diff --git a/.github/workflows/check.yml b/.github/workflows/check.yml
index b464d03..3e5442d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check.yml
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ jobs:
           fi
           echo "OK: no version-file changes outside a Release Please PR."
       - run: make openapi-generated-check
+      - run: make release-workflow-check
       - run: make lint
       - run: make test
       - run: go build ./...
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-please.yml b/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
index d1bfb2f..4e79b66 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
@@ -6,18 +6,21 @@ on:
       - main
   workflow_dispatch:
 
-# Serialize release runs so overlapping pushes don't race the release PR/tag.
+# Serialize all release runs so manual and push events cannot race.
 concurrency:
-  group: release-please-${{ github.ref }}
+  group: release-please
   cancel-in-progress: false
 
-# Least privilege for the default GITHUB_TOKEN: the release work runs on the
-# GitHub App token minted below, so the default token needs no write scope.
+# The default GITHUB_TOKEN reads PR checks. Release writes use the scoped
+# GitHub App token minted below.
 permissions:
+  checks: read
   contents: read
+  pull-requests: read
 
 jobs:
   release-please:
+    if: ${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 10
     steps:
@@ -55,6 +58,7 @@ jobs:
       # included so a workflow fix can recover a stalled release.
       - name: Merge non-major release PRs
         env:
+          CHECKS_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ steps.app-token.outputs.token }}
           GH_REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
         run: |
@@ -67,10 +71,7 @@ jobs:
             exit 0
           fi
           current_major="${current_version%%.*}"
-          if ! gh api "repos/${GH_REPO}/branches/main/protection/required_status_checks" --jq '.contexts[]' | grep -Fxq 'check / check'; then
-            echo "Required release check 'check / check' is not configured; merging nothing."
-            exit 1
-          fi
+          expected_checks='["Analyze (actions)","Analyze (go)","Analyze (javascript-typescript)","Analyze (python)","Analyze (ruby)","CodeQL","check / check","check / localmode-e2e","license/cla"]'
           gh pr list --state open --label 'autorelease: pending' --json number --jq '.[].number' | while read -r number; do
             metadata="$(gh pr view "$number" --json author,headRefName,headRefOid,title)"
             author="$(jq -r '.author.login' <<< "$metadata")"
@@ -94,22 +95,35 @@ jobs:
             echo "Waiting for required checks on release PR #${number} (${current_version} -> ${new_version})."
             checks_ready=false
             for attempt in {1..30}; do
-              if checks_probe="$(gh pr checks "$number" --required --json name 2>&1)"; then
-                checks_ready=true
-                break
+              if checks_probe="$(GH_TOKEN="$CHECKS_TOKEN" gh pr checks "$number" --required --json name 2>&1)"; then
+                checks_status=0
+              else
+                checks_status=$?
               fi
-              if ! grep -Eq 'no (required )?checks reported' <<< "$checks_probe"; then
+              if [ "$checks_status" -eq 0 ] || [ "$checks_status" -eq 8 ]; then
+                if jq -e --argjson expected "$expected_checks" '$expected - (map(.name)) | length == 0' <<< "$checks_probe" >/dev/null; then
+                  checks_ready=true
+                  break
+                fi
+              elif ! grep -Eq 'no (required )?checks reported' <<< "$checks_probe"; then
                 printf '%s\n' "$checks_probe" >&2
                 exit 1
               fi
-              echo "Required checks are not registered yet (attempt ${attempt}/30)."
+              echo "Required checks are not all registered yet (attempt ${attempt}/30)."
               sleep 10
             done
             if [ "$checks_ready" != true ]; then
               echo "Required checks did not register for release PR #${number}." >&2
               exit 1
             fi
-            gh pr checks "$number" --required --watch --fail-fast
+            GH_TOKEN="$CHECKS_TOKEN" gh pr checks "$number" --required --watch --fail-fast
+            GH_TOKEN="$CHECKS_TOKEN" gh pr checks "$number" --watch --fail-fast
+            all_checks="$(GH_TOKEN="$CHECKS_TOKEN" gh pr checks "$number" --json bucket,name)"
+            if ! jq -e 'length > 0 and all(.[]; .bucket == "pass" or .bucket == "skipping")' <<< "$all_checks" >/dev/null; then
+              echo "Not all checks passed for release PR #${number}; merging nothing." >&2
+              printf '%s\n' "$all_checks" >&2
+              exit 1
+            fi
             echo "Squash-merging release PR #${number} with the Volcano app ruleset bypass."
             gh pr merge "$number" --admin --squash --match-head-commit "$head_oid"
           done
diff --git a/scripts/ci/check-release-workflow.sh b/scripts/ci/check-release-workflow.sh
index f6afb53..f4b26f1 100755
--- a/scripts/ci/check-release-workflow.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci/check-release-workflow.sh
@@ -2,13 +2,29 @@
 set -euo pipefail
 
