From 3104aac6f321b29c74bf72a2a7d6f97a30450483 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: codex-bot-andresmgsl
 <codex-bot-andresmgsl@noreply.forgejo.heavyduty.builders>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:12:22 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 1/8] test: specify release preflight contract

---
 test/preflight.test.sh | 119 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 119 insertions(+)
 create mode 100755 test/preflight.test.sh

diff --git a/test/preflight.test.sh b/test/preflight.test.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..6cf2bb4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/preflight.test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Contract tests for lib/preflight.sh (issue #273) — every row of the
+# merge-door resume table, offline. set -u, not -e: refusals are behavior for
+# the harness to inspect.
+set -u
+
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+# shellcheck source=test/harness.sh
+. "$ROOT/test/harness.sh"
+
+PREFLIGHT="$ROOT/lib/preflight.sh"
+TMP="$(mktemp -d)"
+trap 'rm -rf "$TMP"' EXIT
+VER=1.2.3
+MERGE_SHA=1111111111111111111111111111111111111111
+FOREIGN_SHA=2222222222222222222222222222222222222222
+
+# preflight <VER> <MERGE_SHA> <TAG_SHAS> <RELEASED> — run the pure decision
+# with exactly the four gathered facts in its environment.
+preflight() {
+  VER="$1" MERGE_SHA="$2" TAG_SHAS="$3" RELEASED="$4" bash "$PREFLIGHT"
+}
+
+preflight_stdout() {
+  preflight "$@" 2>/dev/null
+}
+
+preflight_stderr() {
+  preflight "$@" 2>&1 >/dev/null
+}
+
+refuses_without_output() {
+  local out rc
+  out="$(preflight "$@" 2>/dev/null)"
+  rc=$?
+  [ "$rc" -eq 1 ] && [ -z "$out" ]
+}
+
+# --- the four table rows ----------------------------------------------------
+
+check "row 1: a published release refuses even with no tag" 1 \
+  "release '$VER' already exists — this release already happened" \
+  preflight_stderr "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "" yes
+check "row 1: a published release refuses with the matching tag" 1 \
+  "release '$VER' already exists — this release already happened" \
+  preflight_stderr "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "$MERGE_SHA" yes
+check "row 1: a published release refuses with a foreign tag" 1 \
+  "release '$VER' already exists — this release already happened" \
+  preflight_stderr "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "$FOREIGN_SHA" yes
+check "row 1: refusal emits no workflow output" 0 "" \
+  refuses_without_output "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "$MERGE_SHA" yes
+
+check "row 2: an ordinary first run proceeds" 0 "resume=no" \
+  preflight_stdout "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "" no
+
+check "row 3: the matching tag resumes" 0 "resume=yes" \
+  preflight_stdout "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "$MERGE_SHA" no
+check "row 3: resume notice names the previous failed publish" 0 \
+  "a previous run of this door tagged and then failed to publish" \
+  preflight_stdout "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "$MERGE_SHA" no
+check "row 3: an annotated tag resumes when the peeled ref matches" 0 \
+  "resume=yes" preflight_stdout "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" \
+  "$FOREIGN_SHA"$'\n'"$MERGE_SHA" no
+check "row 3: an annotated tag resumes when the direct ref matches" 0 \
+  "resume=yes" preflight_stdout "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" \
+  "$MERGE_SHA"$'\n'"$FOREIGN_SHA" no
+
+check "row 4: a foreign tag refuses" 1 "tag '$VER' already exists" \
+  preflight_stderr "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "$FOREIGN_SHA" no
+check "row 4: the refusal names the foreign tag SHA" 1 "$FOREIGN_SHA" \
+  preflight_stderr "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "$FOREIGN_SHA" no
+check "row 4: the refusal names the merge SHA" 1 "$MERGE_SHA" \
+  preflight_stderr "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "$FOREIGN_SHA" no
+check "row 4: refusal emits no workflow output" 0 "" \
+  refuses_without_output "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "$FOREIGN_SHA" no
+
+# A ref object that merely contains MERGE_SHA is not the merge commit. Each
+# ls-remote object name is compared as a whole line.
+PREFIX_SHA="${MERGE_SHA%?}"
+check "a prefix of MERGE_SHA does not resume" 1 "already exists at $PREFIX_SHA" \
+  preflight_stderr "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "$PREFIX_SHA" no
+check "a line containing MERGE_SHA does not resume" 1 \
+  "already exists at x${MERGE_SHA}y" \
+  preflight_stderr "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "x${MERGE_SHA}y" no
+
+# --- fact validation --------------------------------------------------------
+
+check "empty VER refuses" 1 "VER is empty" \
+  preflight_stderr "" "$MERGE_SHA" "" no
+check "empty MERGE_SHA refuses" 1 "MERGE_SHA is empty" \
+  preflight_stderr "$VER" "" "" no
+check "empty RELEASED refuses" 1 "RELEASED is empty" \
+  preflight_stderr "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "" ""
+check "malformed RELEASED refuses" 1 "RELEASED='maybe' — expected yes or no" \
+  preflight_stderr "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "" maybe
+
+# --- stream discipline and purity ------------------------------------------
+
+notice_stays_on_stdout() {
+  local stdout stderr
+  stdout="$(preflight "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "$MERGE_SHA" no 2>"$TMP/preflight.err")"
+  stderr="$(cat "$TMP/preflight.err")"
+  [ -n "$stdout" ] && [ -z "$stderr" ]
+}
+refusal_stays_on_stderr() {
+  local stdout stderr rc
+  stdout="$(preflight "$VER" "$MERGE_SHA" "$FOREIGN_SHA" no 2>"$TMP/preflight.err")"
+  rc=$?
+  stderr="$(cat "$TMP/preflight.err")"
+  [ "$rc" -eq 1 ] && [ -z "$stdout" ] && [ -n "$stderr" ]
+}
+no_tool_calls() {
+  ! grep -v '^[[:space:]]*#' "$PREFLIGHT" | grep -Ewq 'git|gh|curl|wget'
+}
+check "resume notice and output stay on stdout" 0 "" notice_stays_on_stdout
+check "refusal stays on stderr" 0 "" refusal_stays_on_stderr
+check "preflight calls no git/gh/network tools" 0 "" no_tool_calls
+
+summary
-- 
2.45.2


