fix: Minor fixes (#1075)

A batch of small, self-contained fixes and docs/example additions.

Fixes #625 - align the example config's `force_pull` with the actual default (`false`)
Fixes #804 - return an error instead of discarding `os.UserHomeDir()` when defaulting `cache.dir`/`host.workdir_parent`
Fixes #571 - send a `gitea-runner/<version>` User-Agent on API requests
Fixes #650 - detect an `Unauthenticated` fetch response and exit the daemon with an error instead of retrying forever
Fixes #766 - add `exec --eventpath` to supply a JSON event payload file
Fixes #256 - add a `bug-report` subcommand that prints version/Go/OS-arch/CPU info
Fixes #617 - add `runner.set_act_env` (default `true`) to optionally omit the `ACT=true` env var
Fixes #635 - record a failure result (and guard a nil reusable-workflow caller) when the job `if`-expression fails to evaluate
Fixes #1005 - remove README docs for config env-var overrides that were already removed from the code
Fixes #448 - clarify in `exec --job` help that `--workflows` may be needed to disambiguate
Fixes #209 - note that `host`-labelled runners still need Docker for `docker://` actions and service containers
Fixes #757 - add a systemd service example with automatic restart
Fixes #474 - add a Kubernetes StatefulSet example that persists the `.runner` registration across reschedules
Fixes #776 - build the basic (non-dind) docker image for `linux/riscv64`
Fixes #628 - build the basic (non-dind) docker image for `linux/s390x`Reviewed-on: https://gitea.com/gitea/runner/pulls/1075
Reviewed-by: Lunny Xiao <xiaolunwen@gmail.com>

.gitea/workflows/release-nightly.yml

@@ -43,12 +43,18 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         variant:
+          # The basic image is built from source and can target any arch the
+          # toolchain supports. The dind variants are limited to the arches the
+          # docker:dind base image publishes.
           - target: basic
             tag_suffix: ""
+            platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64,linux/riscv64,linux/s390x
           - target: dind
             tag_suffix: "-dind"
+            platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
           - target: dind-rootless
             tag_suffix: "-dind-rootless"
+            platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
@@ -82,9 +88,7 @@ jobs:
           context: .
           file: ./Dockerfile
           target: ${{ matrix.variant.target }}
-          platforms: |
+          platforms: ${{ matrix.variant.platforms }}
-            linux/amd64
-            linux/arm64
           push: true
           tags: |
             ${{ env.DOCKER_ORG }}/runner:nightly${{ matrix.variant.tag_suffix }}

.gitea/workflows/release-tag.yml

@@ -42,12 +42,18 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         variant:
+          # The basic image is built from source and can target any arch the
+          # toolchain supports. The dind variants are limited to the arches the
+          # docker:dind base image publishes.
           - target: basic
             tag_suffix: ""
+            platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64,linux/riscv64,linux/s390x
           - target: dind
             tag_suffix: "-dind"
+            platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
           - target: dind-rootless
             tag_suffix: "-dind-rootless"
+            platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
     container:
       image: catthehacker/ubuntu:act-latest
     env:
@@ -91,9 +97,7 @@ jobs:
           context: .
           file: ./Dockerfile
           target: ${{ matrix.variant.target }}
-          platforms: |
+          platforms: ${{ matrix.variant.platforms }}
-            linux/amd64
-            linux/arm64
           push: true
           tags: ${{ steps.docker_meta.outputs.tags }}
           build-args: |

README.md

@@ -143,23 +143,16 @@ Every option is described in [config.example.yaml](internal/pkg/config/config.ex
 
 #### Without a config file
 
-If you omit `-c`, built-in defaults apply (same as an empty YAML document). A small set of **deprecated** environment variables can still override parts of that default config, but **only when no `-c` path was given**; they are ignored if you use a config file:
+If you omit `-c`, built-in defaults apply (same as an empty YAML document).
 
