diff --git a/docs/src/test/scala/zipx/docs/AffectedDoc.scala b/docs/src/test/scala/zipx/docs/AffectedDoc.scala
index 79998a1..d2291c8 100644
--- a/docs/src/test/scala/zipx/docs/AffectedDoc.scala
+++ b/docs/src/test/scala/zipx/docs/AffectedDoc.scala
@@ -188,8 +188,8 @@ Three properties carry over unchanged, and each is what makes the opt-in safe ra
 3. **A skipped image never silently skips its deploy.** This is the trap the feature opens, so the planner closes it
    (see the next section).
 
-The `affected` job itself now runs on tag pushes when a Publish capability reads it, where a Verify-only setup skips
-there. That is free: on a tag it takes no diff.
+The `affected` job itself now runs on tag pushes and on merged-PR pushes when a Publish or Deploy capability reads
+it, where a Verify-only setup skips there. That is free: on a non-PR event it takes no diff, and it emits `["all"]`.
 """,
       exampleValue {
         given PlanConfig = config.copy(affected = AffectedMode.AffectedOnPR, affectedPublish = true)
@@ -315,8 +315,8 @@ that module's artifacts really are unchanged. The cost of `Graph` over `Aggregat
 target), and with it one approval per module per environment.
 
 Both safety properties carry over. A **release tag deploys everything**: the `affected` job is forced onto tag
-pushes when a Deploy capability reads it, and there it emits `["all"]` without taking a diff. And an unusable diff
-**fails open** to `["all"]` the same way.
+pushes and merged-PR pushes when a Deploy capability reads it, and on a non-PR event it emits `["all"]` without
+taking a diff. And an unusable diff **fails open** to `["all"]` the same way.
 """,
       exampleValue {
         given PlanConfig =
diff --git a/docs/src/test/scala/zipx/docs/Verify.scala b/docs/src/test/scala/zipx/docs/Verify.scala
index b84d1d0..739fd71 100644
--- a/docs/src/test/scala/zipx/docs/Verify.scala
+++ b/docs/src/test/scala/zipx/docs/Verify.scala
@@ -155,7 +155,9 @@ Changed files → owning module (longest base-dir prefix) → reverse-dependency
     section("Skip Verify after merge / on tags")(
       md"""
 By default (`zipxSkipMergedPrPush := true`), a push to `main` that lands a merged PR does **not** re-run Verify.
-Direct pushes still Verify. **Tag pushes never run Verify** (release tags only need Publish / Deploy).
+Direct pushes still Verify. **Tag pushes never run Verify** (release tags only need Publish / Deploy). Graph
+Publish and Deploy still run after a merge; the `affected` job they read stays up and emits `["all"]` on that
+non-PR push, so they do not `fromJson` an empty output.
 
 With **LocalDir**, that skip would otherwise leave `main` without an `actions/cache` save (PR caches are
 branch-scoped; later PRs only warm from the default branch). So by default zipx also emits a minimal
diff --git a/modules/core/src/main/scala/zipx/core/Planner.scala b/modules/core/src/main/scala/zipx/core/Planner.scala
index a436e8c..4f3900c 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/main/scala/zipx/core/Planner.scala
+++ b/modules/core/src/main/scala/zipx/core/Planner.scala
@@ -353,13 +353,14 @@ object Planner:
       config.affected == AffectedMode.AffectedOnPR &&
         capabilities.exists(c => affectedGatedPhase(c.phase, config) && c.scope == CapabilityScope.Graph)
 
