diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index 5afc3d0..8c37ad3 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -29,15 +29,28 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -Eeuo pipefail
           DEPLOY_GITEA_TOKEN="$(cat /home/deploy/.ladill-deploy-gitea-token)"
-          REPO_URL="${{ gitea.server_url }}/${{ gitea.repository }}.git"
+          # Prefer loopback — public/server_url can stall when the runner is congested.
+          REPO_URL="http://127.0.0.1:3000/${{ gitea.repository }}.git"
           rm -rf "$WORKSPACE"
           mkdir -p "$WORKSPACE"
           export GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0
-          git \
+          attempt=1
+          until git \
             -c credential.helper= \
             -c http.extraHeader="Authorization: token ${DEPLOY_GITEA_TOKEN}" \
             clone --depth 1 --single-branch --no-tags --branch "${{ gitea.ref_name }}" \
             "$REPO_URL" "$WORKSPACE"
+          do
+            if [ "$attempt" -ge 3 ]; then
+              echo "Checkout failed after ${attempt} attempts" >&2
+              exit 1
+            fi
+            attempt=$((attempt + 1))
+            echo "Checkout retry ${attempt}/3…"
+            rm -rf "$WORKSPACE"
+            mkdir -p "$WORKSPACE"
+            sleep $((attempt * 5))
+          done
 
       - name: Build frontend assets
         shell: bash {0}