diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 5cc0a1d..e32de0e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -115,11 +115,15 @@ jobs:
           cp artifacts/thefeed-client-android-arm64 android/app/src/main/jniLibs/arm64-v8a/libthefeed.so
 
       - name: Decode signing keystore
-        if: env.KEYSTORE_BASE64 != ''
         env:
           KEYSTORE_BASE64: ${{ secrets.KEYSTORE_BASE64 }}
         run: |
-          echo "$KEYSTORE_BASE64" | base64 -d > android/app/keystore.jks
+          if [ -n "$KEYSTORE_BASE64" ]; then
+            echo "$KEYSTORE_BASE64" | base64 -d > android/app/keystore.jks
+            echo "Keystore decoded successfully"
+          else
+            echo "No KEYSTORE_BASE64 secret set — will use debug signing"
+          fi
 
       - name: Set up Java
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
diff --git a/android/app/build.gradle b/android/app/build.gradle
index 3b2b290..bba1c5a 100644
--- a/android/app/build.gradle
+++ b/android/app/build.gradle
@@ -37,14 +37,19 @@ android {
         // For CI: override with env vars KEYSTORE_BASE64, KEYSTORE_PASSWORD, KEY_ALIAS, KEY_PASSWORD
         release {
             def ksFile = file("keystore.jks")
-            def ksBase64 = System.getenv("KEYSTORE_BASE64")
-            if (ksBase64) {
-                ksFile.bytes = Base64.decoder.decode(ksBase64)
+            if (ksFile.exists()) {
+                storeFile ksFile
+                storePassword System.getenv("KEYSTORE_PASSWORD") ?: "thefeed123"
+                keyAlias System.getenv("KEY_ALIAS") ?: "thefeed"
+                keyPassword System.getenv("KEY_PASSWORD") ?: "thefeed123"
+            } else {
+                // Fallback to debug keystore for consistent local/CI builds without the project keystore
+                def debugKs = new File(System.getProperty("user.home"), ".android/debug.keystore")
+                storeFile debugKs
+                storePassword "android"
+                keyAlias "androiddebugkey"
+                keyPassword "android"
             }
-            storeFile ksFile
-            storePassword System.getenv("KEYSTORE_PASSWORD") ?: "thefeed123"
-            keyAlias System.getenv("KEY_ALIAS") ?: "thefeed"
-            keyPassword System.getenv("KEY_PASSWORD") ?: "thefeed123"
         }
     }