diff --git a/.gitea/actions/caddy-validate/action.yml b/.gitea/actions/caddy-validate/action.yml
index 107661f..7ce9ca7 100644
--- a/.gitea/actions/caddy-validate/action.yml
+++ b/.gitea/actions/caddy-validate/action.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 name: Validate Caddyfile
 description: Run the pinned Caddy validator against the checked-out Caddyfile
+inputs:
+  workspace:
+    description: Repository workspace path supplied by the workflow
+    required: true
 runs:
   using: docker
   image: Dockerfile
@@ -7,6 +11,6 @@ runs:
   args:
     - validate
     - --config
-    - /github/workspace/deploy/production/Caddyfile
+    - ${{ inputs.workspace }}/deploy/production/Caddyfile
     - --adapter
     - caddyfile
diff --git a/.gitea/actions/kaniko-build/action.yml b/.gitea/actions/kaniko-build/action.yml
index c79057e..2c1877d 100644
--- a/.gitea/actions/kaniko-build/action.yml
+++ b/.gitea/actions/kaniko-build/action.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 name: Build image with Kaniko in a rootless container
 description: Validate a Dockerfile by building it without publishing the image or cache
 inputs:
+  workspace:
+    description: Repository workspace path supplied by the workflow
+    required: true
   dockerfile:
     description: Dockerfile path relative to the checked-out repository
     required: true
@@ -12,8 +15,8 @@ runs:
   image: Dockerfile
   entrypoint: /kaniko/executor
   args:
-    - --context=dir:///github/workspace
-    - --dockerfile=/github/workspace/${{ inputs.dockerfile }}
+    - --context=dir://${{ inputs.workspace }}
+    - --dockerfile=${{ inputs.workspace }}/${{ inputs.dockerfile }}
     - --destination=${{ inputs.destination }}
     - --no-push
     - --no-push-cache
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml
index 6d0e6fb..4382f2f 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -60,13 +60,17 @@ jobs:
           REVIEW_SECRET_FILE="$secret_file" docker compose --env-file deploy/production/.env.example -f deploy/production/compose.yaml config --quiet
       - name: Validate Caddyfile in isolated container action
         uses: ./.gitea/actions/caddy-validate
+        with:
+          workspace: ${{ github.workspace }}
       - name: Build production images
         uses: ./.gitea/actions/kaniko-build
         with:
+          workspace: ${{ github.workspace }}
           dockerfile: deploy/production/Dockerfile.backend
           destination: akyldash-backend:ci
       - name: Build OpenSearch production image
         uses: ./.gitea/actions/kaniko-build
         with:
+          workspace: ${{ github.workspace }}
           dockerfile: deploy/production/Dockerfile.opensearch
           destination: akyldash-opensearch:ci
diff --git a/docs/operations/CI_RUNNER.md b/docs/operations/CI_RUNNER.md
index 1f8747c..73387ab 100644
--- a/docs/operations/CI_RUNNER.md
+++ b/docs/operations/CI_RUNNER.md
@@ -45,7 +45,10 @@ metrics ports are needed. Runner cache is disabled.
 The CI workflow and `runner-smoke.yaml` target the repository runner label
 `akyldash-ci`. CI keeps the backend, Telegram, backup/restore, deployment,
 bootstrap, runner, Compose, and Caddy checks. Caddy validation runs in a pinned
-container action with explicit `/usr/bin/caddy` entrypoint. Both production
+container action with explicit `/usr/bin/caddy` entrypoint. The workflow passes
+Gitea's `${{ github.workspace }}` value into each container action; Caddy and
+Kaniko use that supplied path for repository files instead of assuming a
+container workspace location. Both production
 Dockerfiles are built in a separate pinned Kaniko container action with explicit
 `/kaniko/executor` entrypoint using the runner's rootless container engine; the
 job container receives no Docker socket. Kaniko uses `--no-push` and
@@ -196,8 +199,12 @@ returned 403 and the scheduler's reason was not independently confirmed.
