diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 5e76b24..7fb9bbf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -363,6 +363,22 @@ jobs:
           fi
           changelog_section CHANGELOG.md "$VER" > "$RUNNER_TEMP/notes.md"
           cat "$RUNNER_TEMP/notes.md"
+      - name: no published release may exist
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          VER: ${{ steps.assert.outputs.ver }}
+        run: |
+          # shellcheck source=/dev/null
+          . "$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/forge.sh"
+          forge_select ""
+          if ! exists="$(forge_release_exists "$VER")"; then
+            echo "could not read whether release '$VER' exists — refusing rather than assuming it does not (#191)." >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if [ "$exists" = yes ]; then
+            echo "release '$VER' already exists — refusing to re-release, creating nothing." >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
       - name: artifact hook — the consumer's own release-artifact action
         # After the tag exists (it fired this door), before the publish —
         # the same contract as the merge door's twin step.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 718eb69..d1bfc00 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ consumer's release, when it is stale.)
 
 **The merge is the ship decision; the tag is transcription.** After the
 merge, [release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L136-L301) asserts its
-way to certainty, tags the merge commit, publishes the GitHub release with
+way to certainty, tags the merge commit, publishes the forge release with
 the version's own changelog section as the body — the curated prose, never
 the generated PR list ([lib/changelog.sh](lib/changelog.sh) is the one
 canonical extractor, and [bin/changelog-section](bin/changelog-section) is
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ steps run past the tag, and what a failure at each leaves behind is what
 sorts them. Two fail before the release exists: the consumer's
 [artifact hook](docs/CONSUMERS.md#the-artifact-hook) sits between the tag and
 the publish, so its non-zero exit aborts, and the publish itself
-([`gh release create --verify-tag`](.github/workflows/release.yml#L246-L258))
+([`forge_release_create`](.github/workflows/release.yml#L255-L268))
 can fail on the API call or the assets. Either leaves the same state — a tag
 standing and no release — which the
 [nothing-exists assert](#the-merge-door-refused-releaseyml) names and the tag
@@ -146,13 +146,15 @@ refusal is the single failure in this file that leaves a real release behind.
 
 - **The tag door — the fallback and the backfill.** A bare `X.Y.Z` tag push
   — **no `v` prefix**, box's 0.6.0 set the scheme
-  ([release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L303-L371)) — publishes the
+  ([release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L316-L401)) — publishes the
   same way. The tag is the operator's explicit act, so there is no decide
-  and no label check — what is left is two asserts: **the tag names the
+  and no label check — what is left is three asserts: **the tag names the
   tree's own version**
-  ([L328–L339](.github/workflows/release.yml#L328-L339)) and **the tagged
+  ([L341–L352](.github/workflows/release.yml#L341-L352)), **the tagged
   tree carries a publishable `## X.Y.Z` section**
-  ([L340–L352](.github/workflows/release.yml#L340-L352)); either failing
+  ([L353–L365](.github/workflows/release.yml#L353-L365)), and **no published
+  release already exists for the tag**
+  ([L366–L381](.github/workflows/release.yml#L366-L381)); any failure
   refuses, creating nothing. No `-dev` bump either
   — the fallback does not rewrite main (cast's precedent). Use it when the
   merge path is red, for backfills, and for the
@@ -491,7 +493,7 @@ the thing twice. If the tag exists but the release does not (a manual tag
 won the race, or
 [a failed artifact hook](docs/CONSUMERS.md#the-artifact-hook), or the publish
 step itself failing after the tag), recover by the tag door: delete and
-re-push the tag, or `gh release create` by hand from a fixed tree.
+re-push the tag, or run `forge_release_create` by hand from a fixed tree.
 
 > direct push refused (branch protection?) — opening the bump PR instead
 
@@ -503,25 +505,31 @@ release and the
 [armed guard's window](#changelog-armed--main-never-sits-disarmed) stays
 open.
 
