diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy-demo.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy-demo.yml
index 184799f..ea150c6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy-demo.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy-demo.yml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 # INGROUP: MokoStandards.Deploy
 # REPO: https://github.com/mokoconsulting-tech/MokoStandards
 # PATH: /templates/workflows/shared/deploy-demo.yml
-# VERSION: 04.01.00
+# VERSION: 04.02.00
 # BRIEF: SFTP deployment workflow for demo server — synced to all governed repos
 # NOTE: Synced via bulk-repo-sync to .github/workflows/deploy-demo.yml in all governed repos.
 #       Port is resolved in order: DEMO_FTP_PORT variable → :port suffix in DEMO_FTP_HOST → 22.
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ permissions:
   contents: read
   pull-requests: write
 
+env:
+  FORCE_JAVASCRIPT_ACTIONS_TO_NODE24: true
+
 jobs:
   check-permission:
     name: Verify Deployment Permission
@@ -241,7 +244,6 @@ jobs:
               fi
             done
             $SKIP && continue
-            if [ -f ".gitignore" ]; then
             if [ -f ".gitignore" ]; then
               git check-ignore -q "$rel" 2>/dev/null && {
                 IGNORED_FILES+=("$rel | .gitignore")
@@ -424,8 +426,11 @@ jobs:
           cd /tmp/mokostandards
           composer install --no-dev --no-interaction --quiet
 
-      - name: Clear remote destination folder
-        if: steps.source.outputs.skip == 'false' && steps.remote.outputs.skip != 'true'
+      - name: Clear remote destination folder (manual only)
+        if: >-
+          steps.source.outputs.skip == 'false' &&
+          steps.remote.outputs.skip != 'true' &&
+          inputs.clear_remote == true
         env:
           SFTP_HOST:      ${{ steps.conn.outputs.host }}
           SFTP_PORT:      ${{ steps.conn.outputs.port }}
@@ -578,7 +583,7 @@ jobs:
           rm -f /tmp/deploy_key /tmp/sftp-config.json
 
       - name: Create or update failure issue
-        if: failure()
+        if: failure() && steps.remote.outputs.skip != 'true'
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GH_TOKEN || github.token }}
         run: |
@@ -620,22 +625,22 @@ jobs:
             --force 2>/dev/null || true
 
           # Look for an existing open deploy-failure issue
-          EXISTING=$(gh api "repos/${REPO}/issues?labels=${LABEL}&state=open&per_page=1" \
+          EXISTING=$(gh api "repos/${REPO}/issues?labels=${LABEL}&state=all&per_page=1&sort=created&direction=desc" \
             --jq '.[0].number' 2>/dev/null)
 
           if [ -n "$EXISTING" ] && [ "$EXISTING" != "null" ]; then
             gh api "repos/${REPO}/issues/${EXISTING}" \
               -X PATCH \
               -f title="$TITLE" \
-              -f body="$BODY" \
+              -f body="$BODY" \n              -f state="open" \
               --silent
-            echo "📋 Failure issue #${EXISTING} updated: ${REPO}" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+            echo "📋 Failure issue #${EXISTING} updated/reopened: ${REPO}" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
           else
             gh issue create \
               --repo "$REPO" \
               --title "$TITLE" \
               --body "$BODY" \
-              --label "$LABEL" \
+              --label "$LABEL" \n              --assignee "jmiller-moko" \
               | tee -a "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
           fi