diff --git a/.drone.yml b/.drone.yml
index 77bf34f..4ec3f0b 100644
--- a/.drone.yml
+++ b/.drone.yml
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ steps:
     environment:
       STAGES: install,upgrade,backup
       CCCI_JANITOR_MAX_AGE: "0"
+      # The exec runner points HOME at a per-build workspace; force it to /root so abra finds its
+      # server config + recipes under /root/.abra (as the manual M4/M5 runs did). Safe: capacity=1
+      # means no concurrent build shares /root/.abra.
+      HOME: /root
     commands:
       # RECIPE/REF/PR/SRC are injected as env vars from the build's custom params.
       - 'echo "recipe-ci: RECIPE=$RECIPE REF=$REF PR=$PR SRC=$SRC stages=$STAGES"'