diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index f196334..92cf1a0 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -166,9 +166,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -eu
           target=x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
-          export CC="$PWD/.gitea/scripts/x86_64-linux-gnu-gcc-pic"
           export CC_x86_64_unknown_linux_gnu="$PWD/.gitea/scripts/x86_64-linux-gnu-gcc-pic"
-          export CXX="$PWD/.gitea/scripts/x86_64-linux-gnu-g++-pic"
           export CXX_x86_64_unknown_linux_gnu="$PWD/.gitea/scripts/x86_64-linux-gnu-g++-pic"
           unset ZSTD_SYS_USE_PKG_CONFIG
           cargo +${RUST_TOOLCHAIN} build --release --locked --target "$target" \
diff --git a/crates/bds-ui/tests/packaging_assets.rs b/crates/bds-ui/tests/packaging_assets.rs
index 7cb1f1d..579506a 100644
--- a/crates/bds-ui/tests/packaging_assets.rs
+++ b/crates/bds-ui/tests/packaging_assets.rs
@@ -240,6 +240,8 @@ fn tagged_releases_are_built_and_packaged_with_rust_tools() {
         workflow.contains("link-arg=--sysroot=/opt/ruds-x64-sysroot"),
         "the cross-linker must resolve absolute libc linker-script paths inside the x64 sysroot"
     );
+    assert!(!workflow.contains("export CC=\""));
+    assert!(!workflow.contains("export CXX=\""));
 
     let workspace_manifest = fs::read_to_string(workspace.join("Cargo.toml")).unwrap();
     let core_manifest = fs::read_to_string(workspace.join("crates/bds-core/Cargo.toml")).unwrap();