diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index b4d4d96..7a65359 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -44,70 +44,3 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Build
         run: npm run build
-
-  # Smoke test only: verify desktop packaging still works on pull requests.
-  # Full multi-platform release artifacts are built by desktop-release.yml on release.
-  desktop:
-    name: Desktop smoke test (${{ matrix.label }})
-    needs: build
-    if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
-    runs-on: ${{ matrix.runner }}
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        include:
-          - label: Linux x64
-            runner: ubuntu-22.04
-            target_os: linux
-            target_arch: x64
-            electron_target: "--linux AppImage deb --x64"
-
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Setup Node.js
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
-        with:
-          node-version: 24
-          cache: npm
-          cache-dependency-path: |
-            package-lock.json
-            packages/desktop/package-lock.json
-
-      - name: Install uv
-        uses: astral-sh/setup-uv@v3
-
-      - name: Install web UI dependencies
-        run: |
-          npm ci --ignore-scripts
-          npm rebuild node-pty
-
-      - name: Build web UI
-        run: npm run build
-
-      - name: Keep production web UI dependencies only
-        run: npm prune --omit=dev --no-audit --no-fund
-
-      - name: Install desktop dependencies
-        run: npm ci --prefix packages/desktop --no-audit --no-fund
-
-      - name: Prepare bundled Python
-        env:
-          TARGET_OS: ${{ matrix.target_os }}
-          TARGET_ARCH: ${{ matrix.target_arch }}
-        run: npm --prefix packages/desktop run prepare:python
-
-      - name: Build desktop artifact
-        run: npm --prefix packages/desktop run dist -- ${{ matrix.electron_target }} --publish never
-
-      - name: Upload desktop artifacts
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        with:
-          name: desktop-${{ matrix.target_os }}-${{ matrix.target_arch }}
-          path: |
-            packages/desktop/release/*.AppImage
-            packages/desktop/release/*.deb
-            packages/desktop/release/latest*.yml
-          if-no-files-found: error
-          retention-days: 7
diff --git a/ARCHITECTURE.md b/ARCHITECTURE.md
index 74d5020..d6a7f5b 100644
--- a/ARCHITECTURE.md
+++ b/ARCHITECTURE.md
@@ -70,8 +70,9 @@ Frontend rules:
 
 Desktop packaging is intentionally split:
 
-- Pull requests run a Linux desktop smoke test in `.github/workflows/build.yml`.
-- Published releases and manual dispatches run `.github/workflows/desktop-release.yml`.
+- Pull requests run the web UI build and tests in `.github/workflows/build.yml`.
+- Published releases and manual dispatches run desktop artifact packaging in `.github/workflows/desktop-release.yml`
+  and `.github/workflows/desktop-manual-build.yml`.
 - Each release matrix target uploads only the artifact globs for its own platform.
 
 Do not make a Windows job require macOS `.dmg` files or a Linux job require
diff --git a/docs/harness/validation.md b/docs/harness/validation.md
index 5371b2c..f860189 100644
--- a/docs/harness/validation.md
+++ b/docs/harness/validation.md
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ npm run build
 
 ## CI Mapping
 
-- Build workflow: installs dependencies, runs coverage, builds production assets,
-  then runs a Linux desktop smoke test on pull requests.
+- Build workflow: installs dependencies, runs coverage, and builds production
+  assets on pushes and pull requests.
 - Playwright workflow: runs browser e2e tests.
 - NPM lockfile workflow: verifies `package-lock.json` is synchronized.
-- Desktop release workflow: builds and uploads platform-specific desktop artifacts
-  for release tags.
+- Desktop release and manual desktop build workflows build and upload
+  platform-specific desktop artifacts.
 - Docker workflow: builds and publishes release images.
 
 ## Release Workflow Guardrail