diff --git a/services/mailer/fixtures/TestMailNewRelease/watch.yml b/services/mailer/fixtures/TestMailNewRelease/watch.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4c488a6f85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/mailer/fixtures/TestMailNewRelease/watch.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+-
+ id: 1001
+ user_id: 11
+ repo_id: 41
+ mode: 1
diff --git a/services/mailer/mail_release_test.go b/services/mailer/mail_release_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4b37afb8cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/mailer/mail_release_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Forgejo Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+package mailer_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"forgejo.org/models/db"
+	repo_model "forgejo.org/models/repo"
+	"forgejo.org/models/unittest"
+	user_model "forgejo.org/models/user"
+	"forgejo.org/modules/gitrepo"
+	"forgejo.org/services/mailer"
+	release_service "forgejo.org/services/release"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestMailNewRelease(t *testing.T) {
+	defer unittest.OverrideFixtures("services/mailer/fixtures/TestMailNewRelease")()
+	defer require.NoError(t, unittest.PrepareTestDatabase())
+
+	user1 := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: 1})
+	user2 := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: 2})
+	user11 := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: 11})
+	repo := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Repository{ID: 1})
+
+	gitRepo, err := gitrepo.OpenRepository(t.Context(), repo)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer gitRepo.Close()
+
+	t.Run("Normal", func(t *testing.T) {
+		called := false
+
+		defer mailer.MockMailSettings(func(msgs ...*mailer.Message) {
+			assert.Len(t, msgs, 2)
+			if user1.EmailTo() == msgs[0].To {
+				assert.Equal(t, user11.EmailTo(), msgs[1].To)
+			} else {
+				assert.Equal(t, user11.EmailTo(), msgs[0].To)
+				assert.Equal(t, user1.EmailTo(), msgs[1].To)
+			}
+
+			assert.Equal(t, "v0.1 in user2/repo1 released", msgs[0].Subject)
+			called = true
+		})()
+
+		require.NoError(t, release_service.CreateRelease(gitRepo, &repo_model.Release{
+			RepoID:      repo.ID,
+			Repo:        repo,
+			PublisherID: user2.ID,
+			Publisher:   user2,
+			TagName:     "v0.1",
+			Target:      "master",
+			Title:       "v0.1 is released",
+			Note:        "v0.1 is released",
+		}, "", []*release_service.AttachmentChange{}))
+
+		assert.True(t, called)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("Non-active user", func(t *testing.T) {
+		_, err := db.GetEngine(db.DefaultContext).Exec("UPDATE user SET is_active=false WHERE id=11")
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		t.Cleanup(func() {
+			_, err := db.GetEngine(db.DefaultContext).Exec("UPDATE user SET is_active=true WHERE id=11")
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+		})
+		called := false
+
+		defer mailer.MockMailSettings(func(msgs ...*mailer.Message) {
+			assert.Len(t, msgs, 1)
+			assert.Equal(t, user1.EmailTo(), msgs[0].To)
+
+			assert.Equal(t, "v0.2 in user2/repo1 released", msgs[0].Subject)
+			called = true
+		})()
+
+		require.NoError(t, release_service.CreateRelease(gitRepo, &repo_model.Release{
+			RepoID:      repo.ID,
+			Repo:        repo,
+			PublisherID: user2.ID,
+			Publisher:   user2,
+			TagName:     "v0.2",
+			Target:      "master",
+			Title:       "v0.2 is released",
+			Note:        "v0.2 is released",
+		}, "", []*release_service.AttachmentChange{}))
+
+		assert.True(t, called)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("No permissions for releases", func(t *testing.T) {
+		repo := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Repository{ID: 41})
+
+		gitRepo, err := gitrepo.OpenRepository(t.Context(), repo)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		defer gitRepo.Close()
+
+		called := false
+
+		defer mailer.MockMailSettings(func(msgs ...*mailer.Message) {
+			called = true
+		})()
+
+		require.NoError(t, release_service.CreateRelease(gitRepo, &repo_model.Release{
+			RepoID:      repo.ID,
+			Repo:        repo,
+			PublisherID: user2.ID,
+			Publisher:   user2,
+			TagName:     "v0.2",
+			Target:      "master",
+			Title:       "v0.2 is released",
+			Note:        "v0.2 is released",
+		}, "", []*release_service.AttachmentChange{}))
+
+		assert.False(t, called)
+	})
+}
diff --git a/services/mailer/main_test.go b/services/mailer/main_test.go
index 9ef71dbdb3..aaa43b0b67 100644
--- a/services/mailer/main_test.go
+++ b/services/mailer/main_test.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"forgejo.org/modules/templates"
 	"forgejo.org/modules/test"
 	"forgejo.org/modules/translation"
+	notify_service "forgejo.org/services/notify"
 
 	_ "forgejo.org/models/actions"
 
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ func MockMailSettings(send func(msgs ...*Message)) func() {
 	mailService := setting.Mailer{
 		From: "test@gitea.com",
 	}
+	notify_service.RegisterNotifier(NewNotifier())
 	cleanups := []func(){
 		test.MockVariableValue(&setting.MailService, &mailService),
 		test.MockVariableValue(&setting.Domain, "localhost"),