-### The tag door refused ([release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L303-L371))
+### The tag door refused ([release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L316-L401))
 
 > tag '$GITHUB_REF_NAME' does not match the tree's version '$ver' — creating nothing.
 > A release is a PR, then a tag: the release PR bumps the version and stamps the changelog; the tag goes on its MERGE commit. Delete this tag and re-tag the right commit.
 
-[L333–L337](.github/workflows/release.yml#L333-L337). The message is the
+[L347–L350](.github/workflows/release.yml#L347-L350). The message is the
 remedy.
 
 > CHANGELOG.md has no '## $VER' section — run changelog-assemble in the release PR before tagging; refusing to publish an empty release
 
-[L346–L349](.github/workflows/release.yml#L346-L349). The tagged tree was
+[L359–L365](.github/workflows/release.yml#L359-L365). The tagged tree was
 never stamped. Assemble the section
 ([docs/CONSUMERS.md](docs/CONSUMERS.md#assembling-a-release-section)), then
 delete and re-push the tag.
 
+> release '$VER' already exists — refusing to re-release, creating nothing.
+
+[L366–L381](.github/workflows/release.yml#L366-L381). A published release is
+never replaced by the fallback. If it is correct, there is nothing to do; if
+it is wrong, correct that published artifact deliberately before retrying.
+
 ### The re-arm refused ([release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L267-L301))
 
 The bump belongs to the merge door alone — the tag door deliberately does not
-rewrite main ([L303–L307](.github/workflows/release.yml#L303-L307)) — and it
+rewrite main ([L316–L320](.github/workflows/release.yml#L316-L320)) — and it
 runs *after* the tag, the notes and the publish. So a refusal here leaves a
 real release standing behind a main that never re-armed — the release exists,
 and main is left *armed to impersonate* it, still reading the version it just
diff --git a/changelog.d/271.md b/changelog.d/271.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..72393d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/271.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+### Fixed
+
+- Forgejo release publishing now stages drafts until assets upload, rolls back failures, and recovers stranded same-tag drafts before retrying (#271).
diff --git a/lib/forge-forgejo.sh b/lib/forge-forgejo.sh
index 415f0d6..1f228a1 100644
--- a/lib/forge-forgejo.sh
+++ b/lib/forge-forgejo.sh
@@ -25,12 +25,12 @@ forgejo_api_base() {
   # THE TRAP, measured on this instance with REPO unset (#191, caught by
   # @kimi on !193 before it shipped):
   #
-  #   forge_release_exists 0.4.1  -> "no", rc 0   (repos//releases/tags/0.4.1
-  #                                                404s; a repo-less path read
-  #                                                as "the release does not
-  #                                                exist" — and the
-  #                                                nothing-exists assert would
-  #                                                then proceed to CREATE)
+#   forge_release_exists 0.4.1  -> "no", rc 0   (repos//releases/tags/0.4.1
+#                                                404s; a repo-less path read
+#                                                as "the published release
+#                                                does not exist" — and the
+#                                                nothing-exists assert would
+#                                                then proceed to CREATE)
   #   forge_commit_pulls <sha>    -> "[]", rc 0   (a commit that HAS a merged
   #                                                PR behind it, read as none)
   #
@@ -672,22 +672,31 @@ forgejo_read_code() {
   rm -f "$hdr"
 }
 
