diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index e8dfd91..dcc0a26 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -10,17 +10,10 @@ jobs:
   build-and-deploy:
     name: Build & Deploy
     runs-on: vps-runner
+
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
-        with:
-          node-version: 22
-          cache: npm
-          cache-dependency-path: |
-            backend/package-lock.json
-            frontend/package-lock.json
-
       # ── Backend ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
       - name: Install & build backend
         working-directory: backend
@@ -29,6 +22,7 @@ jobs:
           npm run build
 
       - name: Deploy backend
+        if: github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
         run: |
           mkdir -p /var/www/originsdigital/backend
           rsync -a --delete backend/dist/ /var/www/originsdigital/backend/dist/
@@ -37,7 +31,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Restart pm2
         if: github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
-        run: pm2 restart originsdigital-backend || pm2 start /var/www/originsdigital/backend/dist/index.js --name originsdigital-backend
+        run: |
+          pm2 restart originsdigital-backend || pm2 start /var/www/originsdigital/backend/dist/index.js --name originsdigital-backend
+          pm2 save
 
       # ── Frontend ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
       - name: Install & build frontend
@@ -54,3 +50,11 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           mkdir -p /var/www/originsdigital/frontend/dist
           rsync -a --delete frontend/dist/ /var/www/originsdigital/frontend/dist/
+
+      # ── Smoke test ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+      - name: Smoke test API
+        if: github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
+        run: |
+          sleep 3
+          curl -sf http://localhost:4001/api/health | grep -q '"ok"'
+          echo "✅ API health OK"