diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index b735b2b06c..fcf465b2b4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -251,7 +251,8 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Build Linux desktop artifacts
         if: ${{ runner.os == 'Linux' }}
-        run: npm run build:desktop -- --publish never --linux --x64
+        # Smoke package contents and installation without spending minutes on xz compression.
+        run: npm run build:desktop -- --publish never --linux --x64 -c.deb.compression=gz -c.rpm.compression=gz
         env:
           EP_GH_IGNORE_TIME: true
           PASEO_DESKTOP_SMOKE_ARTIFACT_DIR: ${{ runner.temp }}/desktop-smoke