diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d24711
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+name: Package release
+
+on:
+  push:
+    tags:
+      - "v*.*.*"
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+
+jobs:
+  release:
+    name: Test, package, and draft release
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out tagged commit
+        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+
+      - name: Install Lua 5.1.5
+        uses: leafo/gh-actions-lua@v13
+        with:
+          luaVersion: "5.1.5"
+
+      - name: Install LuaRocks
+        uses: leafo/gh-actions-luarocks@v6
+
+      - name: Install Busted
+        run: luarocks install busted 2.3.0-1
+
+      - name: Derive version from tag
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          VERSION="${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}"
+          echo "VERSION=$VERSION" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+          echo "PACKAGE=dist/lightroom-llama-v${VERSION}.zip" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
+      - name: Build release package
+        run: make package VERSION="$VERSION"
+
+      - name: Create draft GitHub release
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        run: |
+          gh release create "$GITHUB_REF_NAME" "$PACKAGE" \
+            --verify-tag \
+            --draft \
+            --generate-notes \
+            --title "Lightroom Llama $VERSION"
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 80c1a2e..703a98a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -39,4 +39,7 @@ luac.out
 *.x86_64
 *.hex
 
-reference.lrplugin
\ No newline at end of file
+reference.lrplugin
+
+# Generated release packages
+dist/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.idea/.gitignore b/.idea/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..30cf57e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.idea/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Default ignored files
+/shelf/
+/workspace.xml
+# Editor-based HTTP Client requests
+/httpRequests/
+# Ignored default folder with query files
+/queries/
+# Datasource local storage ignored files
+/dataSources/
+/dataSources.local.xml
diff --git a/.idea/lightroom-llama.iml b/.idea/lightroom-llama.iml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d0876a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.idea/lightroom-llama.iml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<module type="PYTHON_MODULE" version="4">
+  <component name="NewModuleRootManager">
+    <content url="file://$MODULE_DIR$" />
+    <orderEntry type="inheritedJdk" />
+    <orderEntry type="sourceFolder" forTests="false" />
+  </component>
+</module>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2b83a11..8c77b86 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,10 +1,26 @@
-.PHONY: test clean
+VERSION ?= dev
+DIST_DIR := dist
+PLUGIN_DIR := lightroom-llama.lrplugin
+PACKAGE := $(DIST_DIR)/lightroom-llama-v$(VERSION).zip
+
+.PHONY: test clean package
 
 # Run the Busted unit test suite for plugin modules.
-# Delegates to run_tests.sh (the authoritative runner) so flags are only defined once.
+# Delegates to run_tests.sh so test flags are defined in one place.
 test:
 	./tests/run_tests.sh
 
-# Remove generated/test artifacts
+# Run tests, create the release ZIP, and verify that the archive is valid.
+package: test
+	rm -rf "$(DIST_DIR)"
+	mkdir -p "$(DIST_DIR)"
+	zip -r "$(PACKAGE)" "$(PLUGIN_DIR)" \
+		-x "*/.DS_Store" \
+		   "*/__MACOSX/*" \
+		   "*/._*"
+	unzip -t "$(PACKAGE)"
+
+# Remove generated test and release artifacts.
 clean:
 	rm -f tests/spec/*.gc* 2>/dev/null || true
+	rm -rf "$(DIST_DIR)"
\ No newline at end of file