-| Variable | Effect |
+Earlier releases let a small set of environment variables (`GITEA_DEBUG`, `GITEA_TRACE`, `GITEA_RUNNER_CAPACITY`, `GITEA_RUNNER_FILE`, `GITEA_RUNNER_ENVIRON`, `GITEA_RUNNER_ENV_FILE`) override parts of the default config. Those overrides have been removed — use a YAML config file for all settings instead. For the Docker images, the entrypoint still understands a separate set of variables (such as `RUNNER_STATE_FILE`); see [scripts/run.sh](scripts/run.sh) and the container documentation below.
-| --- | --- |
-| `GITEA_DEBUG` | If true, sets log level to `debug` |
-| `GITEA_TRACE` | If true, sets log level to `trace` |
-| `GITEA_RUNNER_CAPACITY` | Concurrent jobs (integer) |
-| `GITEA_RUNNER_FILE` | Registration state file path (default `.runner`) |
-| `GITEA_RUNNER_ENVIRON` | Extra job env vars as comma-separated `KEY:VALUE` pairs |
-| `GITEA_RUNNER_ENV_FILE` | Path to an env file merged into job env (same idea as `runner.env_file` in YAML) |
-
-Prefer a YAML file for all settings.
 
 #### Registration vs config labels
 
 If `runner.labels` is set in the YAML file, those labels are used during `register` and the `--labels` CLI flag is ignored.
 
+> **Note:** A runner that only exposes `host` labels still needs access to a Docker daemon (e.g. a mounted `/var/run/docker.sock`) whenever a job uses a `docker://` action or a service container. `host` labels only change where the job's own steps run; container-based steps and actions are still executed with Docker.
+
 #### Caching (`actions/cache`)
 
 Each runner starts its own cache server automatically. Cache entries are local to that runner — runners do not share a cache by default.

act/runner/run_context.go

@@ -138,7 +138,9 @@ func (rc *RunContext) GetEnv() map[string]string {
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	if !rc.Config.DisableActEnv {
 		rc.Env["ACT"] = "true"
+	}
 
 	if !rc.Config.NoSkipCheckout {
 		rc.Env["ACT_SKIP_CHECKOUT"] = "true"
@@ -790,7 +792,13 @@ func (rc *RunContext) Executor() (common.Executor, error) {
 	return func(ctx context.Context) error {
 		res, err := rc.isEnabled(ctx)
 		if err != nil {
-			rc.caller.setReusedWorkflowJobResult(rc.JobName, "failure") // For Gitea
+			// Record the failure so a job whose if-expression fails to evaluate
+			// gets a result (and therefore a stop time) instead of being left
+			// unfinished. rc.caller is only set for reusable workflows.
+			rc.result("failure")
+			if rc.caller != nil { // For Gitea
+				rc.caller.setReusedWorkflowJobResult(rc.JobName, "failure")
+			}
 			return err
 		}
 		if res {

act/runner/runner.go

@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	ArtifactServerAddr                 string                                        // the address the artifact server binds to
 	ArtifactServerPort                 string                                        // the port the artifact server binds to
 	NoSkipCheckout                     bool                                          // do not skip actions/checkout
+	DisableActEnv                      bool                                          // do not inject the ACT=true environment variable into jobs
 	RemoteName                         string                                        // remote name in local git repo config
 	ReplaceGheActionWithGithubCom      []string                                      // Use actions from GitHub Enterprise instance to GitHub
 	ReplaceGheActionTokenWithGithubCom string                                        // Token of private action repo on GitHub.

examples/kubernetes/README.md

@@ -13,3 +13,6 @@ Files in this directory:
 
 - [`rootless-docker.yaml`](rootless-docker.yaml)
   How to create a rootless Deployment and Persistent Volume for Kubernetes to act as a runner. The Docker credentials are re-generated each time the pod connects and does not need to be persisted.
+
+- [`statefulset-dind.yaml`](statefulset-dind.yaml)
+  StatefulSet variant of the dind example. Each replica gets a stable identity and its own persistent volume via `volumeClaimTemplates`, so the runner keeps its `.runner` registration across restarts and reschedules instead of trying to register again.

