diff --git a/.github/benchmark/benchmark.py b/.github/benchmark/benchmark.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6b62cfc97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/benchmark/benchmark.py
@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import os
+import time
+import wave
+from packaging.version import Version
+import onnxruntime as ort
+
+print('onnxruntime version: ' + str(ort.__version__))
+
+ort_version = Version(ort.__version__)
+
+if ort_version > Version('1.10'):
+    print(ort.get_build_info())
+
+# verify execution providers
+providers = ort.get_available_providers()
+
+print(f'execution providers:  {providers}')
+
+from piper import PiperVoice
+from piper.download import ensure_voice_exists, find_voice, get_voices
+
+DEFAULT_PROMPT = """A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky.
+It takes the form of a multi-colored circular arc.
+Rainbows caused by sunlight always appear in the section of sky directly opposite the Sun.
+With tenure, Suzie’d have all the more leisure for yachting, but her publications are no good.
+Shaw, those twelve beige hooks are joined if I patch a young, gooey mouth.
+Are those shy Eurasian footwear, cowboy chaps, or jolly earthmoving headgear?
+The beige hue on the waters of the loch impressed all, including the French queen, before she heard that symphony again, just as young Arthur wanted.
+"""
+
+
+def main(model='en_US-lessac-high', config=None, cache=os.environ.get('PIPER_CACHE'),
+         speaker=0, length_scale=1.0, noise_scale=0.667, noise_w=0.8, sentence_silence=0.2,
+         prompt=DEFAULT_PROMPT, output='/dev/null', backend='cpu', runs=5, dump=False, **kwargs):
+    # Download voice info
+    try:
+        voices_info = get_voices(cache, update_voices=True)
+    except Exception as error:
+        print(f"Failed to download Piper voice list  ({error})")
+        voices_info = get_voices(cache)
+
+    # Resolve aliases for backwards compatibility with old voice names
+    aliases_info = {}
+    for voice_info in voices_info.values():
+        for voice_alias in voice_info.get("aliases", []):
+            aliases_info[voice_alias] = {"_is_alias": True, **voice_info}
+
+    voices_info.update(aliases_info)
+
+    if not os.path.isfile(os.path.join(cache, model)):
+        model_name = model
+        ensure_voice_exists(model, cache, cache, voices_info)
+        model, config = find_voice(model, [cache])
+    else:
+        model_name = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(model))[0]
+
+    # Load model
+    if backend == 'cpu':
+        providers = ['CPUExecutionProvider']
+        use_cuda = False
+    elif backend == 'cuda':
+        providers = ['CUDAExecutionProvider', 'CPUExecutionProvider']
+        use_cuda = True
+    elif backend == 'tensorrt':
+        # Typically you want to include CUDA as a fallback if TensorRT fails.
+        providers = ['TensorrtExecutionProvider', 'CUDAExecutionProvider', 'CPUExecutionProvider']
+        use_cuda = True
+    else:
+        raise ValueError(f"Unknown backend '{backend}'")
+    print(f"Loading {model} with backend={backend} providers={providers}")
+    voice = PiperVoice.load(model, config_path=config, use_cuda=use_cuda)
+
+    # get the speaker name->ID mapping
+    speaker_id_map = voices_info[model_name]['speaker_id_map']
+
+    if not speaker_id_map:
+        speaker_id_map = {'Default': 0}
+
+    # get the inverse speakerID->name mapping
+    speaker_id_inv = {}
+
+    for key, value in speaker_id_map.items():
+        speaker_id_inv[value] = key
+
+    # optional mode to dump all speakers
+    if dump:
+        speakers = list(speaker_id_map.values())
+        runs = 1
+        output_dir = output
+        os.makedirs(output_dir, exist_ok=True)
+    else:
+        speakers = [speaker]
+
+    for speaker in speakers:
+        synthesize_args = {
+            "speaker_id": speaker,
+            "length_scale": length_scale,
+            "noise_scale": noise_scale,
+            "noise_w": noise_w,
+            "sentence_silence": sentence_silence,
+        }
+
+        # Run benchmarking iterations
+        for run in range(runs):
+            if dump:
+                output = os.path.join(output_dir, f"{model_name}_{speaker:04d}_{speaker_id_inv[speaker]}.wav")
+
+            with wave.open(output, "wb") as wav_file:
+                wav_file.setnchannels(1)
+                start = time.perf_counter()
+                voice.synthesize(prompt, wav_file, **synthesize_args)
+                end = time.perf_counter()
+
+                inference_duration = end - start
+
+                frames = wav_file.getnframes()
+                rate = wav_file.getframerate()
+                audio_duration = frames / float(rate)
+
+            print(f"Piper TTS model:    {model_name}")
+            print(f"Output saved to:    {output}")
+            print(f"Inference duration: {inference_duration:.3f} sec")
+            print(f"Audio duration:     {audio_duration:.3f} sec")
+            print(f"Realtime factor:    {inference_duration / audio_duration:.3f}")