 workflow=".github/workflows/release-please.yml"
+check_workflow=".github/workflows/check.yml"
+expected_checks='["Analyze (actions)","Analyze (go)","Analyze (javascript-typescript)","Analyze (python)","Analyze (ruby)","CodeQL","check / check","check / localmode-e2e","license/cla"]'
+grep -Fxq -- '  group: release-please' "$workflow" || {
+  echo "release workflow must serialize all refs in one concurrency group" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
+
 for required in \
+  "    if: \${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' }}" \
   "gh pr list --state open --label 'autorelease: pending'" \
-  'required_status_checks' \
+  'checks: read' \
+  'pull-requests: read' \
+  "CHECKS_TOKEN: \${{ github.token }}" \
   "head_oid=\"\$(jq -r '.headRefOid' <<< \"\$metadata\")\"" \
   'for attempt in {1..30}' \
+  "checks_probe=\"\$(GH_TOKEN=\"\$CHECKS_TOKEN\" gh pr checks \"\$number\" --required --json name 2>&1)\"" \
+  "if [ \"\$checks_status\" -eq 0 ] || [ \"\$checks_status\" -eq 8 ]; then" \
   'no (required )?checks reported' \
-  "gh pr checks \"\$number\" --required --watch --fail-fast" \
+  "expected_checks='$expected_checks'" \
+  "\$expected - (map(.name)) | length == 0" \
+  "GH_TOKEN=\"\$CHECKS_TOKEN\" gh pr checks \"\$number\" --required --watch --fail-fast" \
+  "GH_TOKEN=\"\$CHECKS_TOKEN\" gh pr checks \"\$number\" --watch --fail-fast" \
+  'all(.[]; .bucket == "pass" or .bucket == "skipping")' \
   "gh pr merge \"\$number\" --admin --squash --match-head-commit \"\$head_oid\""; do
   grep -Fq -- "$required" "$workflow" || {
     echo "release workflow is missing: $required" >&2
@@ -16,6 +32,30 @@ for required in \
   }
 done
 
+grep -Fq -- 'run: make release-workflow-check' "$check_workflow" || {
+  echo "CI does not run the release workflow check" >&2
+  exit 1
+}
+
+required_checks='[{"name":"Analyze (actions)"},{"name":"Analyze (go)"},{"name":"Analyze (javascript-typescript)"},{"name":"Analyze (python)"},{"name":"Analyze (ruby)"},{"name":"CodeQL"},{"name":"check / check"},{"name":"check / localmode-e2e"},{"name":"license/cla"}]'
+jq -e --argjson expected "$expected_checks" '$expected - (map(.name)) | length == 0' <<< "$required_checks" >/dev/null
+if jq -e --argjson expected "$expected_checks" '$expected - (map(.name)) | length == 0' <<< '[{"name":"check / check"}]' >/dev/null; then
+  echo "release check policy accepted an incomplete required-check set" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+check_success='length > 0 and all(.[]; .bucket == "pass" or .bucket == "skipping")'
+jq -e "$check_success" <<< '[{"bucket":"pass"},{"bucket":"skipping"}]' >/dev/null
+if jq -e "$check_success" <<< '[{"bucket":"pass"},{"bucket":"fail"}]' >/dev/null; then
+  echo "release check policy accepted a failed non-required check" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if grep -Fq 'branches/main/protection' "$workflow"; then
+  echo "release workflow must not require administration access to read branch protection" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 if grep -Eq 'gh[[:space:]]+pr[[:space:]]+merge[[:space:]].*--auto([[:space:]]|$)' "$workflow"; then
   echo "release workflow must use the app bypass instead of review-gated auto-merge" >&2
   exit 1