diff --git a/.mokogitea/workflows/pr-rc-release.yml b/.mokogitea/workflows/pr-rc-release.yml
index 3fe157b744..300c4d42be 100644
--- a/.mokogitea/workflows/pr-rc-release.yml
+++ b/.mokogitea/workflows/pr-rc-release.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
 # BRIEF: Auto-build RC release on PR to main, update RC update stream
 
-name: "PR: RC Release"
+name: "PR RC Release"
 
 on:
   pull_request:
@@ -23,12 +23,13 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Check target branch
         id: guard
+        env:
+          BASE_BRANCH: ${{ github.base_ref }}
         run: |
-          BASE="${{ github.base_ref }}"
-          echo "PR target: ${BASE}"
-          if [ "$BASE" != "main" ]; then
+          echo "PR target: ${BASE_BRANCH}"
+          if [ "$BASE_BRANCH" != "main" ]; then
             echo "skip=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-            echo "Skipping — RC releases only for PRs targeting main"
+            echo "Skipping RC — only for PRs targeting main"
           else
             echo "skip=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           fi
@@ -46,15 +47,12 @@ jobs:
         env:
           PR_NUMBER: ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
         run: |
-          # Read current version from updates.xml
           BASE_VERSION=$(sed -n 's/.*<version>\(.*\)<\/version>.*/\1/p' updates.xml | head -1)
           [ -z "$BASE_VERSION" ] && BASE_VERSION="04.00.00"
-
           RC_VERSION="${BASE_VERSION}-rc.${PR_NUMBER}"
           RC_TAG="v1.26.1-moko.${RC_VERSION}"
           echo "version=$RC_VERSION" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           echo "tag=$RC_TAG" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-          echo "base=$BASE_VERSION" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           echo "RC version: $RC_VERSION (tag: $RC_TAG)"
 
       - name: Update updates.xml RC channel
@@ -63,46 +61,49 @@ jobs:
           RC_VERSION: ${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
           RC_TAG: ${{ steps.version.outputs.tag }}
           PR_URL: ${{ github.event.pull_request.html_url }}
+          PR_NUM: ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
         run: |
           DOCKER_TAG="${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE}:${RC_TAG}"
 
-          # Build the RC update entry
-          cat > /tmp/rc_entry.xml <<XMLEOF
-  <update>
-    <name>MokoGitea</name>
-    <description>MokoGitea RC from PR #${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}</description>
-    <element>mokogitea</element>
-    <type>application</type>
-    <version>${RC_VERSION}</version>
-    <client>server</client>
-    <tags><tag>rc</tag></tags>
-    <infourl title="MokoGitea RC">${PR_URL}</infourl>
-    <downloads>
-      <downloadurl type="full" format="docker">${DOCKER_TAG}</downloadurl>
-    </downloads>
-    <sha256></sha256>
-    <targetplatform name="mokogitea" version="((1\\.25\\.)|(1\\.26\\.))" />
-    <maintainer>Moko Consulting</maintainer>
-    <maintainerurl>https://mokoconsulting.tech</maintainerurl>
-  </update>
-          XMLEOF
+          python3 << 'PYEOF'
+          import os, re
 
-          # Remove existing RC entry if present
-          if grep -q '<tag>rc</tag>' updates.xml; then
-            python3 -c "
-          import re, sys
-          content = open('updates.xml').read()
-          # Remove RC update block
-          content = re.sub(r'\s*<update>\s*\n(?:[^<]|<(?!/update>))*<tag>rc</tag>(?:[^<]|<(?!/update>))*</update>', '', content)
-          open('updates.xml', 'w').write(content)
-          "
-          fi
+          rc_version = os.environ["RC_VERSION"]
+          rc_tag = os.environ["RC_TAG"]
+          pr_url = os.environ["PR_URL"]
+          pr_num = os.environ["PR_NUM"]
+          docker_tag = os.environ["REGISTRY"] + "/" + os.environ["IMAGE"] + ":" + rc_tag
 
-          # Insert RC entry before </updates>
-          sed -i "/<\/updates>/e cat /tmp/rc_entry.xml" updates.xml
+          entry = f"""  <update>
+            <name>MokoGitea</name>
+            <description>MokoGitea RC from PR #{pr_num}</description>
+            <element>mokogitea</element>
+            <type>application</type>
+            <version>{rc_version}</version>
+            <client>server</client>
+            <tags><tag>rc</tag></tags>
+            <infourl title="MokoGitea RC">{pr_url}</infourl>
+            <downloads>
+              <downloadurl type="full" format="docker">{docker_tag}</downloadurl>
+            </downloads>
+            <sha256></sha256>
+            <targetplatform name="mokogitea" version="((1\\.25\\.)|(1\\.26\\.))" />
+            <maintainer>Moko Consulting</maintainer>
+            <maintainerurl>https://mokoconsulting.tech</maintainerurl>
+          </update>"""
 
-          echo "Updated updates.xml with RC entry"
-          grep -A2 '<tag>rc</tag>' updates.xml || echo "WARNING: RC entry not found after update"
+          content = open("updates.xml").read()
+          # Remove existing RC entry
+          content = re.sub(
+              r"\s*<update>[\s\S]*?<tag>rc</tag>[\s\S]*?</update>",
+              "",
+              content,
+          )
+          # Insert before </updates>
+          content = content.replace("</updates>", entry + "\n</updates>")
+          open("updates.xml", "w").write(content)
+          print(f"Updated updates.xml with RC entry: {rc_version}")
+          PYEOF
 
