diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/check-version.yml b/.gitea/workflows/check-version.yml
index 14c0e49..f638b08 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/check-version.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/check-version.yml
@@ -32,15 +32,6 @@ jobs:
           repository: niko/gitea-ci-library
           path: .ci
 
-      - name: Install yq
-        # COMPROMISE: Requires internet access.
-        # Does NOT work in air-gapped environments. The script falls back
-        # to BOM-stripping sed if yq is not available.
-        run: |
-          if ! command -v yq &>/dev/null; then
-            sudo apt-get update -qq && sudo apt-get install -y -qq yq
-          fi
-
       - name: Check existing artifact and calculate version
         env:
           SERVER_URL: ${{ gitea.server_url }}
diff --git a/scripts/check-version.sh b/scripts/check-version.sh
index 4baf9cf..5af0761 100755
--- a/scripts/check-version.sh
+++ b/scripts/check-version.sh
@@ -4,15 +4,13 @@ set -e
 RAW_VERSION=""
 
 if [ -n "${VERSION_FILE-}" ] && [ -f "${VERSION_FILE-}" ]; then
-  if echo "${VERSION_FILE}" | grep -q -E '\.[Yy][Aa][Mm][Ll]$'; then
-    RAW_VERSION=$(yq '.version' "${VERSION_FILE}" 2>/dev/null | grep -v '^null$' || true)
-    if [ -z "${RAW_VERSION}" ]; then
-      RAW_VERSION=$(sed 's/'$'\xef\xbb\xbf''//g' "${VERSION_FILE}" | sed -n 's/^version:[[:space:]]*\([^[:space:]]*\).*/\1/p')
+  RAW_VERSION=$(tr -d "$(printf '\xef\xbb\xbf')" < "${VERSION_FILE}" | sed -n 's/^version:[[:space:]]*\([^[:space:]]*\).*/\1/p')
+  if [ -z "${RAW_VERSION}" ]; then
+    if echo "${VERSION_FILE}" | grep -q -E '\.json$'; then
+      RAW_VERSION=$(jq -r '.version' "${VERSION_FILE}")
+    else
+      RAW_VERSION=$(cat "${VERSION_FILE}" | tr -d '[:space:]')
     fi
-  elif echo "${VERSION_FILE}" | grep -q -E '\.json$'; then
-    RAW_VERSION=$(jq -r '.version' "${VERSION_FILE}")
-  else
-    RAW_VERSION=$(cat "${VERSION_FILE}" | tr -d '[:space:]')
   fi
 fi
 
@@ -24,10 +22,7 @@ if [ -z "${RAW_VERSION}" ]; then
   elif [ -f pom.xml ]; then
     RAW_VERSION=$(grep -oP '<version>\K[^<]+' pom.xml | head -1)
   elif [ -f Chart.yaml ]; then
-    RAW_VERSION=$(yq '.version' Chart.yaml 2>/dev/null | grep -v '^null$' || true)
-    if [ -z "${RAW_VERSION}" ]; then
-      RAW_VERSION=$(sed 's/'$'\xef\xbb\xbf''//g' Chart.yaml | sed -n 's/^version:[[:space:]]*\([^[:space:]]*\).*/\1/p')
-    fi
+    RAW_VERSION=$(tr -d "$(printf '\xef\xbb\xbf')" < Chart.yaml | sed -n 's/^version:[[:space:]]*\([^[:space:]]*\).*/\1/p')
   else
     echo "ERROR: No version source found (VERSION_FILE, VERSION, package.json, pom.xml, Chart.yaml)" >&2
     exit 1