examples/kubernetes/statefulset-dind.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+# StatefulSet variant of the dind example.
+#
+# Unlike the Deployment, a StatefulSet gives each replica a stable identity and,
+# via volumeClaimTemplates, its own persistent volume. That means every runner
+# pod keeps its own `.runner` registration file across restarts and reschedules,
+# so it re-attaches to the server instead of trying to register again.
+apiVersion: v1
+data:
+  # The registration token can be obtained from the web UI, API or command-line.
+  # You can also set a pre-defined global runner registration token for the Gitea instance via
+  # `GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN`/`GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN_FILE` environment variable.
+  token: << base64 encoded registration token >>
+kind: Secret
+metadata:
+  name: runner-secret
+type: Opaque
+---
+apiVersion: apps/v1
+kind: StatefulSet
+metadata:
+  labels:
+    app: runner
+  name: runner
+spec:
+  serviceName: runner
+  replicas: 1
+  selector:
+    matchLabels:
+      app: runner
+  template:
+    metadata:
+      labels:
+        app: runner
+    spec:
+      restartPolicy: Always
+      volumes:
+      - name: docker-socket
+        emptyDir: {}
+      initContainers:
+      - name: docker
+        image: docker:28.2.2-dind
+        securityContext:
+          privileged: true
+        volumeMounts:
+        - name: docker-socket
+          mountPath: /var/run
+        startupProbe:
+          exec:
+            command: ["/usr/bin/test", "-S", "/var/run/docker.sock"]
+        livenessProbe:
+          exec:
+            command: ["/usr/bin/test", "-S", "/var/run/docker.sock"]
+        restartPolicy: Always
+      containers:
+      - name: runner
+        image: gitea/runner:nightly
+        env:
+        - name: GITEA_INSTANCE_URL
+          value: http://gitea-http.gitea.svc.cluster.local:3000
+        - name: GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN
+          valueFrom:
+            secretKeyRef:
+              name: runner-secret
+              key: token
+        volumeMounts:
+        - name: runner-data
+          mountPath: /data
+        - name: docker-socket
+          mountPath: /var/run
+  volumeClaimTemplates:
+  - metadata:
+      name: runner-data
+    spec:
+      accessModes:
+      - ReadWriteOnce
+      resources:
+        requests:
+          storage: 1Gi
+      storageClassName: standard

examples/systemd/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# Running the runner as a systemd service
+
+[`gitea-runner.service`](./gitea-runner.service) is an example unit for running
+the runner as a background service on a systemd host.
+
+## Setup
+
+1. Install the `gitea-runner` binary (e.g. to `/usr/local/bin/gitea-runner`).
+2. Create a dedicated user and working directory:
+
+   ```bash
+   sudo useradd --system --home-dir /var/lib/gitea-runner --create-home gitea-runner
+   ```
+
+3. Generate a config and register the runner (as the service user), so the
+   `.runner` file ends up in the working directory:
+
+   ```bash
+   sudo -u gitea-runner gitea-runner generate-config > /etc/gitea-runner/config.yaml
+   cd /var/lib/gitea-runner
+   sudo -u gitea-runner gitea-runner register --config /etc/gitea-runner/config.yaml
+   ```
+
+4. Install and enable the unit:
+
+   ```bash
+   sudo cp gitea-runner.service /etc/systemd/system/gitea-runner.service
+   sudo systemctl daemon-reload
+   sudo systemctl enable --now gitea-runner
+   ```
+
+Adjust the binary path, config path, working directory and user to match your
+installation. If jobs use the host's Docker daemon, uncomment the
+`docker.service` dependencies in the unit.

examples/systemd/gitea-runner.service

@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Gitea Actions runner
+Documentation=https://gitea.com/gitea/runner
+After=network-online.target
+Wants=network-online.target
+# Uncomment when jobs use the local Docker daemon:
+# After=docker.service
+# Requires=docker.service
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+# Adjust the binary path, config path and working directory to your setup.
+# The working directory is where the .runner registration file is read from
+# unless runner.file is set to an absolute path in the config.
+ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/gitea-runner daemon --config /etc/gitea-runner/config.yaml
+WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/gitea-runner
+User=gitea-runner
+Group=gitea-runner
+
+# Restart automatically so the runner survives transient failures, e.g. the
+# Gitea instance being temporarily unreachable at startup.
+Restart=on-failure
+RestartSec=5s
+
+# Allow running jobs to finish before the runner is stopped. Keep this in sync
+# with runner.shutdown_timeout in the config.
+TimeoutStopSec=3h
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target

internal/app/cmd/bug_report.go

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"runtime"
+
+	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/ver"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+// loadBugReportCmd prints environment details that are useful when opening a
+// bug report, so users can paste them straight into an issue.
+func loadBugReportCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	return &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "bug-report",
+		Short: "Print information useful when filing a bug report",
+		Args:  cobra.MaximumNArgs(0),
+		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
+			w := cmd.OutOrStdout()
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "Runner version: %s\n", ver.Version())
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "Go version:     %s\n", runtime.Version())
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "OS/Arch:        %s/%s\n", runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH)
+			fmt.Fprintf(w, "NumCPU:         %d\n", runtime.NumCPU())
+			return nil
+		},
+	}
+}

internal/app/cmd/cmd.go

@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ func Execute(ctx context.Context) {
 	// ./gitea-runner exec
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(loadExecCmd(ctx))
 