From 153a408e107fdd6a71bd4ac2e0dc47689dbf7239 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: codex-bot-andresmgsl
 <codex-bot-andresmgsl@noreply.forgejo.heavyduty.builders>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:15:01 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 2/8] feat: decide when merge-door releases resume

---
 lib/preflight.sh       | 81 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 test/preflight.test.sh |  8 ++++-
 2 files changed, 88 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
 create mode 100755 lib/preflight.sh

diff --git a/lib/preflight.sh b/lib/preflight.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..f34b01c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/preflight.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# lib/preflight.sh — the merge door's resume decision, pure and exhaustively
+# tested (issue #273).
+#
+# A merge-door run creates the tag before the artifact hook and release. A
+# failed hook or publish therefore leaves a tag but no release. Re-running the
+# same merge commit must resume after that irreversible step; a published
+# release or a tag naming another commit must still refuse.
+#
+# Pure: no repository or forge reads. The workflow establishes four facts:
+#
+#   VER         the version being released
+#   MERGE_SHA   the commit this door would tag
+#   TAG_SHAS    object names returned for the direct and peeled tag refs,
+#               newline-separated; empty means the tag is absent
+#   RELEASED    yes|no — whether a published release for VER exists
+#
+# Output: resume=yes or resume=no on stdout, notices to stdout, refusals to
+# stderr, return 1 on refusal.
+#
+# The decision table (this IS the spec — issue #273):
+#
+# | # | RELEASED | TAG_SHAS contains MERGE_SHA | result                    |
+# |---|----------|------------------------------|---------------------------|
+# | 1 | yes      | either                       | REFUSE: already released   |
+# | 2 | no       | empty                        | resume=no: ordinary run    |
+# | 3 | no       | yes                          | resume=yes + resume NOTICE |
+# | 4 | no       | non-empty, no                | REFUSE: tag is elsewhere   |
+
+release_preflight() {
+  local tag_sha sha
+
+  if [ -z "${VER:-}" ]; then
+    printf '%s\n' "VER is empty — the caller failed to establish the release version. Refusing to decide — creating nothing." >&2
+    return 1
+  fi
+  if [ -z "${MERGE_SHA:-}" ]; then
+    printf '%s\n' "MERGE_SHA is empty — the caller failed to establish the merge commit. Refusing to decide — creating nothing." >&2
+    return 1
+  fi
+  if [ -z "${RELEASED:-}" ]; then
+    printf '%s\n' "RELEASED is empty — the caller failed to establish whether release '$VER' exists. Refusing to decide — creating nothing." >&2
+    return 1
+  fi
+  case "$RELEASED" in
+    yes | no) ;;
+    *)
+      printf '%s\n' "RELEASED='$RELEASED' — expected yes or no. Refusing to decide — creating nothing." >&2
+      return 1
+      ;;
+  esac
+
+  # Row 1 comes first: deleting a tag under a standing release never makes
+  # that release safe to recreate.
+  if [ "$RELEASED" = yes ]; then
+    printf '%s\n' "release '$VER' already exists — this release already happened; refusing to re-release, creating nothing." >&2
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  # Row 2: an absent tag is the ordinary first run.
+  if [ -z "${TAG_SHAS:-}" ]; then
+    printf '%s\n' 'resume=no'
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  # Row 3: compare each object name as a whole line. For an annotated tag the
+  # direct ref names the tag object and the peeled ref names MERGE_SHA.
+  while IFS= read -r sha; do
+    if [ "$sha" = "$MERGE_SHA" ]; then
+      printf '%s\n' "NOTICE: tag '$VER' already stands at this merge commit and no release exists — a previous run of this door tagged and then failed to publish. Resuming: the tag is not recreated; the artifact hook and the publish run."
+      printf '%s\n' 'resume=yes'
+      return 0
+    fi
+  done <<<"$TAG_SHAS"
+
+  # Row 4: the first object name is enough to diagnose the conflicting tag;
+  # MERGE_SHA is printed beside it so the operator sees both sides.
+  tag_sha="${TAG_SHAS%%$'\n'*}"
+  printf '%s\n' "tag '$VER' already exists at $tag_sha but this run would tag $MERGE_SHA — a manual tag won the race, or it names a different commit; refusing to re-release, creating nothing. Delete that tag, or re-tag the merge commit." >&2