+            print(f"Inverse RTF (RTFX): {audio_duration / inference_duration:.3f}\n")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    import argparse
+
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(formatter_class=argparse.ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter)
+
+    parser.add_argument('--model', type=str, default='en_US-lessac-high', help="model path or name to download")
+    parser.add_argument('--config', type=str, default=None,
+                        help="path to the model's json config (if unspecified, will be inferred from --model)")
+    parser.add_argument('--cache', type=str, default=os.environ.get('PIPER_CACHE'),
+                        help="the location to save downloaded models")
+
+    parser.add_argument('--speaker', type=int, default=0, help="the speaker ID from the voice to use")
+    parser.add_argument('--length-scale', type=float, default=1.0, help="speaking speed")
+    parser.add_argument('--noise-scale', type=float, default=0.667, help="noise added to the generator")
+    parser.add_argument('--noise-w', type=float, default=0.8, help="phoneme width variation")
+    parser.add_argument('--sentence-silence', type=float, default=0.2, help="seconds of silence after each sentence")
+
+    parser.add_argument('--prompt', type=str, default=None,
+                        help="the test prompt to generate (will be set to a default prompt if left none)")
+    parser.add_argument('--output', type=str, default=None,
+                        help="path to output audio wav file to save (will be /data/tts/piper-$MODEL.wav by default)")
+    parser.add_argument('--runs', type=int, default=5, help="the number of benchmarking iterations to run")
+    parser.add_argument('--dump', action='store_true', help="dump all speaker voices to the output directory")
+    parser.add_argument('--disable-cuda', action='store_false', dest='use_cuda',
+                        help="disable CUDA and use CPU for inference instead")
+    parser.add_argument('--verbose', action='store_true', help="enable onnxruntime debug logging")
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    if args.verbose:
+        ort.set_default_logger_severity(0)
+
+    if not args.prompt:
+        args.prompt = DEFAULT_PROMPT
+
+    if not args.output:
+        args.output = f"/data/audio/tts/piper-{os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(args.model))[0]}.wav"
+
+    print(args)
+
+    main(**vars(args))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/benchmark.yml b/.github/workflows/benchmark.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..92036f879
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/benchmark.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+name: Benchmark
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  push:
+    tags:
+      - "*"
+
+jobs:
+  build_linux:
+    name: "Build on Linux (multi-arch)"
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3
+      - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Setup Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: '3.x'  # Specify your desired Python version
+
+      - name: Build multi-arch
+        run: |
+          docker buildx build . \
+            --platform linux/amd64,linux/arm64,linux/arm/v7 \
+            --output "type=local,dest=dist"
+
+      - name: Install Python dependencies
+        run: python3 -m pip install onnxruntime
+
+      - name: Run benchmarks on Linux artifacts
+        run: |
+          for artifact in dist/*/piper_*.tar.gz; do
+            echo "Benchmarking $artifact"
+            mkdir -p tmp_bench
+            tar -xzf "$artifact" -C tmp_bench
+            python3 .github/benchmark/benchmark.py "tmp_bench/piper"
+            rm -rf tmp_bench
+          done
+
+  build_windows:
+    name: "Build on Windows"
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: true
+      matrix:
+        arch: [amd64]
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Setup Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: '3.x'  # Specify your desired Python version
+
+      - name: Configure
+        run: cmake -Bbuild -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=_install/piper
+
+      - name: Build
+        run: cmake --build build --config Release
+
+      - name: Install
+        run: cmake --install build
+
+      - name: Install Python dependencies
+        run: python -m pip install onnxruntime
+
+      - name: Run benchmark on Windows binary
+        run: python .github/benchmark/benchmark.py _install/piper
+
+  build_macos:
+    name: "Build on macOS"
+    runs-on: macos-latest
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: true
+      matrix:
+        arch: [x86_x64, arm64]
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Setup Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: '3.x'  # Specify your desired Python version
+
+      - name: Configure
+        run: cmake -Bbuild -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=_install/piper
+
+      - name: Build
+        run: cmake --build build --config Release
+
+      - name: Install
+        run: cmake --install build