 On head `3a89dc21`, CI run 63 failed at the host audit root guard and smoke run
 64 succeeded. On head `436806a8`, CI run 65 failed in the Caddy container action
 with `exec: "validate": executable file not found`; Kaniko was skipped and smoke
-run 66 succeeded. This PR sets explicit Caddy and Kaniko entrypoints. Successful
-execution and resource fit still require a new runner canary. Root-guard tests
+run 66 succeeded. On head `d96fc4d3`, CI run 67 failed because the Caddy action
+looked for `/github/workspace/deploy/production/Caddyfile`, which was not
+mounted at that fixed path; Kaniko was skipped and smoke run 68 succeeded. This
+PR passes `${{ github.workspace }}` to the container actions and uses it for the
+Caddyfile, Kaniko context, and Dockerfile paths. A new runner canary must verify
+those paths and resource fit. Root-guard tests
 use `setpriv` for negative cases when jobs start as UID 0 and separately test
 the host-audit guard with simulated UID 0 and UID 65534; the real host audit,
 production config setup, and runner installer are never executed as root by
diff --git a/docs/operations/CURRENT_STATE.md b/docs/operations/CURRENT_STATE.md
index 4e2b2c5..7d058e7 100644
--- a/docs/operations/CURRENT_STATE.md
+++ b/docs/operations/CURRENT_STATE.md
@@ -97,9 +97,12 @@ UFW rule details, and protected file metadata remain unverified.
   head `3a89dc21`, CI run 63 failed at the host audit root guard and smoke run 64
   succeeded. On head `436806a8`, CI run 65 failed in the Caddy container action
   with `exec: "validate": executable file not found`; Kaniko was skipped and
-  smoke run 66 succeeded. This PR pins explicit action entrypoints. No VPS
-  changes are made; successful image builds and fit within the configured 3 GiB
-  / 2 CPU per-job limits remain unverified.
+  smoke run 66 succeeded. On head `d96fc4d3`, CI run 67 failed because the
+  Caddy action's fixed `/github/workspace/...` path did not exist; Kaniko was
+  skipped and smoke run 68 succeeded. The current branch passes
+  `${{ github.workspace }}` to Caddy and Kaniko actions; a new runner run must
+  verify workspace resolution, image builds, and fit within the configured
+  3 GiB / 2 CPU per-job limits. No VPS changes are made.
 - An isolated local Compose smoke test built backend/OpenSearch images,
   reached healthy status for OpenSearch, backend, and Caddy, and returned HTTP
   200 for `/review` through Caddy. Its containers, networks, and volumes were
@@ -152,6 +155,9 @@ Caddy validation and the two production Dockerfile builds. Kaniko image
 publishing and cache publishing are disabled. This repository change does not
 modify the VPS or grant workflow containers a Docker socket. CI run 65 failed
 in the Caddy action because the runner tried to execute `validate` directly;
-Kaniko was skipped. This PR sets explicit action entrypoints. A successful run
-must verify Caddy, both image builds, and resource fit before these actions are
-considered validated runner behavior.
+Kaniko was skipped. CI run 67 then found that the action's fixed
+`/github/workspace` path did not contain the repository; Kaniko was skipped.
+The branch now passes Gitea's `${{ github.workspace }}` value into all three
+container action invocations. A successful run must verify Caddy, both image
+builds, and resource fit before these actions are considered validated runner
+behavior.
diff --git a/infra/runner/test-ci-container-builds.sh b/infra/runner/test-ci-container-builds.sh
index e388c87..4556c90 100644
--- a/infra/runner/test-ci-container-builds.sh
+++ b/infra/runner/test-ci-container-builds.sh
@@ -3,18 +3,30 @@ set -euo pipefail
 
 workflow=.gitea/workflows/ci.yaml
 kaniko_action=.gitea/actions/kaniko-build/action.yml
+caddy_action=.gitea/actions/caddy-validate/action.yml
 
 grep -Fq 'runs-on: akyldash-ci' "$workflow"
 grep -Fq 'uses: ./.gitea/actions/caddy-validate' "$workflow"
 [[ $(grep -Fc 'uses: ./.gitea/actions/kaniko-build' "$workflow") -eq 2 ]]
+check_workspace_wiring() {
+  local workflow_file=$1 caddy_file=${2:-$caddy_action} kaniko_file=${3:-$kaniko_action}
+  [[ $(grep -Fc 'workspace: ${{ github.workspace }}' "$workflow_file") -eq 3 ]] &&