+  return 1
+}
diff --git a/test/preflight.test.sh b/test/preflight.test.sh
index 6cf2bb4..dc07abe 100755
--- a/test/preflight.test.sh
+++ b/test/preflight.test.sh
@@ -18,7 +18,13 @@ FOREIGN_SHA=2222222222222222222222222222222222222222
 # preflight <VER> <MERGE_SHA> <TAG_SHAS> <RELEASED> — run the pure decision
 # with exactly the four gathered facts in its environment.
 preflight() {
-  VER="$1" MERGE_SHA="$2" TAG_SHAS="$3" RELEASED="$4" bash "$PREFLIGHT"
+  (
+    VER="$1" MERGE_SHA="$2" TAG_SHAS="$3" RELEASED="$4"
+    export VER MERGE_SHA TAG_SHAS RELEASED
+    # shellcheck source=lib/preflight.sh
+    . "$PREFLIGHT"
+    release_preflight
+  )
 }
 
 preflight_stdout() {
-- 
2.45.2


From 7bd331a44d7f0aca073511a205b1a3f3c98ef96a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: codex-bot-andresmgsl
 <codex-bot-andresmgsl@noreply.forgejo.heavyduty.builders>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:17:49 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 3/8] fix: resume stranded merge-door publishes

---
 .github/workflows/release.yml | 35 ++++++++++++--------
 test/forge-backends.test.sh   | 60 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 82 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 7fb9bbf..7bc81cf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -205,31 +205,40 @@ jobs:
           fi
           changelog_section CHANGELOG.md "$VER" > "$RUNNER_TEMP/notes.md"
           cat "$RUNNER_TEMP/notes.md"
-      - name: nothing may exist yet — no tag, no release (re-runs refuse loudly)
+      - name: preflight — resume this merge, refuse every other collision
+        id: preflight
         if: steps.decide.outputs.ceremony == 'yes'
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
           VER: ${{ steps.facts.outputs.ver }}
-        # What makes a re-run of a completed ceremony refuse instead of
-        # clobber, and what catches a manual tag racing the merge.
+          MERGE_SHA: ${{ github.sha }}
+        # The pure table in lib/preflight.sh distinguishes a stranded run of
+        # this door from a completed release or a tag at another commit (#273).
         run: |
-          if git ls-remote --exit-code origin "refs/tags/$VER" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-            echo "tag '$VER' already exists — this release already happened, or a manual tag won the race; refusing to re-release, creating nothing." >&2
-            exit 1
-          fi
+          tag_read_rc=0
+          tag_refs="$(git ls-remote --exit-code origin "refs/tags/$VER" "refs/tags/$VER^{}")" || tag_read_rc=$?
+          case "$tag_read_rc" in
+            0) tag_shas="$(printf '%s\n' "$tag_refs" | awk 'NF { print $1 }')" ;;
+            2) tag_shas="" ;;
+            *)
+              echo "could not read tag '$VER' from origin (git ls-remote exit $tag_read_rc) — refusing rather than assuming it does not exist." >&2
+              exit 1
+              ;;
+          esac
           # shellcheck source=/dev/null
           . "$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/forge.sh"
           forge_select ""
-          if ! exists="$(forge_release_exists "$VER")"; then
+          if ! released="$(forge_release_exists "$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 '$VER' already exists — refusing to re-release, creating nothing." >&2
-            exit 1
-          fi
+          # shellcheck source=/dev/null
+          . "$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/preflight.sh"
+          out="$(TAG_SHAS="$tag_shas" RELEASED="$released" release_preflight)"
+          printf '%s\n' "$out"
+          printf '%s\n' "$out" | grep '^resume=' >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
       - name: tag the merge commit — same job as the publish, on purpose
-        if: steps.decide.outputs.ceremony == 'yes'
+        if: steps.decide.outputs.ceremony == 'yes' && steps.preflight.outputs.resume != 'yes'
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
           VER: ${{ steps.facts.outputs.ver }}
diff --git a/test/forge-backends.test.sh b/test/forge-backends.test.sh
index f515a19..ebd75a8 100644
--- a/test/forge-backends.test.sh
+++ b/test/forge-backends.test.sh
@@ -1185,6 +1185,66 @@ release_read 200 '{"id":41,"tag_name":"1.2.3","draft":false}'
 forge_release_create 1.2.3 1.2.3 "$TMP/notes.md" >/dev/null 2>&1
 check "a published same-tag release is never deleted" 1 "" grep -q '^DELETE ' "$WRITES"
 