+	// ./gitea-runner bug-report
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(loadBugReportCmd())
+
 	// ./gitea-runner config
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(&cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "generate-config",

internal/app/cmd/daemon.go

@@ -176,7 +176,12 @@ func runDaemon(ctx context.Context, daemArgs *daemonArgs, configFile *string) fu
 		} else {
 			go poller.Poll()
 
-			<-ctx.Done()
+			// Stop either on an external cancellation or when the poller shuts
+			// itself down (e.g. after the runner has been unregistered).
+			select {
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+			case <-poller.Done():
+			}
 		}
 
 		log.Infof("runner: %s shutdown initiated, waiting %s for running jobs to complete before shutting down", resp.Msg.Runner.Name, cfg.Runner.ShutdownTimeout)
@@ -189,6 +194,10 @@ func runDaemon(ctx context.Context, daemArgs *daemonArgs, configFile *string) fu
 			log.Warnf("runner: %s cancelled in progress jobs during shutdown", resp.Msg.Runner.Name)
 		}
 
+		if poller.Unregistered() {
+			return errors.New("runner is no longer registered with the server; please register it again")
+		}
+
 		return nil
 	}
 }

internal/app/cmd/exec.go

@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ type executeArgs struct {
 	runList               bool
 	job                   string
 	event                 string
+	eventpath             string
 	workdir               string
 	workflowsPath         string
 	noWorkflowRecurse     bool
@@ -441,6 +442,7 @@ func runExec(ctx context.Context, execArgs *executeArgs) func(cmd *cobra.Command
 			ArtifactServerPort:    execArgs.artifactServerPort,
 			ArtifactServerAddr:    execArgs.artifactServerAddr,
 			NoSkipCheckout:        execArgs.noSkipCheckout,
+			EventPath:             execArgs.resolve(execArgs.eventpath),
 			// PresetGitHubContext:   preset,
 			// EventJSON:             string(eventJSON),
 			ContainerNamePrefix:               "GITEA-ACTIONS-TASK-" + eventName,
@@ -496,8 +498,9 @@ func loadExecCmd(ctx context.Context) *cobra.Command {
 	}
 
 	execCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&execArg.runList, "list", "l", false, "list workflows")
-	execCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&execArg.job, "job", "j", "", "run a specific job ID")
+	execCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&execArg.job, "job", "j", "", "run a specific job ID; when several workflow files define that job, also pass --workflows/-W to select the file")
 	execCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&execArg.event, "event", "E", "", "run a event name")
+	execCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&execArg.eventpath, "eventpath", "e", "", "path to a JSON event payload file exposed as the event that triggered the workflow")
 	execCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&execArg.workflowsPath, "workflows", "W", "./.gitea/workflows/", "path to workflow file(s)")
 	execCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&execArg.workdir, "directory", "C", ".", "working directory")
 	execCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&execArg.noWorkflowRecurse, "no-recurse", "", false, "Flag to disable running workflows from subdirectories of specified path in '--workflows'/'-W' flag")

internal/app/poll/poller.go

@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ type Poller struct {
 	shutdownJobs context.CancelFunc
 
 	done chan struct{}
+
+	// unregistered is set when the server rejects the runner with an
+	// Unauthenticated response, meaning the runner is no longer registered.
+	unregistered atomic.Bool
 }
 
 // workerState holds the single poller's backoff state. Consecutive empty or
@@ -137,6 +141,19 @@ func (p *Poller) PollOnce() {
 	}
 }
 
