diff --git a/scripts/package-windows.js b/scripts/package-windows.js
index f53764c..4d8883f 100644
--- a/scripts/package-windows.js
+++ b/scripts/package-windows.js
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ function createWindowsInstallerConfig(outputDir) {
     win: {
       target: ['nsis'],
     },
-    publish: 'never',
     nsis: {
       oneClick: false,
       allowToChangeInstallationDirectory: true,
@@ -57,6 +56,14 @@ function createWindowsInstallerConfig(outputDir) {
   };
 }
 
+function createWindowsInstallerBuildOptions(outputDir) {
+  return {
+    targets: Platform.WINDOWS.createTarget('nsis'),
+    config: createWindowsInstallerConfig(outputDir),
+    publish: 'never',
+  };
+}
+
 async function buildWindowsInstaller() {
   const releaseDir = path.resolve(process.env.STEPFORGE_RELEASE_DIR || path.join(ROOT_DIR, 'releases'));
   const workDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'stepforge-win-'));
@@ -65,13 +72,8 @@ async function buildWindowsInstaller() {
   fs.mkdirSync(releaseDir, { recursive: true });
   fs.rmSync(outputDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
 
-  const config = createWindowsInstallerConfig(outputDir);
-
   try {
-    await build({
-      targets: Platform.WINDOWS.createTarget('nsis'),
-      config,
-    });
+    await build(createWindowsInstallerBuildOptions(outputDir));
   } catch (err) {
     throw new Error(`Windows installer build failed: ${err.message}`);
   }
@@ -97,6 +99,7 @@ if (require.main === module) {
 module.exports = {
   APP_ID,
   createWindowsInstallerConfig,
+  createWindowsInstallerBuildOptions,
   findInstallerExe,
   buildWindowsInstaller,
 };
diff --git a/tests/unit/package-windows.test.js b/tests/unit/package-windows.test.js
index abe1e5a..4699b40 100644
--- a/tests/unit/package-windows.test.js
+++ b/tests/unit/package-windows.test.js
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@ const test = require('node:test');
 const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
 
 const { makeTmpDir, rmrf } = require('./helpers');
-const { createWindowsInstallerConfig, findInstallerExe } = require('../../scripts/package-windows');
+const {
+  createWindowsInstallerConfig,
+  createWindowsInstallerBuildOptions,
+  findInstallerExe,
+} = require('../../scripts/package-windows');
 
 test('Windows packaging uses an assisted NSIS installer', (t) => {
   const config = createWindowsInstallerConfig('/tmp/stepforge-output');
@@ -17,13 +21,16 @@ test('Windows packaging uses an assisted NSIS installer', (t) => {
   assert.equal(config.nsis.createDesktopShortcut, true);
   assert.equal(config.nsis.createStartMenuShortcut, true);
   assert.equal(config.nsis.shortcutName, 'StepForge');
-  assert.equal(config.publish, 'never');
   assert.equal(config.asar, true);
   assert.ok(config.files.includes('app/**/*'));
   assert.ok(config.files.includes('core/**/*'));
   assert.ok(config.files.includes('exporters/**/*'));
   assert.ok(!config.files.includes('assets/**/*'));
 
+  const buildOptions = createWindowsInstallerBuildOptions('/tmp/stepforge-output');
+  assert.equal(buildOptions.publish, 'never');
+  assert.equal(buildOptions.config.publish, undefined);
+
   const tmp = makeTmpDir('windows-installer');
   t.after(() => rmrf(tmp));
   fs.mkdirSync(path.join(tmp, 'nested', 'deeper'), { recursive: true });