diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/validate-pr.yml b/.gitea/workflows/validate-pr.yml
index 14f60ec..879d660 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/validate-pr.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/validate-pr.yml
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: self-hosted
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0           # need full history for `git diff base...HEAD`
 
       # 1. Identify which recipes the PR touches.
       - name: detect changed packages
diff --git a/runner/flake.nix b/runner/flake.nix
index af46c70..645a1f4 100644
--- a/runner/flake.nix
+++ b/runner/flake.nix
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
             curl
             jq
             tea
+            nodejs_20            # JS-based actions/checkout@v4 etc. need `node` on PATH
 
             cacert
             iana-etc