+// Done returns a channel that is closed once polling has fully stopped,
+// allowing callers to react when the poller shuts itself down (e.g. after the
+// runner has been unregistered) rather than only on an external cancellation.
+func (p *Poller) Done() <-chan struct{} {
+	return p.done
+}
+
+// Unregistered reports whether polling stopped because the server rejected the
+// runner as unregistered (an Unauthenticated response).
+func (p *Poller) Unregistered() bool {
+	return p.unregistered.Load()
+}
+
 func (p *Poller) runIdleMaintenance() {
 	if idleRunner, ok := p.runner.(IdleRunner); ok {
 		idleRunner.OnIdle(p.jobsCtx)
@@ -264,6 +281,15 @@ func (p *Poller) fetchTask(ctx context.Context, s *workerState) (*runnerv1.Task,
 	metrics.PollFetchDuration.Observe(time.Since(start).Seconds())
 
 	if err != nil {
+		// An Unauthenticated response means the server no longer knows this
+		// runner (e.g. it was deleted). Retrying forever is pointless, so stop
+		// polling and let the daemon exit with an error instead of spinning.
+		if connect.CodeOf(err) == connect.CodeUnauthenticated {
+			log.WithError(err).Error("server rejected the runner as unregistered, stopping poller")
+			p.unregistered.Store(true)
+			p.shutdownPolling()
+			return nil, false
+		}
 		log.WithError(err).Error("failed to fetch task")
 		s.consecutiveErrors++
 		metrics.PollFetchTotal.WithLabelValues(metrics.LabelResultError).Inc()

internal/app/poll/poller_test.go

@@ -78,6 +78,35 @@ func TestPoller_FetchErrorIncrementsErrorsOnly(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, int64(0), s.consecutiveEmpty)
 }
 
+// TestPoller_FetchUnauthenticatedStopsPolling verifies that an Unauthenticated
+// response marks the runner as unregistered and cancels the polling context so
+// the daemon can exit instead of retrying forever.
+func TestPoller_FetchUnauthenticatedStopsPolling(t *testing.T) {
+	client := mocks.NewClient(t)
+	client.On("FetchTask", mock.Anything, mock.Anything).Return(
+		func(_ context.Context, _ *connect_go.Request[runnerv1.FetchTaskRequest]) (*connect_go.Response[runnerv1.FetchTaskResponse], error) {
+			return nil, connect_go.NewError(connect_go.CodeUnauthenticated, errors.New("unregistered runner"))
+		},
+	)
+
+	cfg, err := config.LoadDefault("")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	p := New(cfg, client, nil)
+
+	s := &workerState{}
+	_, ok := p.fetchTask(context.Background(), s)
+	require.False(t, ok)
+
+	assert.True(t, p.Unregistered(), "runner should be marked unregistered")
+	assert.Equal(t, int64(0), s.consecutiveErrors, "unauthenticated must not drive error backoff")
+
+	select {
+	case <-p.pollingCtx.Done():
+	default:
+		t.Fatal("expected polling context to be cancelled after an Unauthenticated response")
+	}
+}
+
 // TestPoller_CalculateInterval verifies the exponential backoff math is
 // correctly driven by the workerState counters.
 func TestPoller_CalculateInterval(t *testing.T) {

internal/app/run/runner.go

@@ -445,6 +445,7 @@ func (r *Runner) run(ctx context.Context, task *runnerv1.Task, reporter *report.
 		GitHubInstance:       strings.TrimSuffix(r.client.Address(), "/"),
 		AutoRemove:           true,
 		NoSkipCheckout:       true,
+		DisableActEnv:        r.cfg.Runner.SetActEnv != nil && !*r.cfg.Runner.SetActEnv,
 		PresetGitHubContext:  preset,
 		EventJSON:            string(eventJSON),
 		ContainerNamePrefix:  fmt.Sprintf("GITEA-ACTIONS-TASK-%d", task.Id),

internal/pkg/client/http.go

@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/ver"
+
 	"connectrpc.com/connect"
 	"gitea.dev/actions-proto-go/ping/v1/pingv1connect"
 	"gitea.dev/actions-proto-go/runner/v1/runnerv1connect"
@@ -36,6 +38,7 @@ func New(endpoint string, insecure bool, uuid, token string, opts ...connect.Cli
 
 	opts = append(opts, connect.WithInterceptors(connect.UnaryInterceptorFunc(func(next connect.UnaryFunc) connect.UnaryFunc {
 		return func(ctx context.Context, req connect.AnyRequest) (connect.AnyResponse, error) {
+			req.Header().Set("User-Agent", "gitea-runner/"+ver.Version())
 			if uuid != "" {
 				req.Header().Set(UUIDHeader, uuid)
 			}