+# The merge door's preflight step is extracted and executed. Its network
+# edges are stubbed at the boundary, while the real pure decision library
+# consumes the gathered facts (#273).
+MERGE_PREFLIGHT="$TMP/merge-preflight.sh"
+{
+  printf '%s\n' '#!/usr/bin/env bash' 'set -e'
+  yq -r '.jobs.release-on-merge.steps[] | select(.id == "preflight") | .run' \
+    "$ROOT/.github/workflows/release.yml"
+} >"$MERGE_PREFLIGHT"
+chmod +x "$MERGE_PREFLIGHT"
+
+mkdir -p "$TMP/merge-preflight-lib/lib" "$TMP/merge-preflight-bin"
+ln -s "$ROOT/lib/preflight.sh" "$TMP/merge-preflight-lib/lib/preflight.sh"
+# shellcheck disable=SC2016 # expanded when the generated helper runs
+printf '%s\n' \
+  'forge_select() { :; }' \
+  'forge_release_exists() { case "$RELEASE_EXISTS" in error) return 1 ;; *) echo "$RELEASE_EXISTS" ;; esac; }' \
+  >"$TMP/merge-preflight-lib/lib/forge.sh"
+# shellcheck disable=SC2016 # expanded when the PATH stub is executed
+printf '%s\n' \
+  '#!/usr/bin/env bash' \
+  'case "$GIT_LS_REMOTE" in' \
+  '  absent) exit 2 ;;' \
+  '  error) exit 128 ;;' \
+  '  *) printf "%s\n" "$GIT_LS_REMOTE" ;;' \
+  'esac' >"$TMP/merge-preflight-bin/git"
+chmod +x "$TMP/merge-preflight-bin/git"
+
+merge_preflight_extracted() { [ "$(wc -l <"$MERGE_PREFLIGHT")" -ge 8 ]; }
+run_merge_preflight() {
+  : >"$TMP/merge-preflight-output"
+  CEREMONY_DIR="$TMP/merge-preflight-lib" \
+    GITHUB_OUTPUT="$TMP/merge-preflight-output" \
+    PATH="$TMP/merge-preflight-bin:$PATH" \
+    VER=1.2.3 MERGE_SHA=1111111111111111111111111111111111111111 \
+    RELEASE_EXISTS="$1" GIT_LS_REMOTE="$2" "$MERGE_PREFLIGHT"
+}
+merge_preflight_output_is() {
+  run_merge_preflight "$1" "$2" >/dev/null && \
+    [ "$(cat "$TMP/merge-preflight-output")" = "$3" ]
+}
+
+check "the merge door's preflight is extracted" 0 "" merge_preflight_extracted
+check "the merge door refuses an unreadable release state" 1 \
+  "refusing rather than assuming" run_merge_preflight error absent
+check "the merge door refuses an unreadable tag state" 1 \
+  "could not read tag '1.2.3'" run_merge_preflight no error
+check "ls-remote exit 2 is tag absence and proceeds" 0 "" \
+  merge_preflight_output_is no absent resume=no
+check "a matching peeled ref records a resume" 0 "" \
+  merge_preflight_output_is no \
+  $'aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa\trefs/tags/1.2.3\n1111111111111111111111111111111111111111\trefs/tags/1.2.3^{}' \
+  resume=yes
+tag_step_uses_preflight() {
+  yq -r '.jobs.release-on-merge.steps[] | select(.name | test("tag the merge commit")) | .if' \
+    "$ROOT/.github/workflows/release.yml" | grep -q 'steps.preflight.outputs.resume'
+}
+check "the merge-door tag step is conditioned on the preflight output" 0 "" \
+  tag_step_uses_preflight
+
 # 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
-- 
2.45.2


