diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 719a6515..455e38df 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         # virtual environment is automatically activated
         run: |
-          cd ..
           uv run python -c "import pyogrio; print(f'GDAL version: {pyogrio.__gdal_version__}\nGEOS version: {pyogrio.__gdal_geos_version__}')"
           uv run python -m pytest --pyargs pyogrio.tests -v
 
@@ -177,14 +176,12 @@ jobs:
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
-      - name: Cache vcpkg
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
-        id: vcpkgcache
+      - name: Export GitHub Actions cache environment variables
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
         with:
-          path: |
-            ${{ matrix.vcpkg_cache }}
-          # bump the last digit to avoid using previous build cache
-          key: ${{ matrix.os }}-${{ matrix.arch }}-vcpkg-gdal3.9.2-cache1
+          script: |
+            core.exportVariable('ACTIONS_CACHE_URL', process.env.ACTIONS_CACHE_URL || '');
+            core.exportVariable('ACTIONS_RUNTIME_TOKEN', process.env.ACTIONS_RUNTIME_TOKEN || '');
 
       # MacOS build requires aclocal, which is part of automake, but appears
       # to be missing in default image
@@ -207,6 +204,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install GDAL
         env:
           VCPKG_DEFAULT_TRIPLET: ${{ matrix.triplet }}
+          VCPKG_BINARY_SOURCES: "clear;x-gha,readwrite"
         shell: bash
         run: |
           vcpkg install --overlay-triplets=./ci/custom-triplets --feature-flags="versions,manifests" --x-manifest-root=./ci --x-install-root=$VCPKG_INSTALLATION_ROOT/installed --debug