diff --git a/act/common/git/git.go b/act/common/git/git.go
index 243aa5db..0ef1eab5 100644
--- a/act/common/git/git.go
+++ b/act/common/git/git.go
@@ -261,6 +261,10 @@ type NewGitCloneExecutorInput struct {
 	// 0 for full clone.
 	Depth int
 
+	// Quiet drops the informational clone line to debug level, for callers that log their own
+	// download summary (the setup section's action report).
+	Quiet bool
+
 	// For Gitea
 	InsecureSkipTLS bool
 }
@@ -347,7 +351,11 @@ func gitOptions(token string) (fetchOptions git.FetchOptions, pullOptions git.Pu
 func NewGitCloneExecutor(input NewGitCloneExecutorInput) common.Executor {
 	return func(ctx context.Context) error {
 		logger := common.Logger(ctx)
-		logger.Infof("git clone '%s' # ref=%s", input.URL, input.Ref)
+		if input.Quiet {
+			logger.Debugf("git clone '%s' # ref=%s", input.URL, input.Ref)
+		} else {
+			logger.Infof("git clone '%s' # ref=%s", input.URL, input.Ref)
+		}
 		logger.Debugf("  cloning %s to %s", input.URL, input.Dir)
 
 		defer AcquireCloneLock(input.Dir)()
diff --git a/act/common/git/git_test.go b/act/common/git/git_test.go
index 271080b7..02811acd 100644
--- a/act/common/git/git_test.go
+++ b/act/common/git/git_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/act/common"
+
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	logrustest "github.com/sirupsen/logrus/hooks/test"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
@@ -404,6 +408,44 @@ func TestGitCloneExecutorOfflineMode(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestGitCloneExecutorQuietDemotesCloneLine(t *testing.T) {
+	remoteDir := t.TempDir()
+	require.NoError(t, gitCmd("init", "--bare", "--initial-branch=main", remoteDir))
+	workDir := t.TempDir()
+	require.NoError(t, gitCmd("clone", remoteDir, workDir))
+	require.NoError(t, gitCmd("-C", workDir, "checkout", "-b", "main"))
+	require.NoError(t, gitCmd("-C", workDir, "commit", "--allow-empty", "-m", "initial"))
+	require.NoError(t, gitCmd("-C", workDir, "push", "-u", "origin", "main"))
+
+	// Quiet callers report the download themselves, so the clone line must not reach the job log.
+	for name, quiet := range map[string]bool{"quiet": true, "not quiet": false} {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			logger, hook := logrustest.NewNullLogger()
+			logger.SetLevel(log.InfoLevel)
+			ctx := common.WithLogger(context.Background(), logger.WithField("job", "j1"))
+
+			require.NoError(t, NewGitCloneExecutor(NewGitCloneExecutorInput{
+				URL:   remoteDir,
+				Ref:   "main",
+				Dir:   t.TempDir(),
+				Quiet: quiet,
+			})(ctx))
+
+			var cloneLines int
+			for _, entry := range hook.AllEntries() {
+				if strings.HasPrefix(entry.Message, "git clone ") {
+					cloneLines++
+				}
+			}
+			if quiet {
+				assert.Zero(t, cloneLines)
+			} else {
+				assert.Equal(t, 1, cloneLines)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestGitCloneExecutorShallow(t *testing.T) {
 	// Build a local "remote" with several commits on main plus a tag, so a full clone would pull noticeably more history than a shallow one.
 	remoteDir := t.TempDir()
diff --git a/act/runner/job_executor.go b/act/runner/job_executor.go
index ed27f1c5..099362fb 100644
--- a/act/runner/job_executor.go
+++ b/act/runner/job_executor.go
@@ -71,9 +71,67 @@ func reportStepError(ctx context.Context, rc *RunContext, err error) {
 	rc.markFailed()
 }
 