internal/pkg/config/config.example.yaml

@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ runner:
   # When true (the default), fetch only the requested ref of an action repository (e.g. actions/checkout@v4) at depth 1 instead of cloning every branch's full history. 
   # Set to false to clone the full history.
   action_shallow_clone: true
+  # When true (the default), inject the ACT=true environment variable into jobs.
+  # Set to false so workflows gated on `if: ${{ !env.ACT }}` behave like they do on GitHub.
+  set_act_env: true
   # The labels of a runner are used to determine which jobs the runner can run, and how to run them.
   # Like: "macos-arm64:host" or "ubuntu-latest:docker://docker.gitea.com/runner-images:ubuntu-latest"
   # Find more images provided by Gitea at https://gitea.com/gitea/runner-images .
@@ -175,8 +178,9 @@ container:
   # If it's "-", runner will find an available docker host automatically, but the docker host won't be mounted to the job containers and service containers.
   # If it's not empty or "-", the specified docker host will be used. An error will be returned if it doesn't work.
   docker_host: ""
-  # Pull docker image(s) even if already present
+  # Pull docker image(s) even if already present.
-  force_pull: true
+  # Defaults to false when the key is omitted.
+  force_pull: false
   # Rebuild docker image(s) even if already present
   force_rebuild: false
   # Always require a reachable docker daemon, even if not required by runner

internal/pkg/config/config.go

@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ type Runner struct {
 	Labels                []string          `yaml:"labels"`                   // Labels specify the labels of the runner. Labels are declared on each startup
 	GithubMirror          string            `yaml:"github_mirror"`            // GithubMirror defines what mirrors should be used when using github
 	ActionShallowClone    *bool             `yaml:"action_shallow_clone"`     // ActionShallowClone fetches only the requested ref of an action repository at depth 1 instead of cloning every branch's full history. It is a pointer to distinguish between false and not set; if not set, it defaults to true.
+	SetActEnv             *bool             `yaml:"set_act_env"`              // SetActEnv controls whether the ACT=true environment variable is injected into jobs. It is a pointer to distinguish between false and not set; if not set, it defaults to true. Set it to false so workflows gated on `if: ${{ !env.ACT }}` behave like on GitHub.
 	AllocatePTY           bool              `yaml:"allocate_pty"`             // AllocatePTY allocates a pseudo-TTY for each step's process. Default is false, matching GitHub's actions/runner. Enable only for jobs that need an interactive terminal; tools like docker build emit redrawing progress frames into the captured log when a TTY is present. Applies to both host and docker backends.
 	PostTaskScript        string            `yaml:"post_task_script"`         // PostTaskScript is the path to an executable script run on the host after each task's cleanup completes. Empty disables the hook. On Windows use .exe/.bat/.cmd; PowerShell (.ps1) is not supported yet as the configured path.
 	PostTaskScriptTimeout time.Duration     `yaml:"post_task_script_timeout"` // PostTaskScriptTimeout caps how long the post-task script may run. Default is 5m when post_task_script is set.
@@ -156,13 +157,20 @@ func LoadDefault(file string) (*Config, error) {
 		b := true
 		cfg.Runner.ActionShallowClone = &b
 	}
+	if cfg.Runner.SetActEnv == nil {
+		b := true
+		cfg.Runner.SetActEnv = &b
+	}
 	if cfg.Cache.Enabled == nil {
 		b := true
 		cfg.Cache.Enabled = &b
 	}
 	if *cfg.Cache.Enabled {
 		if cfg.Cache.Dir == "" {
-			home, _ := os.UserHomeDir()
+			home, err := os.UserHomeDir()
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("cache.dir is unset and the user home directory could not be determined: %w", err)
+			}
 			cfg.Cache.Dir = filepath.Join(home, ".cache", "actcache")
 		}
 		if cfg.Cache.ExternalServer != "" && cfg.Cache.ExternalSecret == "" {
@@ -173,7 +181,10 @@ func LoadDefault(file string) (*Config, error) {
 		cfg.Container.WorkdirParent = "workspace"
 	}
 	if cfg.Host.WorkdirParent == "" {
-		home, _ := os.UserHomeDir()
+		home, err := os.UserHomeDir()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("host.workdir_parent is unset and the user home directory could not be determined: %w", err)
+		}
 		cfg.Host.WorkdirParent = filepath.Join(home, ".cache", "act")
 	}
 	if cfg.Runner.FetchTimeout <= 0 {