From 79e747b163f33afb6220c3fe6cdce33174267925 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: codex-bot-andresmgsl
 <codex-bot-andresmgsl@noreply.forgejo.heavyduty.builders>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:21:09 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 4/8] docs: describe merge-door resume recovery

---
 .github/labeler.yml             |  1 +
 .github/scripts/release-path.sh |  1 +
 README.md                       | 32 ++++++++++++++++----------------
 changelog.d/273.md              |  1 +
 4 files changed, 19 insertions(+), 16 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 changelog.d/273.md

diff --git a/.github/labeler.yml b/.github/labeler.yml
index c7a60bc..9db1f61 100644
--- a/.github/labeler.yml
+++ b/.github/labeler.yml
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ scope:release-flow:
           - CHANGELOG.md
           - drills/**
           - test/decide.test.sh
+          - test/preflight.test.sh
           - test/facts.test.sh
           - test/release-chain.test.sh
           - test/version.test.sh
diff --git a/.github/scripts/release-path.sh b/.github/scripts/release-path.sh
index 3bbe3db..c2f0cd6 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/release-path.sh
+++ b/.github/scripts/release-path.sh
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ printf '%s\n' \
   bin/ \
   lib/version.sh \
   lib/decide.sh \
+  lib/preflight.sh \
   lib/facts.sh \
   lib/changelog.sh \
   lib/forge.sh
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d1bfc00..0b57551 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -127,12 +127,13 @@ 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
-([`forge_release_create`](.github/workflows/release.yml#L255-L268))
+([`forge_release_create`](.github/workflows/release.yml#L264-L277))
 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
-door recovers. The third is the re-arm, which runs after the publish, and its
-refusal is the single failure in this file that leaves a real release behind.
+standing and no release — which the merge-door preflight recognizes and a
+re-run resumes. The tag door remains the fallback when the original run is no
+longer reachable or the release must come from a fixed tree. The third is the
+re-arm, which runs after the publish, and its refusal is the single failure in
+this file that leaves a real release behind.
 
 ## The two doors
 
@@ -482,18 +483,17 @@ without its stamp (a state the
 the PR — red main here means it was overridden). Stamp the section on main,
 then publish by the tag door.
 
-> tag '$VER' already exists — this release already happened, or a manual tag won the race; refusing to re-release, creating nothing.
-> release '$VER' already exists — refusing to re-release, creating nothing.
+> release '$VER' already exists — this release already happened; refusing to re-release, creating nothing.
+> tag '$VER' already exists at <tag sha> but this run would tag <MERGE_SHA> — a manual tag won the race, or it names a different commit; refusing to re-release, creating nothing. Delete that tag, or re-tag the merge commit.
+> NOTICE: tag '$VER' already stands at this merge commit and no release exists — a previous run of this door tagged and then failed to publish. Resuming: the tag is not recreated; the artifact hook and the publish run.
 
-[L208–L223](.github/workflows/release.yml#L208-L223), the nothing-exists
-assert — what makes a re-run of a completed ceremony refuse instead of
-clobber, and what catches a manual tag racing the merge. If the release
-truly exists, there is nothing to do: this red is the system declining to do
-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 run `forge_release_create` by hand from a fixed tree.
+[L208–L239](.github/workflows/release.yml#L208-L239), the merge-door
+preflight — the published-release refusal prevents clobbering, the
+different-commit refusal diagnoses a racing or manual tag with both SHAs, and
+the notice resumes this door after its tag succeeded but the artifact hook or
+publish failed. Re-run the merge-door job first. If that run is no longer
+reachable or the tree itself needs repair, use the tag-door fallback: delete
+and re-push the tag from the fixed tree, or run `forge_release_create` by hand.
 