+// actionPreparer is implemented by steps that download an action before they run, so the job
+// executor can fetch all of them up front.
+type actionPreparer interface {
+	prepareActionExecutor() common.Executor
+	actionDownloadInfo() (reference, sha string, ok bool)
+}
+
+// printPrepareActions downloads every action the job uses before its first step runs and reports
+// them as actions/runner's "Prepare all required actions" section does. The steps still call
+// prepareActionExecutor themselves; it is a no-op once the action is resolved here.
+func printPrepareActions(rc *RunContext, preparers []actionPreparer) common.Executor {
+	return func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		if len(preparers) == 0 {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		rawLogger := common.Logger(ctx).WithField(rawOutputField, true)
+		rawLogger.Infof("Prepare all required actions")
+
+		for _, preparer := range preparers {
+			if err := preparer.prepareActionExecutor()(ctx); err != nil {
+				// No step has run yet, so the failure belongs to the job.
+				reportStepError(ctx, rc, err)
+				return err
+			}
+			reference, sha, ok := preparer.actionDownloadInfo()
+			if !ok {
+				continue
+			}
+			if sha == "" {
+				rawLogger.Infof("Download action repository '%s'", reference)
+			} else {
+				rawLogger.Infof("Download action repository '%s' (SHA:%s)", reference, sha)
+			}
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
+// printCompleteJobName closes the setup section the way actions/runner ends its "Set up job" step.
+func printCompleteJobName(rc *RunContext) common.Executor {
+	return func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		// Name holds a matrix combination; JobName is the shared name GitHub reports.
+		name := rc.JobName
+		if name == "" {
+			name = rc.Name
+		}
+		if name == "" && rc.Run != nil {
+			name = rc.Run.JobID
+		}
+		common.Logger(ctx).WithField(rawOutputField, true).Infof("Complete job name: %s", name)
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 func newJobExecutor(info jobInfo, sf stepFactory, rc *RunContext) common.Executor {
 	steps := make([]common.Executor, 0)
 	preSteps := make([]common.Executor, 0)
+	// Collected separately: every action is downloaded before the first pre step runs.
+	stepPreSteps := make([]common.Executor, 0)
+	preparers := make([]actionPreparer, 0)
 	var postExecutor common.Executor
 
 	steps = append(steps, func(ctx context.Context) error {
@@ -120,9 +178,13 @@ func newJobExecutor(info jobInfo, sf stepFactory, rc *RunContext) common.Executo
 			return common.NewErrorExecutor(err)
 		}
 
+		if preparer, ok := step.(actionPreparer); ok {
+			preparers = append(preparers, preparer)
+		}
+
 		stepIdx := stepModel.Number
 		preExec := step.pre()
-		preSteps = append(preSteps, useStepLogger(rc, stepModel, stepStagePre, func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		stepPreSteps = append(stepPreSteps, useStepLogger(rc, stepModel, stepStagePre, func(ctx context.Context) error {
 			rc.CurrentStepIndex = stepIdx
 			preErr := preExec(ctx)
 			if preErr != nil {
@@ -164,6 +226,11 @@ func newJobExecutor(info jobInfo, sf stepFactory, rc *RunContext) common.Executo
 		}
 	}
 
+	// The setup section of the job log: download the actions, run the pre steps, then name the job.
+	preSteps = append(preSteps, printPrepareActions(rc, preparers))
+	preSteps = append(preSteps, stepPreSteps...)
+	preSteps = append(preSteps, printCompleteJobName(rc))
+
 	postExecutor = postExecutor.Finally(func(ctx context.Context) error {
 		jobError := common.JobError(ctx)
 		var err error
diff --git a/act/runner/job_executor_test.go b/act/runner/job_executor_test.go
index 4c1cf7f0..aa723721 100644
--- a/act/runner/job_executor_test.go
+++ b/act/runner/job_executor_test.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/act/container"
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/act/model"
 
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	logrustest "github.com/sirupsen/logrus/hooks/test"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/mock"
@@ -111,6 +112,182 @@ func (sfm *stepFactoryMock) newStep(model *model.Step, rc *RunContext) (step, er
 	return args.Get(0).(step), args.Error(1)
 }
 
