diff --git a/CS2-Tags.cs b/CS2-Tags.cs
index 4b87067..af56b24 100644
--- a/CS2-Tags.cs
+++ b/CS2-Tags.cs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public class CS2_Tags : BasePlugin
 	public override string ModuleName => "CS2-Tags";
 	public override string ModuleDescription => "Add player tags easily in cs2 game";
 	public override string ModuleAuthor => "daffyy";
-	public override string ModuleVersion => "1.0.4c-zio6";
+	public override string ModuleVersion => "1.0.4c-zio7";
 
 	private static string TagsPath => Path.Combine(Server.GameDirectory, "csgo", "addons", "counterstrikesharp",
 		"configs", "plugins", "CS2-Tags", "tags.json");
@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ public class CS2_Tags : BasePlugin
 		Logger.LogInformation(_verify == null
 			? "GroupVerify isn't loaded: players without a rank tag keep their own"
 			: "Using GroupVerify's clan tag for verified players without a rank tag");
-		if (_verify != null)
+		// Only after a hot reload: at server start nobody is connected, and the engine's globals
+		// (which GetPlayers needs) don't exist yet.
+		if (_verify != null && hotReload)
 			ApplyAllClanTags();
 	}
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e635ed1..79e6cad 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -112,4 +112,4 @@ FORGEJO_TOKEN=... ./release.sh v<ModuleVersion>
 
 `release.sh` rebuilds from the committed source and publishes `CS2-Tags-<tag>.tar.gz`, laid out
 like `game/csgo/`, to https://git.zio.sh/cs2/CS2-Tags. The tag must equal `v<ModuleVersion>`
-(`v1.0.4c-zio6` now).
+(`v1.0.4c-zio7` now).
diff --git a/release.sh b/release.sh
index 06e9b35..c3f479f 100755
--- a/release.sh
+++ b/release.sh
@@ -19,8 +19,13 @@ set -euo pipefail
 FORGEJO_URL="https://git.zio.sh"
 OWNER="cs2"
 REPO="CS2-Tags"
-# Placeholder - replace, or set FORGEJO_TOKEN in the environment instead. Needs write:repository.
-# Only uploading needs it; downloading from the public repo doesn't. Don't commit a real token.
+# Needs write:repository. Only uploading needs it; downloading from the public repo doesn't. From the
+# environment, or else from .forgejo-token in the cs2/ folder above every plugin (outside their
+# repos, mode 600). Don't commit a real token.
+TOKEN_FILE="$(dirname "$(readlink -f "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")")/../../.forgejo-token"
+if [[ -z "${FORGEJO_TOKEN:-}" && -r "$TOKEN_FILE" ]]; then
+    FORGEJO_TOKEN="$(tr -d '[:space:]' < "$TOKEN_FILE")"
+fi
 FORGEJO_TOKEN="${FORGEJO_TOKEN:-CHANGE_ME_FORGEJO_TOKEN}"
 
 # Only these ship from the publish output. CounterStrikeSharp.API.dll is excluded by the csproj
@@ -37,7 +42,7 @@ if [[ -z "$TAG" ]]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 if [[ "$FORGEJO_TOKEN" == "CHANGE_ME_FORGEJO_TOKEN" ]]; then
-    echo "Set FORGEJO_TOKEN (edit release.sh or export it) first." >&2
+    echo "Set FORGEJO_TOKEN (export it, or put it in $TOKEN_FILE) first." >&2
     exit 1
 fi
 for tool in podman jq curl git; do