diff --git a/.github/workflows/auto-release.yml b/.github/workflows/auto-release.yml
index 5462926..bc1291c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/auto-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/auto-release.yml
@@ -266,9 +266,10 @@ jobs:
               TARGET_PLATFORM=$(grep -oP '<targetplatform[^/]*/>' "$MANIFEST" 2>/dev/null | head -1 || echo "")
               PHP_MINIMUM=$(grep -oP '<php_minimum>\K[^<]+' "$MANIFEST" 2>/dev/null | head -1 || echo "")
 
-              # Derive element from manifest filename if not in XML
+              # Derive element: for templates use <name> lowercased, fallback to manifest filename
               if [ -z "$EXT_ELEMENT" ]; then
-                EXT_ELEMENT=$(basename "$MANIFEST" .xml)
+                EXT_ELEMENT=$(grep -oP '<name>\K[^<]+' "$MANIFEST" 2>/dev/null | head -1 | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]' | tr -d ' ' || true)
+                [ -z "$EXT_ELEMENT" ] && EXT_ELEMENT=$(basename "$MANIFEST" .xml)
               fi
 
               # Build client tag: plugins and frontend modules need <client>site</client>
@@ -359,6 +360,66 @@ jobs:
           git push origin "$TAG"
           echo "🏷️ Tag: ${TAG}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
 
+      # ── STEP 6b: Build release ZIP + SHA-256 (Joomla) ──────────────────
+      - name: "Step 6b: Build Joomla release ZIP"
+        if: >-
+          steps.version.outputs.skip != 'true' &&
+          steps.check.outputs.already_released != 'true'
+        id: zip
+        run: |
+          PLATFORM=$(php /tmp/mokostandards/api/cli/platform_detect.php --path . 2>/dev/null || true)
+          VERSION="${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}"
+
+          if [ "$PLATFORM" != "waas-component" ]; then
+            echo "skip=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+
+          # Resolve source directory
+          if [ -d "src" ]; then
+            SRC="src"
+          elif [ -d "htdocs" ]; then
+            SRC="htdocs"
+          else
+            echo "⚠️ No src/ or htdocs/ directory — skipping ZIP" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+            echo "skip=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+
+          # Derive element name from template/extension name (lowercase, no spaces)
+          MANIFEST=$(find . -maxdepth 2 -name "*.xml" -exec grep -l '<extension' {} \; 2>/dev/null | head -1 || true)
+          EXT_ELEMENT=""
+          if [ -n "$MANIFEST" ]; then
+            EXT_ELEMENT=$(grep -oP '<element>\K[^<]+' "$MANIFEST" 2>/dev/null | head -1 || true)
+            if [ -z "$EXT_ELEMENT" ]; then
+              # For templates: use <name> tag lowercased
+              EXT_ELEMENT=$(grep -oP '<name>\K[^<]+' "$MANIFEST" 2>/dev/null | head -1 | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]' | tr -d ' ' || true)
+            fi
+          fi
+          [ -z "$EXT_ELEMENT" ] && EXT_ELEMENT=$(basename "$(pwd)" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')
+
+          ZIP_NAME="${EXT_ELEMENT}-${VERSION}.zip"
+          ZIP_PATH="/tmp/${ZIP_NAME}"
+
+          # Build ZIP from src/ contents (cd into src so paths are root-relative)
+          (cd "$SRC" && zip -r "$ZIP_PATH" .)
+          SHA256=$(sha256sum "$ZIP_PATH" | awk '{print $1}')
+
+          echo "zip_path=${ZIP_PATH}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "zip_name=${ZIP_NAME}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "sha256=${SHA256}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "ext_element=${EXT_ELEMENT}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "skip=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+          {
+            echo "### 📦 Release ZIP"
+            echo "| Field | Value |"
+            echo "|-------|-------|"
+            echo "| File | \`${ZIP_NAME}\` |"
+            echo "| SHA-256 | \`${SHA256}\` |"
+            echo "| Source | \`${SRC}/\` |"
+          } >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+
       # ── STEP 7: Create or update GitHub Release ──────────────────────────
       - name: "Step 7: GitHub Release"
         if: >-
@@ -371,6 +432,8 @@ jobs:
           TAG="${{ steps.version.outputs.tag }}"
           BRANCH="${{ steps.version.outputs.branch }}"
           IS_MINOR="${{ steps.version.outputs.is_minor }}"
+          ZIP_PATH="${{ steps.zip.outputs.zip_path }}"
+          ZIP_SKIP="${{ steps.zip.outputs.skip }}"
 
           # Derive the minor version base (XX.YY.00)
           MINOR_BASE=$(echo "$VERSION" | sed 's/\.[0-9]*$/.00/')
@@ -380,16 +443,22 @@ jobs:
           [ -z "$NOTES" ] && NOTES="Release ${VERSION}"
           echo "$NOTES" > /tmp/release_notes.md
 
+          # Build release command args — include ZIP if built
+          UPLOAD_ARGS=""
+          if [ "$ZIP_SKIP" != "true" ] && [ -f "$ZIP_PATH" ]; then
+            UPLOAD_ARGS="$ZIP_PATH"
+          fi
+
           if [ "$IS_MINOR" = "true" ]; then
             # Minor release: create new GitHub Release
             gh release create "$TAG" \
               --title "${VERSION}" \
               --notes-file /tmp/release_notes.md \
-              --target "$BRANCH"
+              --target "$BRANCH" \
+              $UPLOAD_ARGS
             echo "🚀 Release created: ${VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
           else
             # Patch release: update the existing minor release with new tag
-            # Find the latest release for this minor version
             EXISTING=$(gh release view "$MINOR_TAG" --json tagName -q .tagName 2>/dev/null || true)
             if [ -n "$EXISTING" ]; then
               # Update existing release body with patch info
@@ -406,12 +475,19 @@ jobs:
               gh release edit "$MINOR_TAG" \
                 --title "${MINOR_BASE} (latest: ${VERSION})" \
                 --notes-file /tmp/updated_notes.md
+
+              # Upload ZIP to existing release
+              if [ "$ZIP_SKIP" != "true" ] && [ -f "$ZIP_PATH" ]; then
+                gh release upload "$MINOR_TAG" "$ZIP_PATH" --clobber
+              fi
+
               echo "📝 Release updated: ${MINOR_BASE} → patch ${VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
             else
               # No existing minor release found — create one for this patch
               gh release create "$TAG" \
                 --title "${VERSION}" \
-                --notes-file /tmp/release_notes.md
+                --notes-file /tmp/release_notes.md \
+                $UPLOAD_ARGS
               echo "🚀 Release created: ${VERSION} (no minor release found)" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
             fi
           fi