+// actionPreparerMock stands in for a step whose action is downloaded before the job's first step.
+type actionPreparerMock struct {
+	reference string
+	sha       string
+	ok        bool
+	err       error
+	prepared  int
+}
+
+func (apm *actionPreparerMock) prepareActionExecutor() common.Executor {
+	return func(context.Context) error {
+		apm.prepared++
+		return apm.err
+	}
+}
+
+func (apm *actionPreparerMock) actionDownloadInfo() (string, string, bool) {
+	return apm.reference, apm.sha, apm.ok
+}
+
+func TestPrintPrepareActionsGolden(t *testing.T) {
+	buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
+	logger := log.New()
+	logger.SetOutput(buf)
+	logger.SetLevel(log.InfoLevel)
+	logger.SetFormatter(&jobLogFormatter{color: cyan})
+	ctx := common.WithLogger(context.Background(), logger.WithFields(log.Fields{"job": "j1"}))
+
+	preparers := []actionPreparer{
+		&actionPreparerMock{reference: "actions/checkout@v7", sha: "9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0", ok: true},
+		// A resolved commit is best effort; the ref alone is reported when it is unknown.
+		&actionPreparerMock{reference: "actions/setup-go@v6", ok: true},
+		// A step that downloads nothing, such as the checkout of the workflow's own repository.
+		&actionPreparerMock{ok: false},
+	}
+	require.NoError(t, printPrepareActions(&RunContext{}, preparers)(ctx))
+
+	want := strings.Join([]string{
+		"[j1]   | Prepare all required actions",
+		"[j1]   | Download action repository 'actions/checkout@v7' (SHA:9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0)",
+		"[j1]   | Download action repository 'actions/setup-go@v6'",
+		"",
+	}, "\n")
+	assert.Equal(t, want, buf.String())
+}
+
+func TestPrintPrepareActionsSkipsWithoutActions(t *testing.T) {
+	buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
+	logger := log.New()
+	logger.SetOutput(buf)
+	logger.SetFormatter(&jobLogFormatter{color: cyan})
+	ctx := common.WithLogger(context.Background(), logger.WithFields(log.Fields{"job": "j1"}))
+
+	require.NoError(t, printPrepareActions(&RunContext{}, nil)(ctx))
+
+	assert.Empty(t, buf.String())
+}
+
+func TestPrintPrepareActionsFailsJobOnDownloadError(t *testing.T) {
+	logger, _ := logrustest.NewNullLogger()
+	ctx := common.WithJobErrorContainer(common.WithLogger(context.Background(), logger.WithField("job", "j1")))
+
+	downloadErr := errors.New("failed to fetch \"actions/checkout\"")
+	rc := &RunContext{}
+	remaining := &actionPreparerMock{reference: "actions/setup-go@v6", ok: true}
+
+	err := printPrepareActions(rc, []actionPreparer{
+		&actionPreparerMock{err: downloadErr},
+		remaining,
+	})(ctx)
+
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, downloadErr)
+	// No step has run yet, so the failure has to be recorded against the job itself.
+	assert.Equal(t, downloadErr, common.JobError(ctx))
+	assert.True(t, rc.jobFailed)
+	assert.Zero(t, remaining.prepared)
+}
+
+func TestPrintCompleteJobName(t *testing.T) {
+	for name, tt := range map[string]struct {
+		rc   *RunContext
+		want string
+	}{
+		"job name":            {rc: &RunContext{JobName: "lint", Name: "lint-1"}, want: "lint"},
+		"falls back to name":  {rc: &RunContext{Name: "lint-1"}, want: "lint-1"},
+		"falls back to jobID": {rc: &RunContext{Run: &model.Run{JobID: "lint"}}, want: "lint"},
+	} {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
+			logger := log.New()
+			logger.SetOutput(buf)
+			logger.SetFormatter(&jobLogFormatter{color: cyan})
+			ctx := common.WithLogger(context.Background(), logger.WithFields(log.Fields{"job": "j1"}))
+
+			require.NoError(t, printCompleteJobName(tt.rc)(ctx))
+
+			assert.Equal(t, "[j1]   | Complete job name: "+tt.want+"\n", buf.String())
