diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 6000f412b..5b08e553e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -97,3 +97,38 @@ jobs:
       - name: Test
         run: |
           prove -lv t
+
+  build-artifact:
+    needs: run-tests
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: apt install
+        run: sudo apt-get install -y build-essential git libmodule-install-perl gettext
+
+      - name: build
+        run: perl Makefile.PL && make all dist
+
+      - name: Get short SHA
+        id: short_sha
+        run: |
+            if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" == "pull_request" ]; then
+                echo "SHORT_SHA=$(echo ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }} | cut -c1-7)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+            else
+                echo "SHORT_SHA=$(echo ${{ github.sha }} | cut -c1-7)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+            fi
+
+      - name: Get Zonemaster-Engine version
+        id: version
+        run: |
+          result=`grep "use version; our $VERSION" lib/Zonemaster/Engine.pm`
+          result+='printf $VERSION;'
+          VERSION=`perl -e "$result"`
+          echo "version=$VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: upload artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: Zonemaster-Engine-${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}-${{ env.SHORT_SHA }}
+          path: Zonemaster-Engine-${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}.tar.gz
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c4b43bc4d..adf0be5df 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -40,6 +40,15 @@ read on the [CPAN site].
 
 Documentation on Zonemaster-Engine is also found under the [docs] directory.
 
+## CI artifact
+
+A tarball (`Zonemaster-Engine-<version>.tar.gz`) is built and uploaded as a GitHub Actions artifact on every push and pull request. This artifact can be useful for release testing and PR review.
+To download it:
+1. Go to the [Actions tab](https://github.com/zonemaster/zonemaster-engine/actions) of the repository.
+2. Select a workflow run (e.g. for a specific PR or branch).
+3. Scroll to the bottom of the run summary to the **Artifacts** section.
+4. Download the artifact named `Zonemaster-Engine-<version>-<short_sha>`.
+The artifact name includes the module version and the first 7 characters of the commit SHA.
 
 ## Participation, Contact and Bug reporting