diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-github.yml b/.github/workflows/release-github.yml
index 625667bf7..3c94696f7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-github.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-github.yml
@@ -85,10 +85,14 @@ jobs:
           wget https://zlib.net/zlib-1.3.1.tar.gz
           tar -xzf zlib-1.3.1.tar.gz
           cd zlib-1.3.1
-          CFLAGS="-O2 -pipe" CC=${CC} ./configure --prefix=${SYSROOT}
+          ./configure --prefix=${SYSROOT} --libdir=${SYSROOT}/lib --includedir=${SYSROOT}/include
           make
           sudo make install
 
+          # Verify that zlib was installed correctly
+          ls -l ${SYSROOT}/lib/libz.so
+          ls -l ${SYSROOT}/include/zlib.h
+
       - name: Set file permissions
         run: |
           chmod -R 755 ./
diff --git a/.github/workflows/utils.sh b/.github/workflows/utils.sh
index d5ff02bee..3016816d2 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/utils.sh
+++ b/.github/workflows/utils.sh
@@ -278,6 +278,8 @@ function cloneAndInstallThunder() {
   -DPORT="55555" \
   -DPROXYSTUB_PATH="${PWD}/install/usr/lib/wpeframework/proxystubs" \
   -DSYSTEM_PATH="${PWD}/install/usr/lib/wpeframework/plugins" \
+  -DZLIB_LIBRARY=${SYSROOT}/lib/libz.so \
+  -DZLIB_INCLUDE_DIR=${SYSROOT}/include \
   -DVOLATILE_PATH="tmp" && echo "Thunder configure succeeded" || exit 9999
 
   cmake --build build/Thunder --target install && echo "Thunder Build succeeded" || exit 9999