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// actionStepMock is a step whose action has to be downloaded before it can run.
+type actionStepMock struct {
+	*stepMock
+	*actionPreparerMock
+}
+
+// TestNewJobExecutorDownloadsAllActionsBeforeTheFirstStep pins the shape of the setup section:
+// every action is downloaded before any step runs, and the job name closes the section. A pre
+// step that downloaded its own action would leave the log interleaved with the downloads.
+func TestNewJobExecutorDownloadsAllActionsBeforeTheFirstStep(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := common.WithJobErrorContainer(context.Background())
+	jim := &jobInfoMock{}
+	sfm := &stepFactoryMock{}
+	rc := &RunContext{
+		JobContainer: &jobContainerMock{},
+		Run: &model.Run{
+			JobID: "test",
+			Workflow: &model.Workflow{
+				Jobs: map[string]*model.Job{"test": {}},
+			},
+		},
+		Config: &Config{},
+	}
+	rc.ExprEval = rc.NewExpressionEvaluator(ctx)
+
+	steps := []*model.Step{{ID: "1"}, {ID: "2"}}
+	executorOrder := make([]string, 0)
+
+	jim.On("steps").Return(steps)
+	jim.On("matrix").Return(map[string]any{})
+	jim.On("startContainer").Return(func(context.Context) error { return nil })
+	jim.On("stopContainer").Return(func(context.Context) error { return nil })
+	jim.On("closeContainer").Return(func(context.Context) error { return nil })
+	jim.On("interpolateOutputs").Return(func(context.Context) error { return nil })
+	jim.On("result", "success")
+
+	for _, stepModel := range steps {
+		sm := &stepMock{}
+		apm := &actionPreparerMock{reference: "actions/checkout@v" + stepModel.ID, ok: true}
+		sfm.On("newStep", stepModel, rc).Return(&actionStepMock{stepMock: sm, actionPreparerMock: apm}, nil)
+
+		sm.On("pre").Return(func(context.Context) error {
+			executorOrder = append(executorOrder, "pre"+stepModel.ID)
+			return nil
+		})
+		sm.On("main").Return(func(context.Context) error {
+			executorOrder = append(executorOrder, "step"+stepModel.ID)
+			return nil
+		})
+		sm.On("post").Return(func(context.Context) error { return nil })
+
+		defer sm.AssertExpectations(t)
+	}
+
+	logger, hook := logrustest.NewNullLogger()
+	err := newJobExecutor(jim, sfm, rc)(common.WithLogger(ctx, logger.WithField("job", "test")))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"pre1", "pre2", "step1", "step2"}, executorOrder)
+
+	setup := make([]string, 0)
+	for _, entry := range hook.AllEntries() {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(entry.Message, "Prepare all required actions") || strings.HasPrefix(entry.Message, "Download action") ||
+			strings.HasPrefix(entry.Message, "Complete job name") {
+			setup = append(setup, entry.Message)
+		}
+	}
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{
+		"Prepare all required actions",
+		"Download action repository 'actions/checkout@v1'",
+		"Download action repository 'actions/checkout@v2'",
+		"Complete job name: test",
+	}, setup)
+}
+
 func TestNewJobExecutor(t *testing.T) {
 	table := []struct {
 		name          string
diff --git a/act/runner/step.go b/act/runner/step.go
index c67f5ba7..01a44108 100644
--- a/act/runner/step.go
+++ b/act/runner/step.go
@@ -107,7 +107,13 @@ func runStepExecutor(step step, stage stepStage, executor common.Executor) commo
 		if strings.Contains(stepString, "::add-mask::") {
 			stepString = "add-mask command"
 		}
-		logger.Infof("Run %s %s", stage, stepString)
+		if stage == stepStageMain {
+			// Main steps print their own raw "Run <title>" header, so this line is redundant and
+			// only leaks into the "Set up job" section for the first step; keep it as a debug trace.
+			logger.Debugf("Run %s %s", stage, stepString)
+		} else {
+			logger.Infof("Run %s %s", stage, stepString)
+		}
 
