diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/container.yml b/.gitea/workflows/container.yml
index 4276d0e..53e12f9 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/container.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/container.yml
@@ -10,8 +10,16 @@ jobs:
   build-and-push:
     runs-on: debian13
     steps:
+      # actions/checkout is a Node.js based action, but the "debian13" runner
+      # has no Node.js installed, which causes:
+      #   "exec: node: executable file not found in $PATH"
+      # Do a plain git checkout instead, which only needs git/bash.
       - name: Checkout code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        run: |
+          git init
+          git remote add origin "${GITHUB_SERVER_URL}/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}.git"
+          git fetch --depth 1 origin "${GITHUB_SHA}"
+          git checkout --force FETCH_HEAD
 
       - name: Log in to Gitea Container Registry
         run: |