diff --git a/includes/providers/class-gitea-provider.php b/includes/providers/class-gitea-provider.php
index ad2e4f7..64d26b8 100644
--- a/includes/providers/class-gitea-provider.php
+++ b/includes/providers/class-gitea-provider.php
@@ -186,7 +186,13 @@ class Gitea_Provider implements Repository_Provider {
             return null;
         }
 
-        $release = $body[0];
+        // Gitea's /releases/latest returns a single release OBJECT (associative array),
+        // not a list. Some endpoints / older Gitea versions may return a list; handle both.
+        $release = isset( $body['tag_name'] ) ? $body : ( $body[0] ?? null );
+        if ( ! is_array( $release ) || empty( $release['tag_name'] ?? '' ) ) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
         set_transient( $cache_key, $release, HOUR_IN_SECONDS );
         return $release;
     }
diff --git a/tests/test-gitea-provider.php b/tests/test-gitea-provider.php
index e7c406c..e8b321d 100644
--- a/tests/test-gitea-provider.php
+++ b/tests/test-gitea-provider.php
@@ -136,6 +136,29 @@ class Gitea_Provider_Test extends \PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase {
         );
     }
 
+    public function test_release_object_shape_picks_first_tag_from_object(): void {
+        // Gitea's /releases/latest returns a single release OBJECT (associative array),
+        // not a list. The implementation must accept either shape.
+        $body = json_encode( [
+            'tag_name'     => 'v2.1.0',
+            'name'         => 'v2.1.0',
+            'assets'       => [
+                [ 'name' => 'release.zip', 'browser_download_url' => 'https://example/release.zip' ],
+            ],
+        ] );
+        \Brain\Monkey\Functions\expect( 'wp_remote_get' )
+            ->twice()  // get_release_url and get_latest_version both fetch
+            ->andReturn( [
+                'response' => [ 'code' => 200 ],
+                'headers'  => [],
+                'body'     => $body,
+            ] );
+
+        $provider = $this->make();
+        $this->assertSame( 'https://example/release.zip', $provider->get_release_url() );
+        $this->assertSame( 'v2.1.0', $provider->get_latest_version() );
+    }
+
     public function test_release_url_empty_array_returns_null(): void {
         \Brain\Monkey\Functions\expect( 'wp_remote_get' )
             ->once()