diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yaml b/.github/workflows/main.yaml
index 5ff9a6443..a0bbdd0ad 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yaml
@@ -62,11 +62,11 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        project:
-          - amaranth-lang/amaranth-boards
-          - amaranth-lang/amaranth-stdio
-          - amaranth-lang/amaranth-soc
-    name: 'smoke (${{ matrix.project }})'
+        project: # test the last commit before dropping py3.8
+          - { name: amaranth-lang/amaranth-boards, ref: 19b97324ecf9111c5d16377af79f82aad761c476 }
+          - { name: amaranth-lang/amaranth-stdio, ref: 2da45b8e75421879d1096495a4fb438de705f567 }
+          - { name: amaranth-lang/amaranth-soc, ref: 746709e1e992bccf6e2362450243cafd00d72a14 }
+    name: 'smoke (${{ matrix.project.name }})'
     steps:
     - name: Check out Amaranth source code
       uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ jobs:
     - name: Check out source code
       uses: actions/checkout@v4
       with:
-        repository: ${{ matrix.project }}
+        repository: ${{ matrix.project.name }}
+        ref: ${{ matrix.project.ref }}
         path: project
         fetch-depth: 0
     - name: Set up PDM
diff --git a/amaranth/rpc.py b/amaranth/rpc.py
index ac3d2cffa..da83ff9a7 100644
--- a/amaranth/rpc.py
+++ b/amaranth/rpc.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 import argparse
 import importlib
 
+from amaranth.lib.wiring import Signature
+
 from .hdl import Signal, Record, Elaboratable
 from .back import rtlil
 
@@ -68,12 +70,14 @@ def _serve_yosys(modules):
 
             try:
                 elaboratable = modules[module_name](*args, **kwargs)
-                ports = []
-                # By convention, any public attribute that is a Signal or a Record is
-                # considered a port.
-                for port_name, port in vars(elaboratable).items():
-                    if not port_name.startswith("_") and isinstance(port, (Signal, Record)):
-                        ports += port._lhs_signals()
+                ports = None
+                if not (hasattr(elaboratable, "signature") and isinstance(elaboratable.signature, Signature)):
+                    ports = []
+                    # By convention, any public attribute that is a Signal or a Record is
+                    # considered a port.
+                    for port_name, port in vars(elaboratable).items():
+                        if not port_name.startswith("_") and isinstance(port, (Signal, Record)):
+                            ports += port._lhs_signals()
                 rtlil_text = rtlil.convert(elaboratable, name=module_name, ports=ports)
                 response = {"frontend": "ilang", "source": rtlil_text}
             except Exception as error:
diff --git a/docs/changes.rst b/docs/changes.rst
index 58ca812f5..68e2d7218 100644
--- a/docs/changes.rst
+++ b/docs/changes.rst
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ Documentation for past releases
 
 Documentation for past releases of the Amaranth language and toolchain is available online:
 
+* `Amaranth 0.5.3 <https://amaranth-lang.org/docs/amaranth/v0.5.3/>`_
 * `Amaranth 0.5.2 <https://amaranth-lang.org/docs/amaranth/v0.5.2/>`_
 * `Amaranth 0.5.1 <https://amaranth-lang.org/docs/amaranth/v0.5.1/>`_
 * `Amaranth 0.5.0 <https://amaranth-lang.org/docs/amaranth/v0.5.0/>`_
@@ -21,8 +22,8 @@ Documentation for past releases of the Amaranth language and toolchain is availa
 * `Amaranth 0.3 <https://amaranth-lang.org/docs/amaranth/v0.3/>`_
 
 
-Version 0.5.3 (unreleased)
-==========================
+Version 0.5.3
+=============
 
 
 Language changes
@@ -31,6 +32,12 @@ Language changes
 * Added: individual bits of the same signal can now be assigned from different modules or domains.
 
 
+Toolchain changes
+-----------------
+
+* Added: the Amaranth RPC server can now elaborate :class:`amaranth.lib.wiring.Component` objects on demand.
+
+
 Version 0.5.2
 =============
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 2f0c4dbb7..37abedab1 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ docs = [
   "sphinx-autobuild",
 ]
 examples = [
-  "amaranth-boards @ git+https://github.com/amaranth-lang/amaranth-boards.git"
+  # pin to last commit with py3.8 support
+  "amaranth-boards @ git+https://github.com/amaranth-lang/amaranth-boards.git@19b97324ecf9111c5d16377af79f82aad761c476"
 ]
 
 [tool.pdm.scripts]