+
+      - name: Install Python dependencies
+        run: python3 -m pip install onnxruntime
+
+      - name: Run benchmark on macOS binary
+        run: python3 .github/benchmark/benchmark.py _install/piper
diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index 84d07b51b..284043f1d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: main
+name: Release
 
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
@@ -7,121 +7,187 @@ on:
       - "*"
 
 jobs:
-  create_release:
-    name: Create release
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    outputs:
-      upload_url: ${{ steps.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-    steps:
-      - name: Create release
-        id: create_release
-        uses: actions/create-release@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
-        with:
-          tag_name: ${{ github.ref }}
-          release_name: ${{ github.ref }}
-          draft: false
-          prerelease: false
   build_linux:
-    name: "linux build"
+    name: "Build on Linux (multi-arch)"
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: create_release  # we need to know the upload URL
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-      - uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v2
-      - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v2
-      - name: build
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3
+      - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Build multi-arch
         run: |
-          docker buildx build . --platform linux/amd64,linux/arm64,linux/arm/v7 --output 'type=local,dest=dist'
-      - name: upload-amd64
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          docker buildx build . \
+            --platform linux/amd64,linux/arm64,linux/arm/v7 \
+            --output "type=local,dest=dist"
+
+      - name: Upload Linux amd64 artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          upload_url: ${{ needs.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: dist/linux_amd64/piper_amd64.tar.gz
-          asset_name: piper_linux_x86_64.tar.gz
-          asset_content_type: application/octet-stream
-      - name: upload-arm64
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          name: linux-amd64
+          path: dist/linux_amd64/piper_amd64.tar.gz
+
+      - name: Upload Linux aarch64 artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          upload_url: ${{ needs.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: dist/linux_arm64/piper_arm64.tar.gz
-          asset_name: piper_linux_aarch64.tar.gz
-          asset_content_type: application/octet-stream
-      - name: upload-armv7
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          name: linux-aarch64
+          path: dist/linux_arm64/piper_arm64.tar.gz
+
+      - name: Upload Linux armv7 artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          upload_url: ${{ needs.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: dist/linux_arm_v7/piper_armv7.tar.gz
-          asset_name: piper_linux_armv7l.tar.gz
-          asset_content_type: application/octet-stream
+          name: linux-armv7
+          path: dist/linux_arm_v7/piper_armv7.tar.gz
+
   build_windows:
+    name: "Build on Windows"
     runs-on: windows-latest
-    name: "windows build: ${{ matrix.arch }}"
-    needs: create_release # we need to know the upload URL
     strategy:
       fail-fast: true
       matrix:
-        arch: [x64]
+        arch: [amd64]
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-      - name: configure
-        run: |
-          cmake -Bbuild -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=_install/piper
-      - name: build
-        run: |
-          cmake --build build --config Release
-      - name: install
-        run: |
-          cmake --install build
-      - name: package
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Configure
+        run: cmake -Bbuild -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=_install/piper
+
+      - name: Build
+        run: cmake --build build --config Release
+
+      - name: Install
+        run: cmake --install build
+
+      - name: Package
         run: |
           cd _install
           Compress-Archive -LiteralPath piper -DestinationPath piper_windows_amd64.zip
-      - name: upload
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+
+      - name: Upload Windows amd64 artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          upload_url: ${{ needs.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: _install/piper_windows_amd64.zip
-          asset_name: piper_windows_amd64.zip
-          asset_content_type: application/zip
+          name: windows-amd64
+          path: _install/piper_windows_amd64.zip
+
   build_macos:
-    name: "macos build: ${{ matrix.arch }}"
+    name: "Build on macOS"
     runs-on: macos-latest
-    needs: create_release # we need to know the upload URL
     strategy:
       fail-fast: true
       matrix:
-        arch: [x64, aarch64]
+        arch: [x86_x64, arm64]