-# forge_release_exists <tag> — prints `yes` or `no`. A non-zero exit means
-# the read did not complete and the answer is UNKNOWN; the caller must not
-# treat that as `no` (#191).
+# forge_release_exists <tag> — prints `yes` for a published release and `no`
+# for a draft or a 404. A non-zero exit means the read did not complete and
+# the answer is UNKNOWN; the caller must not treat that as `no` (#191, #271).
 forge_release_exists() {
-  local tag="${1:?forge_release_exists: tag required}" body code
+  local tag="${1:?forge_release_exists: tag required}" body code draft
   body="$(mktemp)"
   code="$(forgejo_read_code "repos/$REPO/releases/tags/$tag" "$body")" || { rm -f "$body"; return 1; }
-  rm -f "$body"
   case "$code" in
-    2*) echo yes ;;
+    2*)
+      if ! draft="$(jq -r 'if has("draft") then .draft else false end' "$body" 2>/dev/null)" \
+        || [[ "$draft" != true && "$draft" != false ]]; then
+        rm -f "$body"
+        echo "forge_release_exists: unreadable draft state for release '$tag' — the answer is unknown, not 'no'" >&2
+        return 1
+      fi
+      [ "$draft" = true ] && echo no || echo yes
+      ;;
     404) echo no ;;
     *)
+      rm -f "$body"
       echo "forge_release_exists: HTTP $code reading release '$tag' — the answer is unknown, not 'no'" >&2
       return 1
       ;;
   esac
+  rm -f "$body"
 }
 
 # forge_commit_pulls <sha> — the pull requests whose merge produced <sha>, as
@@ -765,20 +774,74 @@ forgejo_urlencode() {
   jq -rn --arg s "${1-}" '$s|@uri'
 }
 
-# forge_release_create <tag> <title> <notes-file> [asset…] — publishes, then
-# uploads each asset to the created release. The release id comes back from
-# the create, so no second lookup is needed.
+# forgejo_release_cleanup_draft <id> <tag> — best-effort rollback after a
+# post-create failure. The caller has already printed the original failure;
+# cleanup can add evidence but must never replace that diagnosis (#271).
+forgejo_release_cleanup_draft() {
+  local id="${1:?forgejo_release_cleanup_draft: id required}"
+  local tag="${2:?forgejo_release_cleanup_draft: tag required}" cleanup
+  if ! cleanup="$(forgejo_write DELETE "repos/$REPO/releases/$id" '' 2>&1)"; then
+    [ -z "$cleanup" ] || printf '%s\n' "$cleanup" >&2
+    echo "forge_release_create: cleanup failed; stranded draft $id for tag '$tag'" >&2
+  fi
+  return 0
+}
+
+# forge_release_create <tag> <title> <notes-file> [asset…] — creates a draft,
+# uploads every asset, then publishes it. Any failure after create removes the
+# draft, so the function leaves either a complete published release or nothing.
 forge_release_create() {
   local tag="${1:?forge_release_create: tag required}" title="${2:?forge_release_create: title required}"
   local notes="${3:?forge_release_create: notes file required}" out id base token
+  local existing code draft existing_id
   shift 3
+
+  # A previous rollback whose DELETE failed must not wedge the next attempt.
