diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index cdb4af8..3adac33 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install root dependencies
         run: pnpm install --ignore-scripts
 
-      - name: Install UI dependencies
-        run: cd ui && pnpm install
-
       - name: Get version from tag
         id: version
         run: |
@@ -56,11 +53,8 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
 
-      - name: Build Angular UI
-        run: cd ui && pnpm run build
-
-      - name: Bundle UI into TypeScript
-        run: deno run --allow-all scripts/bundle-ui.ts
+      - name: Build UI
+        run: npx tsbundle
 
       - name: Compile binaries for all platforms
         run: mkdir -p dist/binaries && npx tsdeno compile
diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 04d0315..c1b66a3 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 2026-03-21 - 1.8.1 - fix(release,test)
+streamline release UI bundling and add npm fixture registry configuration
+
+- Update the release workflow to build the UI with tsbundle directly instead of installing UI-specific dependencies and running a separate bundling script
+- Add an .npmrc fixture for the demo npm package to configure the scoped registry and authentication token for local registry tests
+
 ## 2026-03-21 - 1.8.0 - feat(web)
 add public package browsing and organization redirect management
 
diff --git a/test/fixtures/npm/@stack-test/demo-package/.npmrc b/test/fixtures/npm/@stack-test/demo-package/.npmrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4486307
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/npm/@stack-test/demo-package/.npmrc
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+
+//localhost:3000/-/npm/npm-test/:_authToken=srg_4d1e0c21cc8413427aa26b0228e3ccea1b664a01c324b5878d8a4474d7107e2a
+@stack-test:registry=http://localhost:3000/-/npm/npm-test/
diff --git a/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts b/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
index fc979bd..42f4f34 100644
--- a/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
+++ b/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
  */
 export const commitinfo = {
   name: '@stack.gallery/registry',
-  version: '1.8.0',
+  version: '1.8.1',
   description: 'Enterprise-grade multi-protocol package registry'
 }
diff --git a/ts_web/00_commitinfo_data.ts b/ts_web/00_commitinfo_data.ts
index fc979bd..42f4f34 100644
--- a/ts_web/00_commitinfo_data.ts
+++ b/ts_web/00_commitinfo_data.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
  */
 export const commitinfo = {
   name: '@stack.gallery/registry',
-  version: '1.8.0',
+  version: '1.8.1',
   description: 'Enterprise-grade multi-protocol package registry'
 }