 		// Prepare and clean Runner File Commands
 		actPath := rc.JobContainer.GetActPath()
diff --git a/act/runner/step_action_remote.go b/act/runner/step_action_remote.go
index b61276a0..0cccb729 100644
--- a/act/runner/step_action_remote.go
+++ b/act/runner/step_action_remote.go
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ func (sar *stepActionRemote) prepareActionExecutor() common.Executor {
 			Token:       token,
 			OfflineMode: sar.RunContext.Config.ActionOfflineMode,
 			Depth:       sar.RunContext.Config.ActionCloneDepth,
+			// printPrepareActions reports the download with its resolved commit.
+			Quiet: true,
 
 			InsecureSkipTLS: sar.cloneSkipTLS(), // For Gitea
 		})
@@ -146,6 +148,13 @@ func (sar *stepActionRemote) prepareActionExecutor() common.Executor {
 			}
 		}
 
+		// Best effort: the download report falls back to the ref alone when the commit is unknown.
+		if _, sha, err := git.FindGitRevision(ctx, actionDir); err != nil {
+			common.Logger(ctx).Debugf("unable to resolve the commit of %s: %v", sar.remoteAction.Reference(), err)
+		} else {
+			sar.resolvedSha = sha
+		}
+
 		remoteReader := func(ctx context.Context) actionYamlReader { //nolint:unparam // pre-existing issue from nektos/act
 			return func(filename string) (io.Reader, io.Closer, error) {
 				f, err := os.Open(filepath.Join(actionDir, sar.remoteAction.Path, filename))
@@ -165,6 +174,15 @@ func (sar *stepActionRemote) prepareActionExecutor() common.Executor {
 	}
 }
 
+// actionDownloadInfo reports the action this step downloaded and the commit it resolved to. ok is
+// false when nothing was fetched, as for the local checkout of the workflow's own repository.
+func (sar *stepActionRemote) actionDownloadInfo() (reference, sha string, ok bool) {
+	if sar.remoteAction == nil || sar.action == nil {
+		return "", "", false
+	}
+	return sar.remoteAction.Reference(), sar.resolvedSha, true
+}
+
 func (sar *stepActionRemote) pre() common.Executor {
 	sar.env = map[string]string{}
 
@@ -313,6 +331,16 @@ func (ra *remoteAction) CloneURL(u string) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s/%s", u, ra.Org, ra.Repo)
 }
 
+// Reference renders the action as {org}/{repo}[/path]@{ref}, omitting the download source, which
+// can be interpolated from a secret.
+func (ra *remoteAction) Reference() string {
+	repo := fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", ra.Org, ra.Repo)
+	if ra.Path != "" {
+		repo = fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", repo, ra.Path)
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s@%s", repo, ra.Ref)
+}
+
 func (ra *remoteAction) IsCheckout() bool {
 	if ra.Org == "actions" && ra.Repo == "checkout" {
 		return true
diff --git a/act/runner/step_action_remote_test.go b/act/runner/step_action_remote_test.go
index 6759b78a..473cbb62 100644
--- a/act/runner/step_action_remote_test.go
+++ b/act/runner/step_action_remote_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
@@ -818,6 +821,97 @@ func Test_newRemoteAction(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func Test_remoteActionReference(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		uses string
+		want string
+	}{
+		{uses: "actions/checkout@v7", want: "actions/checkout@v7"},
+		{uses: "actions/aws/ec2@main", want: "actions/aws/ec2@main"},
+		// The download source can be interpolated from a secret and must stay out of the log.
+		{uses: "https://gitea.example.com/actions/checkout@v7", want: "actions/checkout@v7"},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.uses, func(t *testing.T) {