+  # Remove only a draft for this exact tag; a published release is never
+  # touched and its create will retain Forgejo's ordinary conflict refusal.
+  existing="$(mktemp)"
+  code="$(forgejo_read_code "repos/$REPO/releases/tags/$tag" "$existing")" || { rm -f "$existing"; return 1; }
+  case "$code" in
+    2*)
+      if ! draft="$(jq -r 'if has("draft") then .draft else false end' "$existing" 2>/dev/null)" \
+        || [[ "$draft" != true && "$draft" != false ]]; then
+        rm -f "$existing"
+        echo "forge_release_create: unreadable draft state for release '$tag' — refusing to replace it" >&2
+        return 1
+      fi
+      if [ "$draft" = true ]; then
+        existing_id="$(jq -r '.id // empty' "$existing")"
+        if [ -z "$existing_id" ]; then
+          rm -f "$existing"
+          echo "forge_release_create: the stranded draft for tag '$tag' has no release id — refusing to replace it" >&2
+          return 1
+        fi
+        echo "forge_release_create: removing stranded draft $existing_id for tag '$tag' before publish" >&2
+        if ! forgejo_write DELETE "repos/$REPO/releases/$existing_id" '' >/dev/null; then
+          rm -f "$existing"
+          echo "forge_release_create: could not remove stranded draft $existing_id for tag '$tag'" >&2
+          return 1
+        fi
+      fi
+      ;;
+    404) ;;
+    *)
+      rm -f "$existing"
+      echo "forge_release_create: HTTP $code checking for a stranded draft for tag '$tag' — refusing to publish" >&2
+      return 1
+      ;;
+  esac
+  rm -f "$existing"
+
   out="$(forgejo_write POST "repos/$REPO/releases" \
     "$(jq -nc --arg t "$tag" --arg n "$title" --rawfile b "$notes" \
-        '{tag_name:$t,name:$n,body:$b,draft:false,prerelease:false}')")" || return 1
+        '{tag_name:$t,name:$n,body:$b,draft:true,prerelease:false}')")" || return 1
   id="$(printf '%s' "$out" | jq -r '.id // empty')"
   [ -n "$id" ] || { echo "forge_release_create: the create returned no release id" >&2; return 1; }
-  [ "$#" -gt 0 ] || return 0
-  base="$(forgejo_api_base)" || return 1
+  if ! base="$(forgejo_api_base)"; then
+    forgejo_release_cleanup_draft "$id" "$tag"
+    return 1
+  fi
   token="${GH_TOKEN:-${GITHUB_TOKEN:-${FORGEJO_TOKEN:-}}}"
   local f name
   for f in "$@"; do
@@ -792,8 +855,16 @@ forge_release_create() {
     curl -sS -f -X POST -H "Authorization: token $token" \
       -F "attachment=@$f" \
       "$base/repos/$REPO/releases/$id/assets?name=$name" >/dev/null \
-      || { echo "forge_release_create: asset upload failed for '$f'" >&2; return 1; }
+      || {
+        echo "forge_release_create: asset upload failed for '$f'" >&2
+        forgejo_release_cleanup_draft "$id" "$tag"
+        return 1
+      }
   done
+  if ! forgejo_write PATCH "repos/$REPO/releases/$id" '{"draft":false}' >/dev/null; then
+    forgejo_release_cleanup_draft "$id" "$tag"
+    return 1
+  fi
 }
 