+    grep -Fxq '    - ${{ inputs.workspace }}/deploy/production/Caddyfile' "$caddy_file" &&
+    grep -Fxq '    - --context=dir://${{ inputs.workspace }}' "$kaniko_file" &&
+    grep -Fxq '    - --dockerfile=${{ inputs.workspace }}/${{ inputs.dockerfile }}' "$kaniko_file" &&
+    ! grep -Fq '/github/workspace' "$caddy_file" "$kaniko_file"
+}
+if ! check_workspace_wiring "$workflow"; then
+  echo 'Container actions must receive github.workspace and use it for repository paths.' >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
 grep -Fq 'dockerfile: deploy/production/Dockerfile.backend' "$workflow"
 grep -Fq 'dockerfile: deploy/production/Dockerfile.opensearch' "$workflow"
 grep -Fq 'docker compose --env-file deploy/production/.env.example -f deploy/production/compose.yaml config --quiet' "$workflow"
-caddy_action=.gitea/actions/caddy-validate/action.yml
 grep -Fxq '  entrypoint: /usr/bin/caddy' "$caddy_action"
 grep -Fxq '    - validate' "$caddy_action"
 grep -Fxq '    - --config' "$caddy_action"
-grep -Fxq '    - /github/workspace/deploy/production/Caddyfile' "$caddy_action"
+grep -Fxq '    - ${{ inputs.workspace }}/deploy/production/Caddyfile' "$caddy_action"
 grep -Fxq '    - --adapter' "$caddy_action"
 grep -Fxq '    - caddyfile' "$caddy_action"
 if grep -Eq 'docker (build|run)([[:space:]]|$)' "$workflow"; then
@@ -23,8 +35,8 @@ if grep -Eq 'docker (build|run)([[:space:]]|$)' "$workflow"; then
 fi
 check_kaniko_action() {
   grep -Fxq '  entrypoint: /kaniko/executor' "$1" &&
-    grep -Fxq '    - --context=dir:///github/workspace' "$1" &&
-    grep -Fxq '    - --dockerfile=/github/workspace/${{ inputs.dockerfile }}' "$1" &&
+    grep -Fxq '    - --context=dir://${{ inputs.workspace }}' "$1" &&
+    grep -Fxq '    - --dockerfile=${{ inputs.workspace }}/${{ inputs.dockerfile }}' "$1" &&
     grep -Fxq '    - --destination=${{ inputs.destination }}' "$1" &&
     grep -Fxq -- '    - --no-push' "$1" &&
     grep -Fxq -- '    - --no-push-cache' "$1"
@@ -35,7 +47,9 @@ if ! check_kaniko_action "$kaniko_action"; then
 fi
 without_entrypoint=$(mktemp)
 without_no_push=$(mktemp)
-trap 'rm -f "$without_entrypoint" "$without_no_push"' EXIT
+without_workspace=$(mktemp)
+wrong_workspace=$(mktemp)
+trap 'rm -f "$without_entrypoint" "$without_no_push" "$without_workspace" "$wrong_workspace"' EXIT
 sed '/^  entrypoint: \/kaniko\/executor$/d' "$kaniko_action" >"$without_entrypoint"
 if check_kaniko_action "$without_entrypoint"; then
   echo 'CI isolation test accepted a Kaniko action without its executor entrypoint.' >&2
@@ -46,6 +60,16 @@ if check_kaniko_action "$without_no_push"; then
   echo 'CI isolation test accepted --no-push-cache without standalone --no-push.' >&2
   exit 1
 fi
+sed '/workspace: \${{ github.workspace }}/d' "$workflow" >"$without_workspace"
+if check_workspace_wiring "$without_workspace"; then
+  echo 'CI isolation test accepted container actions without workflow workspace inputs.' >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+sed 's#${{ inputs.workspace }}#/github/workspace#g' "$kaniko_action" >"$wrong_workspace"
+if check_workspace_wiring "$workflow" "$caddy_action" "$wrong_workspace"; then
+  echo 'CI isolation test accepted a fixed Kaniko workspace root.' >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
 grep -Fq 'FROM ghcr.io/osscontainertools/kaniko:v1.28.5-debug@sha256:c73ca67a3b494bce79a8fb6090c4f73c18997ab272d80bffc460a62343aeb412' .gitea/actions/kaniko-build/Dockerfile
 grep -Fq 'FROM caddy:2.11.6-alpine@sha256:881bbc60f9986d5ab8e7cfd6cf7e4ef3c9c0439fef2429d035d065577882f028' .gitea/actions/caddy-validate/Dockerfile
 if grep -REn 'docker.sock|privileged:|container.options:|^[[:space:]]*volumes:' "$workflow" .gitea/actions/kaniko-build .gitea/actions/caddy-validate; then
@@ -53,4 +77,4 @@ if grep -REn 'docker.sock|privileged:|container.options:|^[[:space:]]*volumes:'
   exit 1
 fi
 
-echo 'PASS CI container operations use pinned isolated actions without socket or publish access'
+echo 'PASS CI container actions use the supplied workspace and remain isolated without socket or publish access'