diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index c7de8ea35..87a64e9f1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       contents: read
     env:
+      JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS: >-
+        -XX:+UseCompactObjectHeaders
+        -XX:+UseStringDeduplication
       GRADLE_OPTS: -Dorg.gradle.daemon=false
     defaults:
       run:
@@ -155,7 +158,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Publish Nightly Release (upload assets)
         uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
         with:
-          tag_name: nightly           # tag now points at $GITHUB_SHA
+          tag_name: nightly
           prerelease: true
           draft: false
           make_latest: "false"
@@ -167,4 +170,3 @@ jobs:
           fail_on_unmatched_files: false
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-
diff --git a/Wurstpack/wurstscript/grill.cmd b/Wurstpack/wurstscript/grill.cmd
index 9a4dc5aab..76b86578a 100644
--- a/Wurstpack/wurstscript/grill.cmd
+++ b/Wurstpack/wurstscript/grill.cmd
@@ -1,30 +1,40 @@
 @echo off
-setlocal EnableExtensions
+setlocal
 
-rem ---- shared slim runtime ----
-set "RUNTIME=%USERPROFILE%\.wurst\wurst-runtime\bin\java.exe"
+rem Save current code page
+for /f "tokens=2 delims=: " %%A in ('chcp') do set "_OLDCP=%%A"
 
-rem script directory (trailing backslash)
+rem Switch to UTF-8 for this session
+chcp 65001 >NUL
+
+rem Resolve script dir
 set "DIR=%~dp0"
 
-if not exist "%RUNTIME%" (
-  echo [wurstscript] ERROR: Runtime not found:
-  echo(%RUNTIME%
-  echo Reinstall Wurstscript via the VSCode extension.
-  exit /b 1
+set "JAVA=%DIR%wurst-runtime\bin\java.exe"
+set "GRILL_JAR=%DIR%grill\grill.jar"
+
+if not exist "%GRILL_JAR%" (
+    echo [grill] ERROR: Missing jar. Searched:
+    echo   %GRILL_JAR%
+    rem fallback to ../grill if you want:
+    set "GRILL_JAR=%DIR%..\grill\grill.jar"
+    if not exist "%GRILL_JAR%" (
+        echo   %GRILL_JAR%
+        goto :restore
+    )
 )
 
-rem ---- fixed jar location(s), no wildcards ----
-set "JAR=%DIR%grill\grill.jar"
-if not exist "%JAR%" set "JAR=%DIR%..\grill\grill.jar"
-if not exist "%JAR%" (
-  echo [grill] ERROR: Missing jar:
-  echo(%DIR%grill\grill.jar
-  echo or
-  echo(%DIR%..\grill\grill.jar
-  exit /b 1
+if not exist "%JAVA%" (
+    echo [grill] ERROR: Bundled runtime not found or not executable at:
+    echo   %JAVA%
+    echo Please reinstall wurstscript via the VS Code extension.
+    goto :restore
 )
 
-rem Optional JVM flags via env var, e.g. set WURST_JAVA_OPTS=-Xmx1g
-"%RUNTIME%" %WURST_JAVA_OPTS% -jar "%JAR%" %*
+"%JAVA%" -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8 -jar "%GRILL_JAR%" %*
+
+:restore
+rem Restore previous code page if we captured it
+if defined _OLDCP chcp %_OLDCP% >NUL
+
 endlocal
diff --git a/Wurstpack/wurstscript/wurstscript.cmd b/Wurstpack/wurstscript/wurstscript.cmd
index 9523637b7..0fecaf520 100644
--- a/Wurstpack/wurstscript/wurstscript.cmd
+++ b/Wurstpack/wurstscript/wurstscript.cmd
@@ -1,30 +1,36 @@
 @echo off
-setlocal EnableExtensions
+setlocal
 
-rem ---- shared slim runtime ----
-set "RUNTIME=%USERPROFILE%\.wurst\wurst-runtime\bin\java.exe"
+rem Save current code page
+for /f "tokens=2 delims=: " %%A in ('chcp') do set "_OLDCP=%%A"
+
+rem Switch to UTF-8
+chcp 65001 >NUL
 
-rem script directory (trailing backslash)
 set "DIR=%~dp0"
+set "JAVA=%DIR%wurst-runtime\bin\java.exe"
+set "JAR=%DIR%wurst-compiler\wurstscript.jar"
 
-if not exist "%RUNTIME%" (
-  echo [wurstscript] ERROR: Runtime not found:
-  echo(%RUNTIME%
-  echo Reinstall Wurstscript via the VSCode extension.
-  exit /b 1
+if not exist "%JAR%" (
+    set "JAR=%DIR%..\wurst-compiler\wurstscript.jar"
 )
 
-rem ---- fixed jar location(s), no wildcards ----
-set "JAR=%DIR%wurst-compiler\wurstscript.jar"
-if not exist "%JAR%" set "JAR=%DIR%..\wurst-compiler\wurstscript.jar"
 if not exist "%JAR%" (
-  echo [wurstscript] ERROR: Missing jar:
-  echo(%DIR%wurst-compiler\wurstscript.jar
-  echo or
-  echo(%DIR%..\wurst-compiler\wurstscript.jar
-  exit /b 1
+    echo [wurstscript] ERROR: Missing jar. Searched:
+    echo   %DIR%wurst-compiler\wurstscript.jar
+    echo   %DIR%..\wurst-compiler\wurstscript.jar
+    goto :restore
 )
 
-rem Optional JVM flags via env var, e.g. set WURST_JAVA_OPTS=-Xmx1g
-"%RUNTIME%" %WURST_JAVA_OPTS% -jar "%JAR%" %*
+if not exist "%JAVA%" (
+    echo [wurstscript] ERROR: Bundled runtime not found or not executable at:
+    echo   %JAVA%
+    echo Please reinstall wurstscript via the VS Code extension.
+    goto :restore
+)
+
+"%JAVA%" -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8 -jar "%JAR%" %*
+
+:restore
+if defined _OLDCP chcp %_OLDCP% >NUL
 endlocal