 # forge_pr_create <head> <base> <title> <body> <label…> — POST /pulls takes
diff --git a/test/forge-backends.test.sh b/test/forge-backends.test.sh
index 2f36510..f515a19 100644
--- a/test/forge-backends.test.sh
+++ b/test/forge-backends.test.sh
@@ -952,16 +952,25 @@ check "...and never hits the flat /pulls/{n}/comments endpoint" 1 "" \
 #   tag creation          GitHub  POST /git/refs
 #                         Forgejo POST /tags   (/git/refs is GET-only)
 
-# release_stub <code> <body> — a curl stub answering one canned response and
-# recording the method+path it was asked for.
+# release_stub <code> <body> [<code> <body>…] — a curl stub answering a
+# sequence of canned responses and recording the method+path it was asked for.
+# The cursor lives in a file because forge_release_create captures
+# forgejo_write in a command substitution; an in-memory counter would advance
+# only in that subshell and every later request would replay response one.
 release_stub() {
   # Globals, not locals: the curl closure below runs long after this
   # function returns, exactly as stub_writes does above.
-  STUB_CODE="$1" STUB_BODY="$2"
+  STUB_CODES=() STUB_BODIES=()
+  while [ "$#" -gt 0 ]; do
+    STUB_CODES+=("$1") STUB_BODIES+=("$2")
+    shift 2
+  done
+  STUB_READ_CODE="${STUB_CODES[0]}" STUB_READ_BODY="${STUB_BODIES[0]}"
+  printf '0\n' >"$TMP/release-stub-cursor"
   : >"$WRITES"
   # shellcheck disable=SC2317 # invoked indirectly, by the forge verbs
   curl() {
-    local hdr="" out="" method=GET url="" payload=""
+    local hdr="" out="" method=GET url="" payload="" fail_on_http=false
     while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
       case "$1" in
         -D) hdr="$2"; shift ;;
@@ -969,18 +978,32 @@ release_stub() {
         -X) method="$2"; shift ;;
         -d) payload="$2"; shift ;;
         -F) payload="$payload -F $2"; shift ;;
+        -f) fail_on_http=true ;;
         -H) shift ;;
         -*) ;;
         *) url="$1" ;;
       esac
       shift
     done
-    [ -n "$hdr" ] && printf 'HTTP/1.1 %s x\r\n\r\n' "$STUB_CODE" >"$hdr"
-    [ -n "$out" ] && printf '%s' "$STUB_BODY" >"$out"
+    local index code body
+    if [ "$method" = GET ]; then
+      code="$STUB_READ_CODE" body="$STUB_READ_BODY"
+    else
+      index="$(cat "$TMP/release-stub-cursor")"
+      code="${STUB_CODES[$index]:-${STUB_CODES[${#STUB_CODES[@]} - 1]}}"
+      body="${STUB_BODIES[$index]:-${STUB_BODIES[${#STUB_BODIES[@]} - 1]}}"
+      printf '%s\n' "$((index + 1))" >"$TMP/release-stub-cursor"
+    fi
+    [ -n "$hdr" ] && printf 'HTTP/1.1 %s x\r\n\r\n' "$code" >"$hdr"
+    [ -n "$out" ] && printf '%s' "$body" >"$out"
     printf '%s %s %s\n' "$method" "${url##*/api/v1/}" "$payload" >>"$WRITES"
+    if [ "$fail_on_http" = true ]; then
+      case "$code" in 2*) ;; *) return 22 ;; esac
+    fi
     return 0
   }
 }
+release_read() { STUB_READ_CODE="$1" STUB_READ_BODY="$2"; }
 
 GITHUB_API_URL=https://forge.example/api/v1
 export GITHUB_API_URL
@@ -1023,6 +1046,10 @@ check "forgejo: a 500 refuses rather than saying 'none'" 1 "the answer is unknow
 
 release_stub 200 '{"tag_name":"1.2.3"}'
 check "forgejo: a present release is yes" 0 "yes" forge_release_exists 1.2.3
+release_stub 200 '{"tag_name":"1.2.3","draft":true}'
+check "forgejo: a draft is not a present release" 0 "no" forge_release_exists 1.2.3
+release_stub 200 '{"tag_name":"1.2.3","draft":false}'
+check "forgejo: a published release is present" 0 "yes" forge_release_exists 1.2.3
 release_stub 404 '{}'
 check "forgejo: an absent release is no" 0 "no" forge_release_exists 1.2.3
 release_stub 503 '{}'
@@ -1046,9 +1073,22 @@ check "forgejo: the tag body names the target sha" 0 '"target":"cafebabe"' \
   writes_after forge_tag_create 1.2.3 cafebabe
 
 printf 'notes body\n' >"$TMP/notes.md"
-release_stub 201 '{"id":42}'
+release_writes_after() { "$@" >/dev/null 2>&1; grep -v '^GET ' "$WRITES"; }
+
+release_stub 201 '{"id":42}' 200 '{}'
+release_read 404 '{}'
 check "forgejo: the publish POSTs to /releases with the notes as body" 0 '"body":"notes body' \
-  writes_after forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md"
+  release_writes_after forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md"
+check "the create stages a draft" 0 '"draft":true' cat "$WRITES"
+zero_asset_writes() {
+  release_stub 201 '{"id":42}' 200 '{}'
+  release_read 404 '{}'
+  forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" >/dev/null 2>&1
+  local got
+  got="$(grep -v '^GET ' "$WRITES" | sed -E 's/ (\{.*|$)//')"
+  [ "$got" = $'POST repos/o/r/releases\nPATCH repos/o/r/releases/42' ] || { printf '%s\n' "$got"; return 1; }
+}
+check "the zero-asset path creates then publishes" 0 "" zero_asset_writes
 