 > direct push refused (branch protection?) — opening the bump PR instead
 
diff --git a/changelog.d/273.md b/changelog.d/273.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d9d657
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/273.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Merge-door release reruns resume after a matching stranded tag while completed or conflicting releases still refuse with precise diagnostics (#273).
-- 
2.45.2


From f19658ea82445ccb58b10dbb78ed079d8e939e73 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: codex-bot-andresmgsl
 <codex-bot-andresmgsl@noreply.forgejo.heavyduty.builders>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:24:53 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 5/8] test: isolate preflight fact environments

---
 test/preflight.test.sh | 12 ++++--------
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/test/preflight.test.sh b/test/preflight.test.sh
index dc07abe..ac88451 100755
--- a/test/preflight.test.sh
+++ b/test/preflight.test.sh
@@ -18,13 +18,9 @@ FOREIGN_SHA=2222222222222222222222222222222222222222
 # preflight <VER> <MERGE_SHA> <TAG_SHAS> <RELEASED> — run the pure decision
 # with exactly the four gathered facts in its environment.
 preflight() {
-  (
-    VER="$1" MERGE_SHA="$2" TAG_SHAS="$3" RELEASED="$4"
-    export VER MERGE_SHA TAG_SHAS RELEASED
-    # shellcheck source=lib/preflight.sh
-    . "$PREFLIGHT"
-    release_preflight
-  )
+  # shellcheck disable=SC2016 # PREFLIGHT expands inside the isolated child
+  env VER="$1" MERGE_SHA="$2" TAG_SHAS="$3" RELEASED="$4" \
+    PREFLIGHT="$PREFLIGHT" bash -c '. "$PREFLIGHT"; release_preflight'
 }
 
 preflight_stdout() {
@@ -32,7 +28,7 @@ preflight_stdout() {
 }
 
 preflight_stderr() {
-  preflight "$@" 2>&1 >/dev/null
+  { preflight "$@" >/dev/null; } 2>&1
 }
 
 refuses_without_output() {
-- 
2.45.2


From e2aa8346011f9198961202c9074daff6d749d656 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: codex-bot-andresmgsl
 <codex-bot-andresmgsl@noreply.forgejo.heavyduty.builders>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2026 13:55:25 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 6/8] test: derive preflight in release path fixtures

---
 test/release-path.test.sh | 52 +++++++++++++++++++++++++--------------
 1 file changed, 33 insertions(+), 19 deletions(-)

diff --git a/test/release-path.test.sh b/test/release-path.test.sh
index 2ba304a..9f5a30e 100755
--- a/test/release-path.test.sh
+++ b/test/release-path.test.sh
@@ -97,6 +97,17 @@ path_check() {
   [ -z "$missing" ] && [ -z "$extra" ]
 }
 
+path_check_reports_only() {
+  local tree="$1" expected="$2" output rc
+  output="$(path_check "$tree" 2>&1)"
+  rc=$?
+  if [ "$rc" -ne 1 ] || [ "$output" != "$expected" ]; then
+    printf 'expected only: %s\ngot (exit %s): %s\n' \
+      "$expected" "$rc" "$output" >&2
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
 readme_has_no_path_enumeration() {
   local token found=no
   for token in \
@@ -119,6 +130,7 @@ fixture() {
     "\$ROOT/lib/changelog.sh" >"$tree/bin/assemble"
   printf '#!/usr/bin/env bash\n' >"$tree/lib/changelog.sh"
   printf '#!/usr/bin/env bash\n' >"$tree/lib/decide.sh"
+  printf '#!/usr/bin/env bash\n' >"$tree/lib/preflight.sh"
   # facts.sh sources BOTH on this tree: version.sh, and the forge shim #191
   # put on the doors' path so a Forgejo consumer can publish (#198). The
   # synthetic tree mirrors the real one, or every fixture below reports
@@ -134,7 +146,7 @@ fixture() {
 
 # Exact output is the record author's copy-paste source.
 check "manifest prints the specified ordered release path" 0 \
-  $'.github/workflows/release.yml\nbin/\nlib/version.sh\nlib/decide.sh\nlib/facts.sh\nlib/changelog.sh\nlib/forge.sh' \
+  $'.github/workflows/release.yml\nbin/\nlib/version.sh\nlib/decide.sh\nlib/preflight.sh\nlib/facts.sh\nlib/changelog.sh\nlib/forge.sh' \
   bash "$PATH_SCRIPT"
 check "real workflow and transitive dependencies match the manifest" 0 "" \
   path_check "$ROOT"
@@ -143,54 +155,56 @@ check "drill doctrine does not duplicate the executable release path" 0 "" \
 
