diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 0e6805f47..af5279c57 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -315,24 +315,37 @@ jobs:
           LINUX_URL="https://github.com/${REPO}/releases/download/${TAG_NAME}/eqemu-server-linux-x64.zip"
           WINDOWS_URL="https://github.com/${REPO}/releases/download/${TAG_NAME}/eqemu-server-windows-x64.zip"
           SHA_URL="https://github.com/${REPO}/releases/download/${TAG_NAME}/SHA256SUMS.txt"
-          payload=$(cat <<EOF
-          {
-            "embeds": [
-              {
-                "title": "Release ${TAG_NAME}",
-                "url": "https://github.com/${REPO}/releases/tag/${TAG_NAME}",
-                "color": 5793266,
-                "thumbnail": { "url": "https://github.githubassets.com/images/modules/logos_page/GitHub-Mark.png" },
-                "fields": [
-                  { "name": "Linux (x64)", "value": "[Download](${LINUX_URL})", "inline": true },
-                  { "name": "Windows (x64)", "value": "[Download](${WINDOWS_URL})", "inline": true },
-                  { "name": "Checksums", "value": "[SHA256SUMS.txt](${SHA_URL})", "inline": false }
-                ],
-                "footer": { "text": "Clumsy's World EQEmu Release" }
-              }
-            ]
-          }
-          EOF
-          )
-          curl -sS -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d "$payload" "$DISCORD_WEBHOOK_URL" || \
-            echo "Failed to send Discord notification."
+          payload=$(jq -n \
+            --arg tag "$TAG_NAME" \
+            --arg repo "$REPO" \
+            --arg linux "$LINUX_URL" \
+            --arg windows "$WINDOWS_URL" \
+            --arg sha "$SHA_URL" \
+            --arg footer "Clumsy's World EQEmu Release" \
+            '{
+              embeds: [
+                {
+                  title: ("Release " + $tag),
+                  url: ("https://github.com/" + $repo + "/releases/tag/" + $tag),
+                  color: 5793266,
+                  thumbnail: { url: "https://github.githubassets.com/images/modules/logos_page/GitHub-Mark.png" },
+                  fields: [
+                    { name: "Linux (x64)", value: ("[Download](" + $linux + ")"), inline: true },
+                    { name: "Windows (x64)", value: ("[Download](" + $windows + ")"), inline: true },
+                    { name: "Checksums", value: ("[SHA256SUMS.txt](" + $sha + ")"), inline: false }
+                  ],
+                  footer: { text: $footer }
+                }
+              ]
+            }')
+          response_file=$(mktemp)
+          http_code=$(curl -sS -o "$response_file" -w "%{http_code}" \
+            -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d "$payload" "$DISCORD_WEBHOOK_URL")
+          curl_status=$?
+          if [ $curl_status -ne 0 ]; then
+            echo "Failed to send Discord notification (curl exit $curl_status)."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          if [ "$http_code" -lt 200 ] || [ "$http_code" -ge 300 ]; then
+            echo "Discord notification failed with HTTP $http_code: $(cat "$response_file")"
+          fi