       - name: Create RC release
         if: steps.guard.outputs.skip != 'true'
@@ -113,40 +114,50 @@ jobs:
           PR_TITLE: ${{ github.event.pull_request.title }}
           PR_URL: ${{ github.event.pull_request.html_url }}
           PR_NUMBER: ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
+          HEAD_SHA: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
+          API_BASE: https://${{ env.REGISTRY }}/api/v1/repos/${{ github.repository }}
         run: |
-          API="https://${REGISTRY}/api/v1/repos/${{ github.repository }}"
-
-          # Delete existing RC release if present
-          curl -s -X DELETE \
-            -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
-            "${API}/releases/tags/${RC_TAG}" 2>/dev/null || true
-
-          # Delete existing tag
-          curl -s -X DELETE \
-            -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
-            "${API}/tags/${RC_TAG}" 2>/dev/null || true
+          # Delete existing RC release/tag if present
+          curl -s -X DELETE -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+            "${API_BASE}/releases/tags/${RC_TAG}" 2>/dev/null || true
+          curl -s -X DELETE -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+            "${API_BASE}/tags/${RC_TAG}" 2>/dev/null || true
 
           # Create prerelease
-          curl -sf -X POST \
-            -H "Authorization: token ${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
-            -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-            "${API}/releases" \
-            -d "{
-              \"tag_name\": \"${RC_TAG}\",
-              \"target_commitish\": \"${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}\",
-              \"name\": \"RC: ${PR_TITLE}\",
-              \"body\": \"Release candidate from PR #${PR_NUMBER}\\n\\nPR: ${PR_URL}\\nDocker: docker pull ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE}:${RC_TAG}\",
-              \"draft\": false,
-              \"prerelease\": true
-            }" > /dev/null
+          python3 << PYEOF
+          import json, os, urllib.request
 
-          echo "Created RC release: ${RC_TAG}"
-          echo "Docker: ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE}:${RC_TAG}"
+          api = os.environ["API_BASE"]
+          token = os.environ["GITEA_TOKEN"]
+          payload = json.dumps({
+              "tag_name": os.environ["RC_TAG"],
+              "target_commitish": os.environ["HEAD_SHA"],
+              "name": f"RC: {os.environ['PR_TITLE']}",
+              "body": f"Release candidate from PR #{os.environ['PR_NUMBER']}\n\nPR: {os.environ['PR_URL']}\nDocker: docker pull {os.environ['REGISTRY']}/{os.environ['IMAGE']}:{os.environ['RC_TAG']}",
+              "draft": False,
+              "prerelease": True,
+          }).encode()
+
+          req = urllib.request.Request(
+              f"{api}/releases",
+              data=payload,
+              headers={
+                  "Authorization": f"token {token}",
+                  "Content-Type": "application/json",
+              },
+              method="POST",
+          )
+          with urllib.request.urlopen(req) as resp:
+              result = json.loads(resp.read())
+              print(f"Created RC release: {result.get('tag_name')}")
+          PYEOF
 
       - name: Commit updates.xml
         if: steps.guard.outputs.skip != 'true'
         env:
           GITEA_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GA_TOKEN }}
+          HEAD_REF: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
+          PR_NUM: ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
         run: |
           git config user.name "MokoGitea Bot"
           git config user.email "deploy@mokoconsulting.tech"
@@ -154,6 +165,6 @@ jobs:
           if git diff --cached --quiet; then
             echo "No changes to updates.xml"
           else
-            git commit -m "chore(ci): update RC stream for PR #${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}"
-            git push origin HEAD:${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }} || echo "Push failed — may need token with push scope"
+            git commit -m "chore(ci): update RC stream for PR #${PR_NUM}"
+            git push origin "HEAD:${HEAD_REF}" || echo "Push failed"
           fi
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2b74d30597..a493f375ae 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5852,3 +5852,4 @@ Key highlights of this release encompass significant changes categorized under `
 ## Archived releases
 
 * [CHANGELOG-archived.md](CHANGELOG-archived.md)
+# PR RC Workflow Test
diff --git a/updates.xml b/updates.xml
index 7ca8ca7ed0..28bdb0ba1d 100644
--- a/updates.xml
+++ b/updates.xml
@@ -56,4 +56,21 @@
     <maintainer>Moko Consulting</maintainer>
     <maintainerurl>https://mokoconsulting.tech</maintainerurl>
   </update>
+  <update>
+  <name>MokoGitea</name>
+  <description>MokoGitea RC from PR #170</description>
+  <element>mokogitea</element>
+  <type>application</type>
+  <version>04.01.00-rc.170</version>
+  <client>server</client>
+  <tags><tag>rc</tag></tags>
+  <infourl title="MokoGitea RC">https://git.mokoconsulting.tech/MokoConsulting/MokoGitea/pulls/170</infourl>
+  <downloads>
+    <downloadurl type="full" format="docker">git.mokoconsulting.tech/mokoconsulting/mokogitea:v1.26.1-moko.04.01.00-rc.170</downloadurl>
+  </downloads>
+  <sha256></sha256>
+  <targetplatform name="mokogitea" version="((1\.25\.)|(1\.26\.))" />
+  <maintainer>Moko Consulting</maintainer>
+  <maintainerurl>https://mokoconsulting.tech</maintainerurl>
+</update>
 </updates>