e2e-bootstrap": "bin/cli.js"
+      },
       "peerDependencies": {
         "@playwright/test": ">=1.56.0",
         "@wordpress/env": ">=10.0.0"
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2ad45d7..ce61341 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     "tests:e2e:run": "playwright test --config=tests/E2E/setup/playwright.config.js"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
-    "@gravitykit/e2e-bootstrap": "^1.0.0",
+    "@gravitykit/e2e-bootstrap": "^1.1.0",
     "@playwright/test": "1.56.1",
     "@wordpress/env": "^10.0.0",
     "grunt": "^1.5.3",
diff --git a/tests/E2E/tests/activation.spec.js b/tests/E2E/tests/activation.spec.js
index bead7b7..e8d2d66 100644
--- a/tests/E2E/tests/activation.spec.js
+++ b/tests/E2E/tests/activation.spec.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 const { test, expect } = require('@playwright/test');
 
-test.describe('GravityExport Lite — Activation Smoke Test', () => {
+test.describe('GravityExport Lite — Activation Smoke Test @smoke', () => {
 
 	test('Plugin activates without fatal PHP errors', async ({ page } ) => {
 		await page.goto('/wp-admin/plugins.php');