diff --git a/src/apps/mobile/AGENTS.md b/src/apps/mobile/AGENTS.md
index 3f2fdbe9b1..1622b68c9f 100644
--- a/src/apps/mobile/AGENTS.md
+++ b/src/apps/mobile/AGENTS.md
@@ -92,9 +92,10 @@ UiState or an Intent declared there, and no module above it is visible to them.
   the local SDK path and is not committed.
 - The Android app builds from `android/`: `./gradlew :app:assembleDebug` and
   `:app:installDebug`; release verification is `./gradlew :app:assembleRelease`.
-  Release signing is enabled only when all four `OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEYSTORE`,
+  Release builds use the standard local Android debug keystore when formal
+  signing credentials are absent; all four `OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEYSTORE`,
   `OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD`, `OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS`, and
-  `OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD` environment variables are present. Signing
+  `OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD` environment variables override it. Signing
   files and values must never be committed. AGP 9 compiles Kotlin itself — applying
   `org.jetbrains.kotlin.android` is an error, not a no-op, and
   `kotlin { jvmToolchain(...) }` is no longer available in an app module.
diff --git a/src/apps/mobile/android/README.md b/src/apps/mobile/android/README.md
index 5ffe58d78c..6e6f7aff06 100644
--- a/src/apps/mobile/android/README.md
+++ b/src/apps/mobile/android/README.md
@@ -13,13 +13,18 @@ Build a debug artifact with:
 JAVA_HOME='/Applications/Android Studio.app/Contents/jbr/Contents/Home' ./gradlew :app:assembleDebug
 ```
 
-An unsigned release is available only for local inspection and must be
-requested explicitly:
+Release builds use the standard Android debug keystore by default when formal
+release signing credentials are not configured. This keeps locally packaged
+APKs installable and upgrade-compatible with other APKs signed by the same
+local debug keystore.
+
+For a deliberately unsigned artifact used only for local inspection, request
+it explicitly:
 
 ```bash
 JAVA_HOME='/Applications/Android Studio.app/Contents/jbr/Contents/Home' ./gradlew -PallowUnsignedRelease=true :app:assembleRelease
 ```
 
-For a signed release, set `OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEYSTORE`,
+For a release signed with a formal keystore, set `OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEYSTORE`,
 `OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD`, `OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS`, and
 `OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD`. Release builds enable R8 and resource shrinking.
diff --git a/src/apps/mobile/android/app/build.gradle.kts b/src/apps/mobile/android/app/build.gradle.kts
index 34937851c1..6965bb3dcf 100644
--- a/src/apps/mobile/android/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/src/apps/mobile/android/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -19,19 +19,6 @@ val allowUnsignedRelease = providers.gradleProperty("allowUnsignedRelease")
     .map { it.equals("true", ignoreCase = true) }
     .orElse(false)
     .get()
-val releaseTaskRequested = gradle.startParameter.taskNames.any {
-    it.contains("release", ignoreCase = true)
-}
-
-if (releaseTaskRequested && !hasReleaseSigning && !allowUnsignedRelease) {
-    throw GradleException(
-        "Release signing credentials are missing. Set OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEYSTORE, " +
-            "OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD, OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEY_ALIAS, and " +
-            "OPENBITFUN_ANDROID_KEY_PASSWORD, or explicitly pass " +
-            "-PallowUnsignedRelease=true for a non-distributable local artifact.",
-    )
-}
-
 android {
     sourceSets.getByName("main").assets.srcDir(file("../../../../shared/terminal/webview/generated"))
     namespace = "com.openbitfun.mobile.app"
@@ -76,7 +63,11 @@ android {
                 getDefaultProguardFile("proguard-android-optimize.txt"),
                 "proguard-rules.pro",
             )
-            signingConfig = signingConfigs.findByName("release")
+            signingConfig = when {
+                hasReleaseSigning -> signingConfigs.getByName("release")
+                allowUnsignedRelease -> null
+                else -> signingConfigs.getByName("debug")
+            }
         }
     }
 }