diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/cicd.yml b/.gitea/workflows/cicd.yml
index c1bbde1..16f7521 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/cicd.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/cicd.yml
@@ -53,59 +53,16 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Check if base image needs rebuilding
         id: check-base
-        env:
-          PACKAGE_ACCESS_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.PACKAGE_ACCESS_TOKEN }}
-          REGISTRY_USER: ${{ secrets.REGISTRY_USER || github.actor }}
         run: |
-          echo "=== Checking if CICD Base Image Needs Rebuilding ==="
+          echo "=== Computing CICD Base Image Hash ==="
 
-          # Always compute hash first so downstream steps have a valid tag.
+          # Always compute hash so downstream steps have a stable tag.
           BASE_HASH=$(sha256sum Dockerfile.cicd-base | cut -d' ' -f1 | head -c16)
           echo "Base Dockerfile hash: ${BASE_HASH}"
           echo "base_hash=${BASE_HASH}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-
-          # Login to registry to check for existing image
-          if echo "${PACKAGE_ACCESS_TOKEN}" | docker login "http://${GITEA_REGISTRY}" -u "${REGISTRY_USER}" --password-stdin; then
-            echo "✓ Successfully logged into registry"
-          else
-            echo "❌ Failed to login to registry, will force build"
-            echo "needs_build=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-            exit 0
-          fi
-
-          # Try to pull existing base image with this hash (with timeout handling)
-          echo "Attempting to pull base image with hash: ${BASE_HASH}"
-          PULL_SUCCESS=false
-
-          # First try to pull the hash-specific image
-          if timeout 120 docker pull "${GITEA_REGISTRY}/darkhelm.org/plex-playlist-cicd-base:${BASE_HASH}" 2>/dev/null; then
-            echo "✓ Base image with hash ${BASE_HASH} found in registry"
-            PULL_SUCCESS=true
-          else
-            echo "Base image with hash ${BASE_HASH} not found, trying latest..."
-            # Fallback: try to pull latest and check if it matches our hash
-            if timeout 120 docker pull "${GITEA_REGISTRY}/darkhelm.org/plex-playlist-cicd-base:latest" 2>/dev/null; then
-              # Check if the pulled latest image is what we need (this is a simplified check)
-              echo "Pulled latest base image, will use it for now"
-              docker tag "${GITEA_REGISTRY}/darkhelm.org/plex-playlist-cicd-base:latest" \
-                "${GITEA_REGISTRY}/darkhelm.org/plex-playlist-cicd-base:${BASE_HASH}"
-              PULL_SUCCESS=true
-            fi
-          fi
-
-          if [ "$PULL_SUCCESS" = true ]; then
-            echo "✓ Base image available, skipping build"
-            echo "needs_build=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-            # Ensure latest tag is available for dependent job
-            docker tag "${GITEA_REGISTRY}/darkhelm.org/plex-playlist-cicd-base:${BASE_HASH}" \
-              "${GITEA_REGISTRY}/darkhelm.org/plex-playlist-cicd-base:latest" 2>/dev/null || true
-            docker push "${GITEA_REGISTRY}/darkhelm.org/plex-playlist-cicd-base:latest" 2>/dev/null || \
-              echo "Warning: Could not push latest tag, but base image is available"
-          else
-            echo "Base image not available in registry - will build new image"
-            echo "This is normal for first run or when base dependencies change"
-            echo "needs_build=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          fi
+          # Registry blob HEAD requests are currently unstable on this infra,
+          # so we always build base locally and let downstream steps fallback as needed.
+          echo "needs_build=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
       - name: Build and push base image
         if: steps.check-base.outputs.needs_build == 'true'
@@ -139,34 +96,8 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
 
-          # Tag for registry with hash and latest
-          docker tag cicd-base:latest "${GITEA_REGISTRY}/darkhelm.org/plex-playlist-cicd-base:${BASE_HASH}"
-          docker tag cicd-base:latest "${GITEA_REGISTRY}/darkhelm.org/plex-playlist-cicd-base:latest"
-
-          # Push to registry with retry (with fallback to local-only strategy)
-          echo "Attempting to push base images to registry..."
-          PUSH_SUCCESS=false
-          for i in 1 2 3; do
-            echo "Push attempt $i..."
-            if docker push "${GITEA_REGISTRY}/darkhelm.org/plex-playlist-cicd-base:${BASE_HASH}" && \
-              docker push "${GITEA_REGISTRY}/darkhelm.org/plex-playlist-cicd-base:latest"; then
-              echo "✓ CICD base image built and pushed with hash ${BASE_HASH}"
-              PUSH_SUCCESS=true
-              break
-            else
-              echo "❌ Push attempt $i failed"
-              if [ $i -lt 3 ]; then
-                sleep 10
-              fi
-            fi
-          done
-
-          if [ "$PUSH_SUCCESS" = false ]; then
-            echo "⚠ Registry push unavailable, but base image is built locally"
-            echo "Subsequent jobs will build their own base images locally"
-          else
-            echo "✓ Base image successfully stored in registry"
-          fi
+          echo "✓ Base image built locally"
+          echo "ℹ Skipping base image registry push due transient registry reset issues"
 
   setup:
     name: Build and Push CICD Complete Image