 # Assets: the hook contract permits any filename the consumer drops in
 # RELEASE_ASSETS_DIR, and the asset name travels as a QUERY VALUE. Raw
@@ -1062,18 +1102,119 @@ check "the encoder escapes the query delimiters" 0 "a%26b%23c%2Bd%25e.tgz" \
 
 printf 'x\n' >"$TMP/release asset.tgz"
 printf 'y\n' >"$TMP/a&b.tgz"
-release_stub 201 '{"id":42}'
+release_stub 201 '{"id":42}' 201 '{}' 200 '{}'
+release_read 404 '{}'
 check "an asset with a space uploads under the encoded name" 0 "assets?name=release%20asset.tgz" \
-  writes_after forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" "$TMP/release asset.tgz"
-release_stub 201 '{"id":42}'
+  release_writes_after forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" "$TMP/release asset.tgz"
+release_stub 201 '{"id":42}' 201 '{}' 200 '{}'
+release_read 404 '{}'
 check "an asset with '&' does not become two parameters" 0 "assets?name=a%26b.tgz" \
-  writes_after forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" "$TMP/a&b.tgz"
-release_stub 201 '{"id":42}'
+  release_writes_after forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" "$TMP/a&b.tgz"
+release_stub 201 '{"id":42}' 201 '{}' 200 '{}'
+release_read 404 '{}'
 check "the upload targets the created release id" 0 "releases/42/assets" \
-  writes_after forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" "$TMP/a&b.tgz"
-release_stub 201 '{"id":42}'
+  release_writes_after forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" "$TMP/a&b.tgz"
+release_stub 201 '{"id":42}' 201 '{}' 200 '{}'
+release_read 404 '{}'
 check "the asset rides as a multipart attachment" 0 "attachment=@" \
-  writes_after forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" "$TMP/a&b.tgz"
+  release_writes_after forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" "$TMP/a&b.tgz"
+
+happy_asset_writes() {
+  release_stub 201 '{"id":42}' 201 '{}' 201 '{}' 200 '{}'
+  release_read 404 '{}'
+  forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" "$TMP/release asset.tgz" "$TMP/a&b.tgz" >/dev/null 2>&1
+  local got want
+  got="$(grep -v '^GET ' "$WRITES" | sed -E 's/ (\{.*| -F.*|$)//')"
+  want=$'POST repos/o/r/releases\nPOST repos/o/r/releases/42/assets?name=release%20asset.tgz\nPOST repos/o/r/releases/42/assets?name=a%26b.tgz\nPATCH repos/o/r/releases/42'
+  [ "$got" = "$want" ] || { printf '%s\n' "$got"; return 1; }
+}
+check "assets upload in argument order before the release is published" 0 "" happy_asset_writes
+
+upload_failure() {
+  release_stub 201 '{"id":42}' 500 '{}' 204 '{}'
+  release_read 404 '{}'
+  forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" "$TMP/a&b.tgz"
+}
+check "an upload failure returns non-zero" 1 "asset upload failed" upload_failure
+check "an upload failure deletes the draft" 0 "DELETE repos/o/r/releases/42" cat "$WRITES"
+
+flip_failure() {
+  release_stub 201 '{"id":42}' 500 '{}' 204 '{}'
+  release_read 404 '{}'
+  forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md"
+}
+check "a publish flip failure returns non-zero" 1 "HTTP 500" flip_failure
+check "a publish flip failure deletes the draft" 0 "DELETE repos/o/r/releases/42" cat "$WRITES"
+
+create_failure() {
+  release_stub 500 '{}'
+  release_read 404 '{}'
+  forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md"
+}
+check "a create failure returns non-zero" 1 "HTTP 500" create_failure
+check "a create failure has nothing to delete" 1 "" grep -q '^DELETE ' "$WRITES"
