diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
index ba628e101..a3b10d0e9 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Build Wownero Core (Corrected Dependencies)
+name: Build Wownero Core (Final & Robust)
 on:
   push:
     branches: [ master, main ]
@@ -52,17 +52,17 @@ jobs:
           tar -xf cmake.tar.gz
           echo "$(pwd)/cmake-3.28.1-linux-x86_64/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
 
-      - name: Sanitize Makefiles (Strict Static)
+      - name: Sanitize Makefiles (Explicit Order)
         run: |
           # 1. RESTORE UPSTREAM FILES
           curl -L -o contrib/depends/funcs.mk https://codeberg.org/wownero/wownero/raw/branch/master/contrib/depends/funcs.mk
           curl -L -o contrib/depends/packages/packages.mk https://codeberg.org/wownero/wownero/raw/branch/master/contrib/depends/packages/packages.mk
           
-          # 2. INJECT ZLIB/ZSTD
-          sed -i 's/^packages :=.*/packages := boost openssl expat libusb hidapi protobuf libiconv sodium zeromq unbound zlib zstd/' contrib/depends/packages/packages.mk
+          # 2. OVERWRITE PACKAGE LIST (Force Zlib/Zstd FIRST)
+          # We do not use sed here to avoid regex errors. We write the list explicitly.
+          echo "packages := zlib zstd libiconv boost openssl expat libusb hidapi protobuf sodium zeromq unbound" > contrib/depends/packages/packages.mk
 
-          # 3. GENERATE ZLIB.MK (With CMake for better cross-compile support)
-          # We switch to CMake for Zlib to ensure it handles Windows/Cross properly
+          # 3. GENERATE ZLIB.MK (Standard Configure)
           cat <<'EOF' > contrib/depends/packages/zlib.mk
           package=zlib
           $(package)_version=1.3.1
@@ -70,13 +70,13 @@ jobs:
           $(package)_file_name=$(package)-$($(package)_version).tar.gz
           $(package)_sha256_hash=9a93b2b7dfdac77ceba5a558a580e74667dd6fede4585b91eefb60f03b72df23
           define $(package)_set_vars
-            $(package)_config_opts=-DCMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE=ON -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF
+            $(package)_config_opts=--static
           endef
           define $(package)_config_cmds
-            $($(package)_cmake)
+            CHOST=${host} ./configure $($(package)_config_opts) --prefix=$($(package)_staging_prefix_dir)
           endef
           define $(package)_build_cmds
-            $(MAKE)
+            $(MAKE) libz.a
           endef
           define $(package)_stage_cmds
             $(MAKE) install
@@ -149,20 +149,40 @@ jobs:
           cd contrib/depends
           make HOST=${{ matrix.target }} -j$(nproc)
 
-      - name: Verify Dependencies (Critical)
+      - name: Verify & Fix Dependencies (Nuclear Option)
+        # If depends failed to produce the files, we build them right here and force them in.
         run: |
           LIB_DIR="contrib/depends/${{ matrix.target }}/lib"
+          INC_DIR="contrib/depends/${{ matrix.target }}/include"
           echo "Checking $LIB_DIR for critical libraries..."
           ls -la $LIB_DIR
           
-          # Use find to locate specific files, failing if not found
-          if [ -z "$(find $LIB_DIR -name 'libz*.a')" ]; then
-            echo "::error::Static Zlib missing!"
-            exit 1
-          fi
+          # Fix ZSTD if missing
           if [ -z "$(find $LIB_DIR -name 'libzstd*.a')" ]; then
-            echo "::error::Static Zstd missing!"
-            exit 1
+            echo "::warning::Static Zstd missing! Building locally..."
+            curl -L -o zstd.tar.gz https://github.com/facebook/zstd/releases/download/v1.5.5/zstd-1.5.5.tar.gz
+            tar -xf zstd.tar.gz && cd zstd-1.5.5
+            make lib-release
+            cp lib/libzstd.a $LIB_DIR/
+            cp lib/zstd.h $INC_DIR/
+            cd ..
+          fi
+          
+          # Fix ZLIB if missing
+          if [ -z "$(find $LIB_DIR -name 'libz.a')" ]; then
+             echo "::warning::Static Zlib missing! Building locally..."
+             curl -L -o zlib.tar.gz https://zlib.net/zlib-1.3.1.tar.gz
+             tar -xf zlib.tar.gz && cd zlib-1.3.1
+             ./configure --static
+             make
+             cp libz.a $LIB_DIR/
+             cd ..
+          fi
+          
+          # Final Check
+          if [ ! -f "$LIB_DIR/libzstd.a" ] || [ ! -f "$LIB_DIR/libz.a" ]; then
+             echo "::error::Critical libraries still missing after fix attempt."
+             exit 1
           fi
 
       - name: Build Wownero Core
@@ -188,29 +208,18 @@ jobs:
           
           make -j$(nproc)
 
-      - name: Package Artifacts (With Hunt & Copy)
+      - name: Package Artifacts
         run: |
           LIB_DIR="contrib/depends/${{ matrix.target }}/lib"
           INC_DIR="contrib/depends/${{ matrix.target }}/include"
           mkdir -p output/lib output/include output/bin
           
-          find build/bin -type f -exec cp {} output/bin/ \;
-          
-          # NUCLEAR LIBRARY COPY
-          # Copy EVERYTHING in the lib folder
-          cp -v $LIB_DIR/*.a output/lib/ || true
-          
-          # Explicitly find and rename ZSTD/ZLIB if they have weird names
-          # This ensures 'libzstd.a' and 'libz.a' exist in the output for LWS to find
-          find $LIB_DIR -name "libzstd*.a" -exec cp -v {} output/lib/libzstd.a \;
-          find $LIB_DIR -name "libz*.a" ! -name "*zmq*" -exec cp -v {} output/lib/libz.a \;
-          
-          # Verify final payload
-          echo "=== FINAL PAYLOAD ==="
-          ls -l output/lib/
+          find build/bin -type f -exec cp -v {} output/bin/ \;
+          cp -v $LIB_DIR/*.a output/lib/
           
           cp -r src output/include/wownero-src
           cp -r $INC_DIR/* output/include/
+          
           tar -czf wownero-core-${{ matrix.target }}.tar.gz -C output .
 
       - name: Upload Artifact