diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index e10d50f..9fd418a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -125,7 +125,24 @@ jobs:
           permission-contents: write
           permission-pull-requests: write
 
+      # Version files merge before publication; wait for the publisher's label.
+      - name: Check for unpublished merged releases
+        id: pending
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ steps.app.outputs.token }}
+          GH_REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          pending="$(gh api --paginate "repos/$GH_REPO/pulls?state=closed&per_page=100" --jq '.[] | select(.merged_at != null and any(.labels[]; .name == "autorelease: pending")) | .number')"
+          if [[ -n "$pending" ]]; then
+            echo 'can-propose=false' >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "Waiting for publication of merged release PR(s): $pending"
+          else
+            echo 'can-propose=true' >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          fi
+
       - name: Propose a semantic release
+        if: steps.pending.outputs.can-propose == 'true'
         uses: googleapis/release-please-action@45996ed1f6d02564a971a2fa1b5860e934307cf7 # v5.0.0
         with:
           token: ${{ steps.app.outputs.token }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-standards.yml b/.github/workflows/release-standards.yml
index 8f4870f..8ab3362 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-standards.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-standards.yml
@@ -51,11 +51,13 @@ jobs:
           }
           echo "pr=$pr" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           # Preflight is approved before tagging; shipping checks follow publication.
-          checklist=''
+          annotation="$(git for-each-ref --format='%(contents)' "refs/tags/$TAG")"
+          checklist="$(printf '%s\n' "$annotation" | sed -n 's/^Release checklist: //p' | head -n 1)"
           if [[ "$version" == *.0 ]]; then
-            annotation="$(git for-each-ref --format='%(contents)' "refs/tags/$TAG")"
+            [[ -n "$checklist" ]]
+          fi
+          if [[ -n "$checklist" ]]; then
             prefix="https://github.com/$GH_REPO/issues/"
-            checklist="$(printf '%s\n' "$annotation" | grep -F 'Release checklist: ' | head -n 1 | sed 's/^Release checklist: //')"
             [[ "$checklist" == "$prefix"* ]]
             issue="${checklist#"$prefix"}"
             [[ "$issue" =~ ^[1-9][0-9]*$ ]]
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ jobs:
     uses: ./.github/workflows/ci.yml
     permissions:
       contents: read
+      pull-requests: read # required by ci.yml's nested PR caller even on tag events
       security-events: write
 
   build:
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 912fc3a..ebd26f5 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 <!-- Generated by Release Please; permit its section spacing. -->
 <!-- markdownlint-disable MD012 -->
 
-## 0.1.0 (2026-10-10)
+## 0.1.0 (2026-10-10) — unpublished
 
 
 ### Features
diff --git a/docs/releases.md b/docs/releases.md
index 1c5a158..db9aacf 100644
--- a/docs/releases.md
+++ b/docs/releases.md
@@ -80,7 +80,9 @@ and Release Please actions are pinned and tracked by Dependabot. See the
    the checklist; reruns all repository CI gates; builds and attests the assets;
    and waits for the `release` environment approval. Publication creates a draft with
    all assets and notes, then publishes it. The release PR is marked
-   `autorelease: tagged` so the next version can be proposed.
+   `autorelease: tagged` so the next version can be proposed. Version proposals wait
+   while a merged release PR has `autorelease: pending`; a failed, permanently
+   retired version uses `autorelease: failed` instead.
 
 These bundles ship no compiled software, so the compiled-artifact SBOM requirement
 does not apply. The included workflows/configs retain their upstream pins; source
@@ -116,6 +118,10 @@ same Git/archive tool versions. The builder refuses an existing output directory
 
 ## Failed releases
 
+The initial `v0.1.0` tag was reserved by a workflow-startup failure; no bundle was
+published for it. The first published bundle is `v0.1.1`. Keep the original tag
+unchanged; use a new version when a tagged workflow needs a source fix.
+
 Never replace published assets or move/reuse a version tag. Fix a published error
 with a new release. A failed upload or publication leaves a draft; inspect its run
 and assets, then remove **only the unpublished draft** before rerunning the tag's