 # A door growing a dependency must name the missing path (#237 D7).
 tree="$(fixture missing)"
-printf 'run: bash "%s"\nrun: bash "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\n' \
+printf 'run: bash "%s"\nrun: bash "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\n' \
   "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/facts.sh" "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/decide.sh" \
-  "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/changelog.sh" "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/version.sh" \
-  "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/ruling.sh" \
+  "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/preflight.sh" "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/changelog.sh" \
+  "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/version.sh" "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/ruling.sh" \
   >"$tree/.github/workflows/release.yml"
 printf '#!/usr/bin/env bash\n' >"$tree/lib/ruling.sh"
-check "a new workflow library fails with its missing path" 1 \
-  "missing dependency: lib/ruling.sh" path_check "$tree"
+check "a new workflow library fails with only its missing path" 0 "" \
+  path_check_reports_only "$tree" \
+  "release-path: missing dependency: lib/ruling.sh"
 
 # A library growing a sibling dependency in the production idiom must also
 # name the missing path; a literal lib/ marker in a comment is not evidence.
 tree="$(fixture missing-transitive)"
-printf 'run: bash "%s"\nrun: bash "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\n' \
+printf 'run: bash "%s"\nrun: bash "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\n' \
   "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/facts.sh" "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/decide.sh" \
-  "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/changelog.sh" \
+  "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/preflight.sh" "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/changelog.sh" \
   >"$tree/.github/workflows/release.yml"
 printf '# shellcheck source=lib/ruling.sh\n. "%s"\n' \
   "\$(cd \"\$(dirname \"\${BASH_SOURCE[0]}\")\" && pwd)/ruling.sh" \
   >>"$tree/lib/facts.sh"
 printf '#!/usr/bin/env bash\n' >"$tree/lib/ruling.sh"
-check "a new sibling library fails with its missing path" 1 \
-  "missing dependency: lib/ruling.sh" path_check "$tree"
+check "a new sibling library fails with only its missing path" 0 "" \
+  path_check_reports_only "$tree" \
+  "release-path: missing dependency: lib/ruling.sh"
 
 # A manifest may not rot into a safe-looking superset.
 tree="$(fixture extra)"
-printf 'run: bash "%s"\nrun: bash "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\n' \
+printf 'run: bash "%s"\nrun: bash "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\n' \
   "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/facts.sh" "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/decide.sh" \
-  "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/changelog.sh" \
+  "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/preflight.sh" "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/changelog.sh" \
   >"$tree/.github/workflows/release.yml"
-sed -i 's|  lib/forge.sh$|  lib/forge.sh \\|' \
+sed -i '$ s|$| \\|' \
   "$tree/.github/scripts/release-path.sh"
 printf '  lib/ruling.sh\n' >>"$tree/.github/scripts/release-path.sh"
 printf '#!/usr/bin/env bash\n' >"$tree/lib/ruling.sh"
-check "a path no door reads fails as stale" 1 "stale path: lib/ruling.sh" \
-  path_check "$tree"
+check "a path no door reads fails with only its stale path" 0 "" \
+  path_check_reports_only "$tree" "release-path: stale path: lib/ruling.sh"
 
 # Transitive sourcing is part of the derivation, not decoration.
 tree="$(fixture transitive)"
-printf 'run: bash "%s"\nrun: bash "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\n' \
+printf 'run: bash "%s"\nrun: bash "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\nrun: . "%s"\n' \
   "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/facts.sh" "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/decide.sh" \
-  "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/changelog.sh" \
+  "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/preflight.sh" "\$CEREMONY_DIR/lib/changelog.sh" \
   >"$tree/.github/workflows/release.yml"
 # Only the version source is dropped; the forge source #191 added stays, or
 # the fixture reports two stale paths and proves neither of them (#198).
 printf '#!/usr/bin/env bash\n# shellcheck source=lib/forge.sh\n. "%s"\n' \
   "\$(cd \"\$(dirname \"\${BASH_SOURCE[0]}\")\" && pwd)/forge.sh" \
   >"$tree/lib/facts.sh"
-check "removing facts' version source fails as a stale path" 1 \
-  "stale path: lib/version.sh" path_check "$tree"
+check "removing facts' version source fails with only its stale path" 0 "" \
+  path_check_reports_only "$tree" "release-path: stale path: lib/version.sh"
 
 summary
-- 
2.45.2


From 715663cf53472f48d907cc9609eaca967b79b52f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: codex-bot-andresmgsl
 <codex-bot-andresmgsl@noreply.forgejo.heavyduty.builders>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:02:11 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 7/8] docs: group release recovery changelog entry

