diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index eaf72a3..4af0a5a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -464,58 +464,27 @@ jobs:
           # Push to current branch
           git push || true
 
-          # Sync updates.xml to main via PR (respects branch protection)
-          if [ "$CURRENT_BRANCH" != "main" ]; then
-            GA_TOKEN="${{ secrets.GA_TOKEN }}"
-            API="${GITEA_URL}/api/v1/repos/${{ github.repository }}"
-            PR_BRANCH="chore/update-xml-${VERSION}"
+          # Sync updates.xml to main via direct API
+          GA_TOKEN="${{ secrets.GA_TOKEN }}"
+          API="${GITEA_URL}/api/v1/repos/${{ github.repository }}"
 
-            # Create branch from main
-            curl -sf -X POST -H "Authorization: token ${GA_TOKEN}" \
+          FILE_SHA=$(curl -sf -H "Authorization: token ${GA_TOKEN}" \
+            "${API}/contents/updates.xml?ref=main" | jq -r '.sha // empty')
+
+          if [ -n "$FILE_SHA" ]; then
+            CONTENT=$(base64 -w0 updates.xml)
+            curl -sf -X PUT -H "Authorization: token ${GA_TOKEN}" \
               -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-              "${API}/branches" \
-              -d "$(jq -n --arg name "$PR_BRANCH" '{new_branch_name: $name, old_branch_name: "main"}')" > /dev/null 2>&1 || true
-
-            # Update updates.xml on the PR branch
-            FILE_SHA=$(curl -sf -H "Authorization: token ${GA_TOKEN}" \
-              "${API}/contents/updates.xml?ref=${PR_BRANCH}" | jq -r '.sha // empty')
-
-            if [ -n "$FILE_SHA" ]; then
-              CONTENT=$(base64 -w0 updates.xml)
-              curl -sf -X PUT -H "Authorization: token ${GA_TOKEN}" \
-                -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-                "${API}/contents/updates.xml" \
-                -d "$(jq -n \
-                  --arg content "$CONTENT" \
-                  --arg sha "$FILE_SHA" \
-                  --arg msg "chore: update ${STABILITY} channel to ${VERSION} [skip ci]" \
-                  --arg branch "$PR_BRANCH" \
-                  '{content: $content, sha: $sha, message: $msg, branch: $branch}'
-                )" > /dev/null 2>&1
-
-              # Create and auto-merge PR
-              PR_NUM=$(curl -sf -X POST -H "Authorization: token ${GA_TOKEN}" \
-                -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-                "${API}/pulls" \
-                -d "$(jq -n \
-                  --arg title "chore: update updates.xml for ${VERSION} [skip ci]" \
-                  --arg head "$PR_BRANCH" \
-                  --arg base "main" \
-                  --arg body "Auto-generated by release workflow." \
-                  '{title: $title, head: $head, base: $base, body: $body}'
-                )" | jq -r '.number // empty')
-
-              if [ -n "$PR_NUM" ]; then
-                curl -sf -X POST -H "Authorization: token ${GA_TOKEN}" \
-                  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-                  "${API}/pulls/${PR_NUM}/merge" \
-                  -d '{"Do":"merge","merge_message_field":"chore: update updates.xml for '"${VERSION}"' [skip ci]"}' > /dev/null 2>&1 \
-                  && echo "updates.xml synced to main via PR #${PR_NUM}" \
-                  || echo "PR #${PR_NUM} created — merge manually"
-                curl -sf -X DELETE -H "Authorization: token ${GA_TOKEN}" \
-                  "${API}/branches/${PR_BRANCH}" > /dev/null 2>&1 || true
-              fi
-            fi
+              "${API}/contents/updates.xml" \
+              -d "$(jq -n \
+                --arg content "$CONTENT" \
+                --arg sha "$FILE_SHA" \
+                --arg msg "chore: sync updates.xml ${STABILITY} ${VERSION} [skip ci]" \
+                --arg branch "main" \
+                '{content: $content, sha: $sha, message: $msg, branch: $branch}'
+              )" > /dev/null 2>&1 \
+              && echo "updates.xml synced to main" \
+              || echo "WARNING: failed to sync updates.xml to main"
           fi
 
       - name: Summary