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.want, newRemoteAction(tt.uses).Reference())
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestStepActionRemotePreResolvesDownloadedCommit runs the real download path against a local
+// git repository standing in for the actions instance, so the reported commit is the one the
+// clone actually checked out.
+func TestStepActionRemotePreResolvesDownloadedCommit(t *testing.T) {
+	instance := t.TempDir()
+	actionDir := filepath.Join(instance, "actions", "setup-go")
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(actionDir, 0o755))
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(actionDir, "action.yml"),
+		[]byte("name: setup-go\nruns:\n  using: node20\n  main: index.js\n"), 0o600))
+
+	// Supply an identity on the commit so the test does not depend on a
+	// git identity being configured in the environment; a CI runner without
+	// user.name/user.email would otherwise fail "commit" with exit code 128.
+	for _, args := range [][]string{
+		{"init", "--initial-branch=main", actionDir},
+		{"-C", actionDir, "add", "action.yml"},
+		{"-C", actionDir, "-c", "user.name=runner", "-c", "user.email=runner@example.com", "-c", "commit.gpgsign=false", "commit", "-m", "action"},
+	} {
+		cmd := exec.Command("git", args...)
+		require.NoError(t, cmd.Run(), "git %v", args)
+	}
+	out, err := exec.Command("git", "-C", actionDir, "rev-parse", "HEAD").Output()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	wantSha := strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
+
+	sar := &stepActionRemote{
+		Step: &model.Step{Uses: "actions/setup-go@main"},
+		RunContext: &RunContext{
+			Config: &Config{
+				GitHubInstance:        "https://gitea.example.com",
+				DefaultActionInstance: instance,
+				ActionCacheDir:        t.TempDir(),
+			},
+			Run: &model.Run{
+				JobID:    "1",
+				Workflow: &model.Workflow{Jobs: map[string]*model.Job{"1": {}}},
+			},
+		},
+		readAction: readActionImpl,
+	}
+
+	require.NoError(t, sar.prepareActionExecutor()(context.Background()))
+
+	reference, sha, ok := sar.actionDownloadInfo()
+	assert.True(t, ok)
+	assert.Equal(t, "actions/setup-go@main", reference)
+	assert.Equal(t, wantSha, sha)
+}
+
+func TestStepActionRemoteActionDownloadInfo(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("reports the action and its resolved commit", func(t *testing.T) {
+		sar := &stepActionRemote{
+			remoteAction: newRemoteAction("actions/checkout@v7"),
+			action:       &model.Action{},
+			resolvedSha:  "9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0",
+		}
+
+		reference, sha, ok := sar.actionDownloadInfo()
+
+		assert.True(t, ok)
+		assert.Equal(t, "actions/checkout@v7", reference)
+		assert.Equal(t, "9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0", sha)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("reports nothing when no action was downloaded", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// The local checkout of the workflow's own repository resolves no action.
+		sar := &stepActionRemote{remoteAction: newRemoteAction("actions/checkout@v7")}
+
+		_, _, ok := sar.actionDownloadInfo()
+
+		assert.False(t, ok)
+	})
+}
+
 func Test_safeFilename(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		s    string
diff --git a/internal/app/run/runner.go b/internal/app/run/runner.go
index d041aff0..f2ed4f7a 100644
--- a/internal/app/run/runner.go
+++ b/internal/app/run/runner.go
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ func (r *Runner) run(ctx context.Context, task *runnerv1.Task, reporter *report.
 		}
 	}()
 
