diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index c2f70997..e57bce54 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@ concurrency:
 env:
   # element-call's build:full sets 16384 already; keep parity for safety.
   NODE_OPTIONS: "--max-old-space-size=16384"
-  # Stamp the build so analytics/rageshakes aren't labelled "dev".
-  VITE_APP_VERSION: ${{ github.ref_name }}
 
 jobs:
   build:
@@ -86,6 +84,12 @@ jobs:
         # Stage it into embedded/web/dist — the publish template's "files" entry
         # — so the smoke-check and npm publish both see the bundle.
         # (embedded/web/dist is gitignored, hence the explicit copy.)
+        # VITE_APP_VERSION stamps the bundle so analytics/rageshakes aren't
+        # labelled "dev". Scoped to the build step only: at workflow level it
+        # also reached the unit tests, whose DeveloperSettingsTab snapshot
+        # expects the unset ("dev") value (run #1859).
+        env:
+          VITE_APP_VERSION: ${{ github.ref_name }}
         run: |
           pnpm run build:embedded
           rm -rf embedded/web/dist
@@ -151,6 +155,12 @@ jobs:
         # Stage it into embedded/web/dist — the publish template's "files" entry
         # — so the smoke-check and npm publish both see the bundle.
         # (embedded/web/dist is gitignored, hence the explicit copy.)
+        # VITE_APP_VERSION stamps the bundle so analytics/rageshakes aren't
+        # labelled "dev". Scoped to the build step only: at workflow level it
+        # also reached the unit tests, whose DeveloperSettingsTab snapshot
+        # expects the unset ("dev") value (run #1859).
+        env:
+          VITE_APP_VERSION: ${{ github.ref_name }}
         run: |
           pnpm run build:embedded
           rm -rf embedded/web/dist