diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 5bd803a34..9f8dba124 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -302,6 +302,13 @@ jobs:
         args: --features ${{ env.FEATURES }} ${{ env.TESTARGS }}
 
     - name: Test in release mode
+      if: ${{ !matrix.dinghy }}
+      uses: actions-rs/cargo@v1
+      with:
+        command: test
+        args: --no-default-features ${{ env.TESTARGS }} --release
+
+    - name: Test in release mode with features
       if: ${{ !matrix.dinghy }}
       uses: actions-rs/cargo@v1
       with:
@@ -346,10 +353,12 @@ jobs:
         xcrun simctl boot $SIM_ID
 
         # Build
-        cargo dinghy build
+        cargo dinghy --device=$SIM_ID build
 
         # Run tests
         cargo dinghy --device=$SIM_ID test --no-default-features
+        cargo dinghy --device=$SIM_ID test --release
+
         # Enable a few features. We're doing it this way because cargo dingy
         # doesn't support specifying features from a workspace.
         sed -i -e '/\[features\]/a\
diff --git a/objc2/tests/id_retain_autoreleased.rs b/objc2/tests/id_retain_autoreleased.rs
index 84a259dc3..d25e4e762 100644
--- a/objc2/tests/id_retain_autoreleased.rs
+++ b/objc2/tests/id_retain_autoreleased.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,13 @@ fn test_retain_autoreleased() {
         // When compiled in release mode / with optimizations enabled,
         // subsequent usage of `retain_autoreleased` will succeed in retaining
         // the autoreleased value!
-        let expected = if cfg!(all(debug_assertions, not(gnustep))) {
+        let expected = if cfg!(gnustep) {
+            1
+        } else if cfg!(any(
+            debug_assertions,
+            feature = "exception",
+            feature = "verify_message"
+        )) {
             2
         } else {
             1