diff --git a/scripts/release.mjs b/scripts/release.mjs
index 19d356f..92504c3 100644
--- a/scripts/release.mjs
+++ b/scripts/release.mjs
@@ -88,7 +88,11 @@ const buildEnv = {
   TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY: signingKey,
   TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD: env.TAURI_SIGNING_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSWORD ?? '',
 };
-execSync('pnpm --filter @chat-app/desktop build -- --bundles nsis', {
+// Call the tauri binary directly (not via the desktop `build` script) so the
+// `--` separator pnpm normally injects doesn't get forwarded to cargo. When
+// run from cmd.exe (Node's default execSync shell on Windows) pnpm preserves
+// the `--`, which cargo then rejects with "unexpected argument '--bundles'".
+execSync('pnpm --filter @chat-app/desktop exec tauri build --bundles nsis', {
   cwd: ROOT,
   env: buildEnv,
   stdio: 'inherit',