diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 4716763..4284438 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ name: Windows Release
 
 on:
   push:
-    branches: [main]
+    branches: ['**']
     tags:
       - 'v*'
 
@@ -10,7 +10,62 @@ env:
   MINGW_ROOT: /usr/x86_64-w64-mingw32/sys-root/mingw
 
 jobs:
+  test:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    container:
+      image: fedora:41
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Install build tools and test dependencies
+        run: |
+          dnf install -y git gcc-c++ libsamplerate-devel python3
+
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Fix git ownership
+        run: git config --global --add safe.directory "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE"
+
+      - name: Compile ring buffer tests
+        run: |
+          g++ -std=c++17 -pthread \
+            tests/test_ring_buffer.cpp \
+            -I include/ \
+            -o tests/test_ring_buffer
+
+      - name: Run ring buffer tests
+        timeout-minutes: 2
+        run: ./tests/test_ring_buffer
+
+      - name: Compile resampler quality tests
+        run: |
+          g++ -std=c++17 \
+            tests/test_resampler_quality.cpp \
+            src/audio/Resampler.cpp \
+            -I include/ \
+            -lsamplerate \
+            -DHAVE_LIBSAMPLERATE \
+            -o tests/test_resampler_quality
+
+      - name: Run resampler quality tests
+        run: ./tests/test_resampler_quality
+
+      - name: Validate Python plugin syntax
+        run: |
+          echo "Checking Python plugin files for syntax errors..."
+          python3 -m py_compile plugins_py/nda_py_utils/__init__.py
+          python3 -m py_compile plugins_py/nda_py_utils/audio_ring_buffer.py
+          python3 -m py_compile plugins_py/examples/passthrough.py
+          python3 -m py_compile plugins_py/examples/simple_gain.py
+          python3 -m py_compile plugins_py/examples/fernet_encryptor.py
+          python3 -m py_compile plugins_py/examples/fernet_decryptor.py
+          echo "All Python plugin files pass syntax check"
+
   build-windows:
+    needs: test
+    if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' || startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/v')
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     container:
       image: fedora:41