diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 029be90..2c024b4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -426,9 +426,10 @@ jobs:
       # first, and fail the build script when it is not.
       - name: Build NSIS Installer
         working-directory: ostp-gui
-        run: |
-          node stage-sidecar.js --release --target ${{ matrix.target }}
-          npx tauri build --bundles nsis --target ${{ matrix.target }} --config src-tauri/tauri.installer.conf.json
+        # Chained, not two lines: pwsh does not abort a run block when a native
+        # command fails, so a staging failure would otherwise be reported far
+        # downstream as a missing sidecar rather than as itself.
+        run: node stage-sidecar.cjs --release --target ${{ matrix.target }} && npx tauri build --bundles nsis --target ${{ matrix.target }} --config src-tauri/tauri.installer.conf.json
 
       - name: Collect installer
         shell: pwsh
diff --git a/ostp-gui/package.json b/ostp-gui/package.json
index f18eb49..e04fcda 100644
--- a/ostp-gui/package.json
+++ b/ostp-gui/package.json
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@
     "tauri": "tauri",
     "dev": "cargo build -p ostp-tun-helper && npx tauri dev",
     "build": "cargo build -p ostp-tun-helper --release && npx tauri build --no-bundle",
-    "build:installer": "cargo build -p ostp-tun-helper --release && node stage-sidecar.js --release && npx tauri build --bundles nsis --config src-tauri/tauri.installer.conf.json",
+    "build:installer": "cargo build -p ostp-tun-helper --release && node stage-sidecar.cjs --release && npx tauri build --bundles nsis --config src-tauri/tauri.installer.conf.json",
     "build:dist": "npm run build && node build_dist.js",
-    "sidecar": "node stage-sidecar.js"
+    "sidecar": "node stage-sidecar.cjs"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@tauri-apps/cli": "^2"
diff --git a/ostp-gui/stage-sidecar.js b/ostp-gui/stage-sidecar.cjs
similarity index 100%
rename from ostp-gui/stage-sidecar.js
rename to ostp-gui/stage-sidecar.cjs