+
+missing_release_id() {
+  release_stub 201 '{}'
+  release_read 404 '{}'
+  forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md"
+}
+check "a create without an id keeps its refusal" 1 "returned no release id" missing_release_id
+check "a create without an id deletes nothing unknown" 1 "" grep -q '^DELETE ' "$WRITES"
+
+stranded_cleanup_failure() {
+  release_stub 201 '{"id":42}' 500 '{"message":"upload refused"}' 500 '{"message":"delete refused"}'
+  release_read 404 '{}'
+  forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" "$TMP/a&b.tgz"
+}
+check "cleanup failure preserves the original failure" 1 "asset upload failed" stranded_cleanup_failure
+check "cleanup failure also names the stranded draft" 1 "stranded draft 42 for tag '1.2.3'" stranded_cleanup_failure
+
+release_stub 204 '{}' 201 '{"id":42}' 200 '{}'
+release_read 200 '{"id":41,"tag_name":"1.2.3","draft":true}'
+forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" >/dev/null 2>&1
+stranded_draft_order() {
+  local got
+  got="$(grep -v '^GET ' "$WRITES" | head -2 | sed -E 's/ (\{.*|$)//')"
+  [ "$got" = $'DELETE repos/o/r/releases/41\nPOST repos/o/r/releases' ] || { printf '%s\n' "$got"; return 1; }
+}
+check "a stranded same-tag draft is deleted before create" 0 "" stranded_draft_order
+
+release_stub 409 '{}'
+release_read 200 '{"id":41,"tag_name":"1.2.3","draft":false}'
+forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" >/dev/null 2>&1
+check "a published same-tag release is never deleted" 1 "" grep -q '^DELETE ' "$WRITES"
+
+# The tag door's published-release guard is extracted and executed, like the
+# other workflow-shell contracts in this repository. The tag itself is this
+# door's premise, so only a published release refuses; adding the merge door's
+# ls-remote half here would destroy the documented delete-and-re-push recovery.
+TAG_GUARD="$TMP/tag-release-guard.sh"
+{
+  printf '%s\n' '#!/usr/bin/env bash' 'set -e'
+  yq -r '.jobs.release-on-tag.steps[] | select(.name == "no published release may exist") | .run' \
+    "$ROOT/.github/workflows/release.yml"
+} >"$TAG_GUARD"
+chmod +x "$TAG_GUARD"
+mkdir -p "$TMP/tag-guard-lib/lib"
+# shellcheck disable=SC2016 # expanded when the generated helper runs, not while this test writes it
+printf '%s\n' \
+  'forge_select() { :; }' \
+  'forge_release_exists() { case "$RELEASE_EXISTS" in error) return 1 ;; *) echo "$RELEASE_EXISTS" ;; esac; }' \
+  >"$TMP/tag-guard-lib/lib/forge.sh"
+
+tag_guard_extracted() { [ "$(wc -l <"$TAG_GUARD")" -ge 8 ]; }
+run_tag_guard() {
+  CEREMONY_DIR="$TMP/tag-guard-lib" VER=1.2.3 RELEASE_EXISTS="$1" "$TAG_GUARD"
+}
+tag_door_has_no_tag_exists_guard() {
+  ! yq -r '.jobs.release-on-tag.steps[].run // ""' "$ROOT/.github/workflows/release.yml" | grep -q 'ls-remote'
+}
+check "the tag door's published-release guard is extracted" 0 "" tag_guard_extracted
+check "the tag door refuses an existing published release" 1 "release '1.2.3' already exists" run_tag_guard yes
+check "the tag door proceeds when no published release exists" 0 "" run_tag_guard no
+check "the tag door refuses when release state is unreadable" 1 "refusing rather than assuming" run_tag_guard error
+check "the tag door carries no tag-exists guard" 0 "" tag_door_has_no_tag_exists_guard
 
 # --- the github twins address their own paths ----------------------------
 . "$ROOT/lib/forge-github.sh"