---
 changelog.d/273.md | 2 ++
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

diff --git a/changelog.d/273.md b/changelog.d/273.md
index 2d9d657..fd7d534 100644
--- a/changelog.d/273.md
+++ b/changelog.d/273.md
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
+### Fixed
+
 - Merge-door release reruns resume after a matching stranded tag while completed or conflicting releases still refuse with precise diagnostics (#273).
-- 
2.45.2


From d944bddeccba60a0978e8565c1237a68bcaf10e6 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: codex-bot-andresmgsl
 <codex-bot-andresmgsl@noreply.forgejo.heavyduty.builders>
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2026 15:55:21 +0000
Subject: [PATCH 8/8] docs: repair release workflow anchors after preflight
 shift

---
 README.md | 32 ++++++++++++++++----------------
 1 file changed, 16 insertions(+), 16 deletions(-)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0b57551..945bbb7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ workflow that carries it.
 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
+merge, [release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L136-L310) asserts its
 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
@@ -142,20 +142,20 @@ this file that leaves a real release behind.
   `release`-labeled PR whose version transitioned to bare is the ceremony,
   everything legitimate that isn't one is a green no-op, and every
   half-ceremony dies loudly
-  ([release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L136-L301)). Use it for every
+  ([release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L136-L310)). Use it for every
   normal release.
 
 - **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#L316-L401)) — publishes the
+  ([release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L325-L410)) — 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 three asserts: **the tag names the
   tree's own version**
-  ([L341–L352](.github/workflows/release.yml#L341-L352)), **the tagged
+  ([L350–L361](.github/workflows/release.yml#L350-L361)), **the tagged
   tree carries a publishable `## X.Y.Z` section**
-  ([L353–L365](.github/workflows/release.yml#L353-L365)), and **no published
+  ([L362–L374](.github/workflows/release.yml#L362-L374)), and **no published
   release already exists for the tag**
-  ([L366–L381](.github/workflows/release.yml#L366-L381)); any failure
+  ([L375–L390](.github/workflows/release.yml#L375-L390)); 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
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ so this line can only appear when some *other* caller invokes `version_read`
 directly with a backend that is neither `file` nor `package-json`. Fix that
 caller.
 
-### The merge door refused ([release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L136-L301))
+### The merge door refused ([release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L136-L310))
 
 > CHANGELOG.md has no '## $VER' section at the merge commit — the ceremony PR must stamp it; refusing to publish an empty release
 
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ and re-push the tag from the fixed tree, or run `forge_release_create` by hand.
 
 > direct push refused (branch protection?) — opening the bump PR instead
 
-[L293–L301](.github/workflows/release.yml#L293-L301) — loud, but not a
+[L302–L310](.github/workflows/release.yml#L302-L310) — loud, but not a
 refusal: the post-release `-dev` bump could not push directly, so the run
 opened a `release`-labeled bump PR itself. Your move: merge it promptly —
 until it lands, main is sitting bare, where a dev install impersonates the
@@ -505,35 +505,35 @@ 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#L316-L401))
+### The tag door refused ([release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L325-L410))
 
 > 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.
 
-[L347–L350](.github/workflows/release.yml#L347-L350). The message is the
+[L356–L359](.github/workflows/release.yml#L356-L359). 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
 
-[L359–L365](.github/workflows/release.yml#L359-L365). The tagged tree was
+[L368–L374](.github/workflows/release.yml#L368-L374). 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
+[L375–L390](.github/workflows/release.yml#L375-L390). 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 re-arm refused ([release.yml](.github/workflows/release.yml#L276-L310))
 
 The bump belongs to the merge door alone — the tag door deliberately does not
-rewrite main ([L316–L320](.github/workflows/release.yml#L316-L320)) — and it
+rewrite main ([L325–L329](.github/workflows/release.yml#L325-L329)) — 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
-shipped ([L266](.github/workflows/release.yml#L266)). That is the one failure
+shipped ([L275](.github/workflows/release.yml#L275)). That is the one failure
 in this catalog whose remedy is a manual bump, not a re-run.
 
 > version_next_dev: refusing '$ver' — expected bare X.Y.Z
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ In every case the remedy has the same shape — bump `VERSION` (or the
 shipped version was bare, and where it was an rc, whatever you have decided
 comes next. Note that a *push* refusal is not one of these — branch
 protection is expected, and the step opens the bump PR itself rather than
-failing ([L293–L301](.github/workflows/release.yml#L293-L301)).
+failing ([L302–L310](.github/workflows/release.yml#L302-L310)).
 
 ### Red main that is not the release workflow
 
-- 
2.45.2