diff --git a/.github/actions/test-release/action.yml b/.github/actions/test-release/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..50f8c74ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/test-release/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+name: 'Test Plugin Deploy'
+description: 'Upload zip file to releases tab'
+branding:
+  icon: 'upload-cloud'
+  color: 'blue'
+
+outputs:
+  zip-path:
+    description: 'Path to zip file'
+    value: ${{ steps.zip.outputs.zip-path }}
+  org-zip-path:
+    description: 'Path to .org zip file'
+    value: ${{ steps.zip-org.outputs.zip-path }}
+
+runs:
+  using: 'composite'
+  steps:
+    - id: prepare
+      name: Prepare Environment
+      run: |
+        sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install zip rsync -y
+      shell: bash
+
+    - id: zip
+      name: Zip Plugin (Main)
+      run: |
+        # Create dist folder and copy files while excluding .distignore items
+        mkdir -p dist
+        rsync -av --exclude-from="${{ env.PLUGIN_DIR }}/.distignore" ${{ env.PLUGIN_DIR }}/ dist/${{ env.SLUG }}
+
+        zip_file="faustwp-${{ env.VERSION }}.zip"
+        zip -r "$zip_file" "dist/${{ env.SLUG }}"
+
+        # Save zip path to output
+        echo "::set-output name=zip-path::$PWD/$zip_file"
+      shell: bash
+
+    - id: zip-org
+      name: Zip Plugin (.org version)
+      run: |
+        # Delete old directory
+        rm -rf dist
+
+        # Create dist folder and copy files while excluding .distignore items
+        mkdir -p dist
+        # Copy plugin files to dist folder and exclude external updater
+        rsync -av --exclude-from="${{ env.PLUGIN_DIR }}/.distignore" --exclude="includes/updates" "${{ env.PLUGIN_DIR }}/" "dist/${{ env.SLUG }}"
+
+        # Updates for the CHANGELOG file
+        sed -i '' -e 's/plugin updates from an external API endpoint./plugin updates from an external API endpoint when not installed from WordPress.org/' "dist/${{ env.SLUG }}/CHANGELOG.md"
+
+        # Create .org zip file
+        org_zip_file="faustwp-${{ env.VERSION }}.org.zip"
+        zip -r "$org_zip_file" "dist/${{ env.SLUG }}"
+
+        # Save zip path to output
+        echo "::set-output name=zip-path::$PWD/$org_zip_file"
+      shell: bash
+
+    - id: debug-main
+      name: Debug Check Main Zip File
+      run: |
+        echo "Main zip file path: ${{ steps.zip.outputs.zip-path }}"
+        ls -lah ${{ steps.zip.outputs.zip-path }}
+        unzip -l ${{ steps.zip.outputs.zip-path }}
+      shell: bash
+
+    - id: debug-org
+      name: Debug Check .org Zip File
+      run: |
+        echo ".org zip file path: ${{ steps.zip-org.outputs.zip-path }}"
+        ls -lah ${{ steps.zip-org.outputs.zip-path }}
+        unzip -l ${{ steps.zip-org.outputs.zip-path }}
+      shell: bash
+
+    # - id: upload-main
+    #   name: Upload Main Zip File to Release
+    #   uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
+    #   with:
+    #     repo_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+    #     files: ${{ steps.zip.outputs.zip-path }}
+    #     asset_name: faustwp-${{ env.VERSION }}.zip
+    #     overwrite: true
+
+    # - id: upload-org
+    #   name: Upload .org Zip File to Release
+    #   uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
+    #   with:
+    #     repo_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+    #     files: ${{ steps.zip-org.outputs.zip-path }}
+    #     asset_name: faustwp-${{ env.VERSION }}.org.zip
+    #     overwrite: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a7d959571
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+name: Test Release Packages
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - chore-update-faustwp-release-process
+
+jobs:
+  release_packages:
+    name: Release Packages
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout Repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0  # Ensure full Git history
+
+      - name: Set Plugin Version (Fallback)
+        run: echo "PLUGIN_VERSION=1.0.0-test" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Deploy WordPress Plugin
+        uses: ./.github/actions/test-release
+        env:
+          PLUGIN_DIR: plugins/faustwp
+          SLUG: faustwp
+          VERSION: ${{ env.PLUGIN_VERSION }}
diff --git a/plugins/faustwp/faustwp.php b/plugins/faustwp/faustwp.php
index adeec79c8..d23fae97a 100644
--- a/plugins/faustwp/faustwp.php
+++ b/plugins/faustwp/faustwp.php
@@ -61,8 +61,14 @@ function () {
 	return;
 }
 
-require FAUSTWP_DIR . '/includes/updates/class-plugin-updater.php';
-require FAUSTWP_DIR . '/includes/updates/check-for-updates.php';
+// Loads the updater service, if included in this build
+if ( file_exists( FAUSTWP_DIR . '/includes/updates/class-plugin-updater.php' ) ) {
+	require FAUSTWP_DIR . '/includes/updates/class-plugin-updater.php';
+}
+
+if ( file_exists( FAUSTWP_DIR . '/includes/updates/check-for-updates.php' ) ) {
+	require FAUSTWP_DIR . '/includes/updates/check-for-updates.php';
+}
 require FAUSTWP_DIR . '/includes/auth/functions.php';
 require FAUSTWP_DIR . '/includes/telemetry/functions.php';
 require FAUSTWP_DIR . '/includes/replacement/functions.php';