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-      - name: configure
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Configure
+        run: cmake -Bbuild -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=_install/piper
+
+      - name: Build
+        run: cmake --build build --config Release
+
+      - name: Install
+        run: cmake --install build
+
+      - name: Package
         run: |
-          cmake -Bbuild -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=_install/piper
-      - name: build
+          cd _install
+          tar -czf piper_macos_${{ matrix.arch }}.tar.gz piper/
+
+      - name: Upload macOS artifact
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          # We'll name the artifact so we can handle x64 vs. aarch64 distinctly
+          name: macos-${{ matrix.arch }}
+          path: _install/piper_macos_${{ matrix.arch }}.tar.gz
+
+  create_release_and_upload:
+    name: "Create/Update Release & Upload"
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: [build_linux, build_windows, build_macos]
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set up GitHub CLI
+        uses: actions/setup-gh-cli@v2
+
+      - name: Download build artifacts
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          path: ./release_assets
+
+      - name: Create or update release
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          # Extract the tag name from the push ref
+          TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
+          echo "Creating (or updating) release for tag: $TAG"
+
+          # Attempt to create a release. If it already exists, this will exit non-zero.
+          # We can ignore with '|| true' or handle logic as needed.
+          gh release create "$TAG" \
+            --title "$TAG" \
+            --notes "Automated piper release for $TAG" \
+            || echo "Release for $TAG already exists. Proceeding to upload assets."
+
+      - name: Upload Linux amd64
+        if: always()
+        shell: bash
         run: |
-          cmake --build build --config Release
-      - name: install
+          TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
+          gh release upload "$TAG" \
+            "./release_assets/linux-amd64/piper_amd64.tar.gz" \
+            --label "piper_linux_amd64.tar.gz" \
+            --clobber
+
+      - name: Upload Linux aarch64
+        if: always()
+        shell: bash
         run: |
-          cmake --install build
-      - name: package
+          TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
+          gh release upload "$TAG" \
+            "./release_assets/linux-aarch64/piper_arm64.tar.gz" \
+            --label "piper_linux_aarch64.tar.gz" \
+            --clobber
+
+      - name: Upload Linux armv7
+        if: always()
+        shell: bash
         run: |
-          cd _install && \
-          tar -czf piper_macos_${{ matrix.arch }}.tar.gz piper/
-      - name: upload
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
-        with:
-          upload_url: ${{ needs.create_release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: _install/piper_macos_${{ matrix.arch }}.tar.gz
-          asset_name: piper_macos_${{ matrix.arch }}.tar.gz
-          asset_content_type: application/octet-stream
+          TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
+          gh release upload "$TAG" \
+            "./release_assets/linux-armv7/piper_armv7.tar.gz" \
+            --label "piper_linux_armv7l.tar.gz" \
+            --clobber
+
+      - name: Upload Windows amd64
+        if: always()
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
+          gh release upload "$TAG" \
+            "./release_assets/windows-amd64/piper_windows_amd64.zip" \
+            --label "piper_windows_amd64.zip" \
+            --clobber
+
+      - name: Upload macOS amd64
+        if: always()
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
+          # The x64 artifact is under release_assets/macos-x64
+          gh release upload "$TAG" \
+            "./release_assets/macos-x64/piper_macos_x64.tar.gz" \
+            --label "piper_macos_x64.tar.gz" \
+            --clobber
+
+      - name: Upload macOS aarch64
+        if: always()
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          TAG="${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}"
+          # The aarch64 artifact is under release_assets/macos-aarch64
+          gh release upload "$TAG" \
+            "./release_assets/macos-aarch64/piper_macos_aarch64.tar.gz" \
+            --label "piper_macos_aarch64.tar.gz" \
+            --clobber
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index de2718b95..1c138e02f 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-FROM debian:bullseye as build
+FROM debian:bookworm as build
 ARG TARGETARCH
 ARG TARGETVARIANT
 
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
 
 RUN apt-get update && \
     apt-get install --yes --no-install-recommends \
-        build-essential cmake ca-certificates curl pkg-config git
+        build-essential cmake ca-certificates curl git
 
 WORKDIR /build