diff --git a/pkg/release/release.go b/pkg/release/release.go
index 858a80c..83100c9 100644
--- a/pkg/release/release.go
+++ b/pkg/release/release.go
@@ -272,8 +272,8 @@ func buildArtifacts(ctx context.Context, filesystem io.Medium, cfg *Config, proj
 	// Determine output directory
 	outputDir := ax.Join(projectDir, "dist")
 
-	// Get builder (detect project type)
-	projectType, err := projectdetect.DetectProjectType(filesystem, projectDir)
+	// Get builder, respecting an explicit build type override when configured.
+	projectType, err := resolveProjectType(filesystem, projectDir, buildConfig.Build.Type)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, coreerr.E("release.buildArtifacts", "failed to detect project type", err)
 	}
@@ -346,11 +346,27 @@ func getBuilder(projectType build.ProjectType) (build.Builder, error) {
 		return builders.NewDocsBuilder(), nil
 	case build.ProjectTypeCPP:
 		return builders.NewCPPBuilder(), nil
+	case build.ProjectTypeDocker:
+		return builders.NewDockerBuilder(), nil
+	case build.ProjectTypeLinuxKit:
+		return builders.NewLinuxKitBuilder(), nil
+	case build.ProjectTypeTaskfile:
+		return builders.NewTaskfileBuilder(), nil
 	default:
 		return nil, coreerr.E("release.getBuilder", "unsupported project type: "+string(projectType), nil)
 	}
 }
 
+// resolveProjectType determines which builder type to use for release builds.
+// An explicit build type in .core/build.yaml takes precedence over marker-based detection.
+func resolveProjectType(filesystem io.Medium, projectDir, buildType string) (build.ProjectType, error) {
+	if buildType != "" {
+		return build.ProjectType(buildType), nil
+	}
+
+	return projectdetect.DetectProjectType(filesystem, projectDir)
+}
+
 // getPublisher returns the publisher for the given type.
 func getPublisher(publisherType string) (publishers.Publisher, error) {
 	switch publisherType {
diff --git a/pkg/release/release_test.go b/pkg/release/release_test.go
index 888184c..85393d7 100644
--- a/pkg/release/release_test.go
+++ b/pkg/release/release_test.go
@@ -220,6 +220,27 @@ func TestRelease_GetBuilder_Good(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.NotNil(t, builder)
 		assert.Equal(t, "cpp", builder.Name())
 	})
+
+	t.Run("returns Docker builder for docker project type", func(t *testing.T) {
+		builder, err := getBuilder(build.ProjectTypeDocker)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.NotNil(t, builder)
+		assert.Equal(t, "docker", builder.Name())
+	})
+
+	t.Run("returns LinuxKit builder for linuxkit project type", func(t *testing.T) {
+		builder, err := getBuilder(build.ProjectTypeLinuxKit)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.NotNil(t, builder)
+		assert.Equal(t, "linuxkit", builder.Name())
+	})
+
+	t.Run("returns Taskfile builder for taskfile project type", func(t *testing.T) {
+		builder, err := getBuilder(build.ProjectTypeTaskfile)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.NotNil(t, builder)
+		assert.Equal(t, "taskfile", builder.Name())
+	})
 }
 
 func TestRelease_GetBuilder_Bad(t *testing.T) {
@@ -269,6 +290,25 @@ func TestRelease_GetPublisher_Bad(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestRelease_ResolveProjectType_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("honours explicit build type override", func(t *testing.T) {
+		dir := t.TempDir()
+
+		projectType, err := resolveProjectType(io.Local, dir, "docker")
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, build.ProjectTypeDocker, projectType)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("falls back to marker detection when build type is empty", func(t *testing.T) {
+		dir := t.TempDir()
+		require.NoError(t, ax.WriteFile(ax.Join(dir, "go.mod"), []byte("module example.com/test"), 0644))
+
+		projectType, err := resolveProjectType(io.Local, dir, "")
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, build.ProjectTypeGo, projectType)
+	})
+}
+
 func TestRelease_BuildExtendedConfig_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("returns empty map for minimal config", func(t *testing.T) {
 		cfg := PublisherConfig{