diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-collection-urls.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-collection-urls.yml
index c374997..8e1cc88 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate-collection-urls.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-collection-urls.yml
@@ -28,18 +28,18 @@ jobs:
             CHECKED=$((CHECKED + 1))
             printf "Checking: %s ... " "$url"
 
-            # Use Range: bytes=0-0 to avoid downloading the full file.
-            # --max-filesize 1 aborts early if the server ignores the Range header
-            # and returns 200 with the full body. download.kiwix.org redirects to
-            # mirrors, some of which ignore Range and stream the body, making curl
-            # exit 63 (CURLE_FILESIZE_EXCEEDED). That just means the file EXISTS, so
-            # it must not fail the step: `|| true` keeps the step's `set -e` from
-            # aborting on that exit code, while curl still writes the real
-            # %{http_code} (200/206) for the check below. A genuine 404 still
-            # returns 404 with exit 0 and is still caught.
+            # Range: bytes=0-0 GET, following redirects, with the response body
+            # discarded. download.kiwix.org 301-redirects BOTH valid and dead files
+            # to a mirror, so we must follow to the mirror to learn the real status
+            # (206/200 = exists, 404 = gone). The previous --max-filesize 1 aborted
+            # on the 301 redirect page's own body BEFORE following it, reporting 301
+            # for every URL; it is removed. Range-honoring mirrors return 206 after
+            # one byte; --max-time bounds the rare mirror that ignores Range.
+            # `|| true` keeps the step's `set -e` from aborting on a curl-level
+            # error (e.g. transient network failure); those surface as a non-200
+            # code below.
             HTTP_CODE=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" \
               --range 0-0 \
-              --max-filesize 1 \
               --max-time 30 \
               --location \
               "$url" || true)