-	reporter.Logf("%s(version:%s) received task %v of job %v, be triggered by event: %s", r.name, ver.Version(), task.Id, task.Context.Fields["job"].GetStringValue(), task.Context.Fields["event_name"].GetStringValue())
+	r.reportSetup(reporter, task)
 
 	workflow, jobID, err := generateWorkflow(task)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/app/run/setup.go b/internal/app/run/setup.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d4806d5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/app/run/setup.go
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package run
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"runtime"
+	"strconv"
+	"strings"
+
+	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/report"
+	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/ver"
+
+	runnerv1 "gitea.dev/actions-proto-go/runner/v1"
+)
+
+// osReleasePath describes the host distribution on Linux; absent elsewhere, where the platform
+// falls back to the Go runtime alone. A var so tests can point it at a fixture.
+var osReleasePath = "/etc/os-release"
+
+// reportSetup opens the job log the way actions/runner opens its "Set up job" step. The action
+// downloads and the closing job name are written later, as the job starts.
+func (r *Runner) reportSetup(reporter *report.Reporter, task *runnerv1.Task) {
+	for _, line := range r.setupLines(task) {
+		reporter.Logf("%s", line)
+	}
+}
+
+// setupLines names the runner, then reports what it was asked to run and the host it runs on, each
+// in its own group.
+func (r *Runner) setupLines(task *runnerv1.Task) []string {
+	fields := task.Context.Fields
+	lines := []string{
+		fmt.Sprintf("%s(version:%s)", r.name, ver.Version()),
+		"::group::Runner Information",
+	}
+	if names := r.labels.Names(); len(names) > 0 {
+		lines = append(lines, "Runner labels: "+strings.Join(names, ", "))
+	}
+	lines = append(lines,
+		// The task id correlates the job log with the runner's log and the server's task list.
+		fmt.Sprintf("Task: %d", task.Id),
+		"Job: "+fields["job"].GetStringValue(),
+		"Repository: "+fields["repository"].GetStringValue(),
+		"Triggered by event: "+fields["event_name"].GetStringValue(),
+		"::endgroup::",
+		"::group::Operating System",
+	)
+	lines = append(lines, osInfo()...)
+	return append(lines, "::endgroup::")
+}
+
+// osInfo describes the host the runner executes on.
+func osInfo() []string {
+	lines := make([]string, 0, 2)
+	if name := prettyOSName(); name != "" {
+		lines = append(lines, name)
+	}
+	return append(lines, fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH))
+}
+
+// prettyOSName reads PRETTY_NAME (e.g. "Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS") from os-release, or "" when absent.
+func prettyOSName() string {
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(osReleasePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	for line := range strings.SplitSeq(string(data), "\n") {
+		key, value, ok := strings.Cut(strings.TrimSpace(line), "=")
+		if !ok || key != "PRETTY_NAME" {
+			continue
+		}
+		// Values are shell-quoted, but the quotes are optional.
+		if unquoted, err := strconv.Unquote(value); err == nil {
+			return unquoted
+		}
+		return value
+	}
+	return ""
+}
diff --git a/internal/app/run/setup_test.go b/internal/app/run/setup_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9ef00d83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/app/run/setup_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package run
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+	"testing"
+
+	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/labels"
+	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/ver"
+
+	runnerv1 "gitea.dev/actions-proto-go/runner/v1"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/structpb"
+)
+
+func TestSetupLines(t *testing.T) {
+	original := osReleasePath
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "os-release")
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(path, []byte("PRETTY_NAME=\"Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS\"\n"), 0o600))
+	osReleasePath = path
+	defer func() { osReleasePath = original }()
+
+	r := &Runner{
+		name: "gitea-com-gitea-0003",
+		labels: labels.Labels{
+			{Name: "ubuntu-latest", Schema: labels.SchemeDocker, Arg: "//node:20"},
+			{Name: "ubuntu-22.04", Schema: labels.SchemeDocker, Arg: "//node:20"},
+		},
+	}
+	taskCtx, err := structpb.NewStruct(map[string]any{
+		"job":        "lint",
+		"repository": "gitea/runner",
+		"event_name": "pull_request",
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{
+		"gitea-com-gitea-0003(version:" + ver.Version() + ")",
+		"::group::Runner Information",
+		"Runner labels: ubuntu-latest, ubuntu-22.04",
+		"Task: 268506",
+		"Job: lint",
+		"Repository: gitea/runner",
+		"Triggered by event: pull_request",
+		"::endgroup::",
+		"::group::Operating System",
+		"Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS",
+		fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", runtime.GOOS, runtime.GOARCH),
+		"::endgroup::",
+	}, r.setupLines(&runnerv1.Task{Id: 268506, Context: taskCtx}))
+}
+
+func TestPrettyOSName(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := map[string]struct {
+		osRelease string
+		want      string
+	}{
+		"quoted value": {
+			osRelease: "NAME=\"Ubuntu\"\nVERSION_ID=\"24.04\"\nPRETTY_NAME=\"Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS\"\n",
+			want:      "Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS",
+		},
+		"unquoted value": {
+			osRelease: "PRETTY_NAME=Alpine Linux v3.21\n",
+			want:      "Alpine Linux v3.21",
+		},
+		"no pretty name": {
+			osRelease: "NAME=\"Ubuntu\"\nVERSION_ID=\"24.04\"\n",
+			want:      "",
+		},
+		// A key that merely ends in PRETTY_NAME must not be mistaken for it.
+		"similar key": {
+			osRelease: "IMAGE_PRETTY_NAME=\"Ubuntu Core 24\"\n",
+			want:      "",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for name, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "os-release")
+			require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(path, []byte(tt.osRelease), 0o600))
+
+			original := osReleasePath
+			osReleasePath = path
+			defer func() { osReleasePath = original }()
+
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.want, prettyOSName())
+		})
+	}
+
+	t.Run("missing file", func(t *testing.T) {
+		original := osReleasePath
+		osReleasePath = filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "absent")
+		defer func() { osReleasePath = original }()
+
+		assert.Empty(t, prettyOSName())
+	})
+}