diff --git a/explorer/http-client/tests/release.test.ts b/explorer/http-client/tests/release.test.ts
index 952bb4346..610f0d907 100644
--- a/explorer/http-client/tests/release.test.ts
+++ b/explorer/http-client/tests/release.test.ts
@@ -4,13 +4,11 @@ import { describe, expect } from "vitest";
 
 import { testFixture } from "@http-client/tests/support/fixtures.js";
 import { createRepo } from "@tests/support/repo.js";
-import { useLocalHttpd } from "@tests/support/support.js";
 
 describe("release", () => {
-  // The release read API only exists in the local httpd build, so skip these
-  // against the stable pre-built binary the default suite runs. Releases are
-  // seeded on an isolated peer to avoid perturbing the shared fixtures.
-  testFixture.skipIf(!useLocalHttpd)(
+  // Releases are seeded on an isolated peer to avoid perturbing the shared
+  // fixtures.
+  testFixture(
     "#getAllReleases(rid) + #getReleaseById(rid, id)",
     async ({ httpd: { api, peer } }) => {
       const { rid, repoFolder } = await createRepo(peer, {
diff --git a/explorer/tests/e2e/repo/release.spec.ts b/explorer/tests/e2e/repo/release.spec.ts
index 0b8fca879..04deb11b7 100644
--- a/explorer/tests/e2e/repo/release.spec.ts
+++ b/explorer/tests/e2e/repo/release.spec.ts
@@ -6,10 +6,8 @@ import {
   registerArtifact,
   syncFrom,
 } from "@tests/support/repo.js";
-import { releaseApiOnlyLocal, useLocalHttpd } from "@tests/support/support.js";
 
 test.describe(() => {
-  test.skip(!useLocalHttpd, releaseApiOnlyLocal);
   // Release fixtures need several rad-artifact commands, which takes longer
   // than the default per-test budget.
   test.describe.configure({ timeout: 30_000 });
diff --git a/explorer/tests/e2e/repo/releases.spec.ts b/explorer/tests/e2e/repo/releases.spec.ts
index edbd6dd6d..1f35bbf08 100644
--- a/explorer/tests/e2e/repo/releases.spec.ts
+++ b/explorer/tests/e2e/repo/releases.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { test, cobUrl, expect } from "@tests/support/fixtures.js";
+import { test, cobRid, cobUrl, expect } from "@tests/support/fixtures.js";
 import {
   createContributor,
   createRepo,
@@ -6,10 +6,8 @@ import {
   registerArtifact,
   syncFrom,
 } from "@tests/support/repo.js";
-import { releaseApiOnlyLocal, useLocalHttpd } from "@tests/support/support.js";
 
 test.describe(() => {
-  test.skip(!useLocalHttpd, releaseApiOnlyLocal);
   // Release fixtures need several rad-artifact commands, which takes longer
   // than the default per-test budget.
   test.describe.configure({ timeout: 30_000 });
@@ -106,7 +104,13 @@ test.describe(() => {
 });
 
 test("releases are unavailable on older nodes", async ({ page }) => {
-  test.skip(useLocalHttpd, "older nodes are the pre-built httpd release");
+  // Older nodes don't report a release count.
+  await page.route(`**/api/v1/repos/${cobRid}`, async route => {
+    const response = await route.fetch();
+    const json = await response.json();
+    delete json.payloads["xyz.radicle.project"].meta.releases;
+    await route.fulfill({ response, json });
+  });
 
   await page.goto(cobUrl);
   await expect(page.getByRole("link", { name: /^Releases/ })).toBeHidden();
diff --git a/explorer/tests/support/support.ts b/explorer/tests/support/support.ts
index e864f501d..62d09ef1f 100644
--- a/explorer/tests/support/support.ts
+++ b/explorer/tests/support/support.ts
@@ -39,9 +39,6 @@ export const radicleArtifactRelease = (
 
 export const useLocalHttpd = process.env.USE_LOCAL_HTTPD === "true";
 
-export const releaseApiOnlyLocal =
-  "the release read API only exists in the local httpd build";
-
 // Assert that binaries are installed and are the correct version.
 export async function assertBinariesInstalled(
   binary: string,