diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-binaries.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-binaries.yml
index 04b0b3d9..f2dab920 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-binaries.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-binaries.yml
@@ -28,13 +28,15 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: crates
         run: cargo build --release --target wasm32-wasip1 -p llm_gateway -p prompt_gateway
 
-      - name: Upload WASM plugins to release
+      - name: Compress and upload WASM plugins to release
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
+          gzip -k crates/target/wasm32-wasip1/release/prompt_gateway.wasm
+          gzip -k crates/target/wasm32-wasip1/release/llm_gateway.wasm
           gh release upload "${{ github.event.release.tag_name || inputs.tag }}" \
-            crates/target/wasm32-wasip1/release/prompt_gateway.wasm \
-            crates/target/wasm32-wasip1/release/llm_gateway.wasm \
+            crates/target/wasm32-wasip1/release/prompt_gateway.wasm.gz \
+            crates/target/wasm32-wasip1/release/llm_gateway.wasm.gz \
             --clobber
 
   build-brightstaff-linux-amd64:
@@ -50,13 +52,14 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: crates
         run: cargo build --release -p brightstaff
 
-      - name: Upload brightstaff to release
+      - name: Compress and upload brightstaff to release
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
           cp crates/target/release/brightstaff brightstaff-linux-amd64
+          gzip brightstaff-linux-amd64
           gh release upload "${{ github.event.release.tag_name || inputs.tag }}" \
-            brightstaff-linux-amd64 \
+            brightstaff-linux-amd64.gz \
             --clobber
 
   build-brightstaff-linux-arm64:
@@ -72,13 +75,14 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: crates
         run: cargo build --release -p brightstaff
 
-      - name: Upload brightstaff to release
+      - name: Compress and upload brightstaff to release
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
           cp crates/target/release/brightstaff brightstaff-linux-arm64
+          gzip brightstaff-linux-arm64
           gh release upload "${{ github.event.release.tag_name || inputs.tag }}" \
-            brightstaff-linux-arm64 \
+            brightstaff-linux-arm64.gz \
             --clobber
 
   build-brightstaff-darwin-arm64:
@@ -94,11 +98,12 @@ jobs:
         working-directory: crates
         run: cargo build --release -p brightstaff
 
-      - name: Upload brightstaff to release
+      - name: Compress and upload brightstaff to release
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
           cp crates/target/release/brightstaff brightstaff-darwin-arm64
+          gzip brightstaff-darwin-arm64
           gh release upload "${{ github.event.release.tag_name || inputs.tag }}" \
-            brightstaff-darwin-arm64 \
+            brightstaff-darwin-arm64.gz \
             --clobber
diff --git a/cli/planoai/native_binaries.py b/cli/planoai/native_binaries.py
index 1e6a5655..de199e84 100644
--- a/cli/planoai/native_binaries.py
+++ b/cli/planoai/native_binaries.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+import gzip
 import os
 import platform
+import shutil
 import subprocess
 import sys
 import tarfile
@@ -184,17 +186,22 @@ def ensure_wasm_plugins():
         else:
             log.info("WASM plugins found (unknown version, re-downloading...)")
 
-    # 3. Download from GitHub releases
+    # 3. Download from GitHub releases (gzipped)
     os.makedirs(PLANO_PLUGINS_DIR, exist_ok=True)
 
     for name, dest in [
         ("prompt_gateway.wasm", prompt_gw_path),
         ("llm_gateway.wasm", llm_gw_path),
     ]:
-        url = f"{PLANO_RELEASE_BASE_URL}/{version}/{name}"
-        print(f"Downloading {name} ({version})...")
+        gz_name = f"{name}.gz"
+        url = f"{PLANO_RELEASE_BASE_URL}/{version}/{gz_name}"
+        print(f"Downloading {gz_name} ({version})...")
         print(f"  URL: {url}")
-        _download_file(url, dest)
+        gz_dest = dest + ".gz"
+        _download_file(url, gz_dest)
+        with gzip.open(gz_dest, "rb") as f_in, open(dest, "wb") as f_out:
+            shutil.copyfileobj(f_in, f_out)
+        os.unlink(gz_dest)
         print(f"  Saved to {dest}")
 
     with open(version_path, "w") as f:
@@ -229,16 +236,20 @@ def ensure_brightstaff_binary():
         else:
             log.info("brightstaff found (unknown version, re-downloading...)")
 
-    # 3. Download from GitHub releases
+    # 3. Download from GitHub releases (gzipped)
     slug = _get_platform_slug()
-    filename = f"brightstaff-{slug}"
+    filename = f"brightstaff-{slug}.gz"
     url = f"{PLANO_RELEASE_BASE_URL}/{version}/{filename}"
 
     os.makedirs(PLANO_BIN_DIR, exist_ok=True)
 
     print(f"Downloading brightstaff ({version}) for {slug}...")
     print(f"  URL: {url}")
-    _download_file(url, brightstaff_path)
+    gz_path = brightstaff_path + ".gz"
+    _download_file(url, gz_path)
+    with gzip.open(gz_path, "rb") as f_in, open(brightstaff_path, "wb") as f_out:
+        shutil.copyfileobj(f_in, f_out)
+    os.unlink(gz_path)
 
     os.chmod(brightstaff_path, 0o755)
     with open(version_path, "w") as f: