diff --git a/.woodpecker/release.yaml b/.woodpecker/release.yaml
index 54a137f..46fd94f 100644
--- a/.woodpecker/release.yaml
+++ b/.woodpecker/release.yaml
@@ -28,11 +28,17 @@ steps:
           NOTES=$(git log --merges --pretty=format:"- %s")
         fi
         BODY=$(printf '%s' "$NOTES" | sed 's/"/\\"/g; s/$/\\n/' | tr -d '\n')
-        RELEASE_ID=$(curl -sf -X POST "https://git.unkin.net/api/v1/repos/${CI_REPO}/releases" \
+        RELEASE_RESPONSE=$(curl -sf -X POST "https://git.unkin.net/api/v1/repos/${CI_REPO}/releases" \
           -u "droneci:$DRONECI_PASSWORD" \
           -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-          -d "{\"tag_name\":\"${CI_COMMIT_TAG}\",\"name\":\"${CI_COMMIT_TAG}\",\"body\":\"${BODY}\"}" \
-          | grep -o '"id":[0-9]*' | head -1 | cut -d: -f2)
+          -d "{\"tag_name\":\"${CI_COMMIT_TAG}\",\"name\":\"${CI_COMMIT_TAG}\",\"body\":\"${BODY}\"}")
+        echo "Release API response: ${RELEASE_RESPONSE}"
+        RELEASE_ID=$(echo "${RELEASE_RESPONSE}" | grep -o '"id":[0-9]*' | head -1 | cut -d: -f2)
+        if [ -z "$RELEASE_ID" ]; then
+          echo "ERROR: failed to obtain release ID" >&2
+          exit 1
+        fi
+        echo "Release ID: ${RELEASE_ID}"
         curl -sf -X POST "https://git.unkin.net/api/v1/repos/${CI_REPO}/releases/${RELEASE_ID}/assets" \
           -u "droneci:$DRONECI_PASSWORD" \
           -F "attachment=@node-lookup"