diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
index 169a84b4..4ffa70c5 100755
--- a/scripts/release.sh
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ echo ""
 echo "==> Step 4/7: Building all packages..."
 cd "$REPO_ROOT"
 
-# Build packages in dependency order (excluding UI and CLI)
+# Build packages in dependency order (excluding CLI)
 pnpm --filter @paperclipai/shared build
 pnpm --filter @paperclipai/adapter-utils build
 pnpm --filter @paperclipai/db build
@@ -133,7 +133,12 @@ pnpm --filter @paperclipai/adapter-claude-local build
 pnpm --filter @paperclipai/adapter-codex-local build
 pnpm --filter @paperclipai/adapter-openclaw build
 pnpm --filter @paperclipai/server build
-echo "  ✓ All packages built"
+
+# Build UI and bundle into server package for static serving
+pnpm --filter @paperclipai/ui build
+rm -rf "$REPO_ROOT/server/ui-dist"
+cp -r "$REPO_ROOT/ui/dist" "$REPO_ROOT/server/ui-dist"
+echo "  ✓ All packages built (including UI)"
 
 # ── Step 5: Build CLI bundle ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -183,6 +188,9 @@ if [ -f "$CLI_DIR/README.md" ]; then
   rm "$CLI_DIR/README.md"
 fi
 
+# Remove UI dist bundled into server for publishing
+rm -rf "$REPO_ROOT/server/ui-dist"
+
 # Commit all changes
 git add -A
 git commit -m "chore: release v$NEW_VERSION"
diff --git a/server/package.json b/server/package.json
index ffd0c2e5..db67e938 100644
--- a/server/package.json
+++ b/server/package.json
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
     "types": "./dist/index.d.ts"
   },
   "files": [
-    "dist"
+    "dist",
+    "ui-dist"
   ],
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "tsx src/index.ts",
diff --git a/server/src/app.ts b/server/src/app.ts
index e14e7de2..1faab285 100644
--- a/server/src/app.ts
+++ b/server/src/app.ts
@@ -124,12 +124,20 @@ export async function createApp(
 
   const __dirname = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
   if (opts.uiMode === "static") {
-    // Serve built UI from ui/dist in production.
-    const uiDist = path.resolve(__dirname, "../../ui/dist");
-    app.use(express.static(uiDist));
-    app.get(/.*/, (_req, res) => {
-      res.sendFile(path.join(uiDist, "index.html"));
-    });
+    // Try published location first (server/ui-dist/), then monorepo dev location (../../ui/dist)
+    const candidates = [
+      path.resolve(__dirname, "../ui-dist"),
+      path.resolve(__dirname, "../../ui/dist"),
+    ];
+    const uiDist = candidates.find((p) => fs.existsSync(path.join(p, "index.html")));
+    if (uiDist) {
+      app.use(express.static(uiDist));
+      app.get(/.*/, (_req, res) => {
+        res.sendFile(path.join(uiDist, "index.html"));
+      });
+    } else {
+      console.warn("[paperclip] UI dist not found; running in API-only mode");
+    }
   }
 
   if (opts.uiMode === "vite-dev") {