-    // Publish and Deploy jobs run on a release tag, where Verify does not, so the `affected` job they now depend on has
-    // to run there too. It emits the `all` sentinel for a tag push already (see `affectedScript`), which is what makes a
-    // release publish and deploy everything regardless of any diff.
+    // Publish and Deploy jobs run on a release tag and on a merged-PR push, where Verify does not, so the `affected`
+    // job they depend on has to run there too. It emits the `all` sentinel for a non-PR event already (see
+    // `affectedScript`), which is what makes a release publish and deploy everything regardless of any diff.
     //
     // Both phases, not just Publish: a tag-gated Graph deploy would otherwise carry `needs: affected` and an expression
-    // reading its output on a ref where that job does not exist.
-    val affectedOnTags =
+    // reading its output on a ref where that job does not exist. The same hole on a merged-PR push is `fromJson("")`:
+    // GitHub's skipped-job output is empty, not `'[]'`.
+    val affectedWhenVerifySkips =
       usesAffected && List(Phase.Publish, Phase.Deploy).exists(phase =>
         affectedGatedPhase(phase, config) && capabilities.exists(c =>
           c.phase == phase && c.scope == CapabilityScope.Graph
@@ -421,7 +422,8 @@ object Planner:
         Option.when(usesVerifyGate)(verifyGateJobId         -> verifyGateJob(config)),
         Option.when(usesCacheRehydrate)(cacheRehydrateJobId -> cacheRehydrateJob(config)),
         Option.when(usesAffected)(
-          affectedJobId -> affectedSetupJob(config, usesVerifyGate, affectedOnTags)
+          affectedJobId ->
+            affectedSetupJob(config, usesVerifyGate && !affectedWhenVerifySkips, affectedWhenVerifySkips)
         ),
       ).flatten
 
@@ -570,8 +572,8 @@ object Planner:
     * run is for a docs-only deploy). Non-Verify phases pass through untouched.
     *
     * @param excludeTagsAndDispatch
-    *   `false` keeps the merged-PR skip but drops the tag/dispatch exclusion, for the one job that is Verify-shaped and
-    *   yet has to run on a tag: the `affected` setup job, once Publish reads its output too.
+    *   `false` drops the tag/dispatch exclusion. Combined with `usesVerifyGate = false`, this is how the `affected`
+    *   setup job stays running on a tag and on a merged-PR push once Publish or Deploy reads its output.
     */
   private def applyVerifyGate(
       needs: List[JobId],
@@ -598,14 +600,14 @@ object Planner:
         (gatedNeeds, andConditions(Some(gateCond.unwrapped), cond))
       end if
 
-  /** @param runsOnTags
-    *   an affected-gated Publish job runs on a release tag, so the job it reads its module list from has to as well.
-    *   Cheap: on a tag push [[affectedScript]] takes no diff at all, it emits the `all` sentinel directly, which is
-    *   what makes a release publish everything.
+  /** @param runsWhenVerifySkips
+    *   an affected-gated Publish or Deploy job runs on a release tag and on a merged-PR push, where Verify does not, so
+    *   the job it reads its module list from has to as well. Cheap: on a non-PR event [[affectedScript]] takes no diff
+    *   at all, it emits the `all` sentinel directly, which is what makes a release publish everything.
     */
-  private def affectedSetupJob(config: PlanConfig, usesVerifyGate: Boolean, runsOnTags: Boolean): Job =
+  private def affectedSetupJob(config: PlanConfig, usesVerifyGate: Boolean, runsWhenVerifySkips: Boolean): Job =
     val (needs, cond) =
-      applyVerifyGate(Nil, None, Phase.Verify, usesVerifyGate, excludeTagsAndDispatch = !runsOnTags)
+      applyVerifyGate(Nil, None, Phase.Verify, usesVerifyGate, excludeTagsAndDispatch = !runsWhenVerifySkips)
     Job(
       name = Some("affected"),
       runsOn = List(config.runnerOs),
@@ -1153,8 +1155,7 @@ object Planner:
       val clauses        = tolerance.headOption.toList ++ releaseGate.toList ++ affectedGate.toList ++ tolerance.drop(1)
       val baseCond       = if clauses.isEmpty then None else Some(clauses.mkString(" && "))
       val (needs, gated) =
-        if gatedOnAffected then applyVerifyGate(rawNeeds, baseCond, capability.phase, usesVerifyGate = false)
-        else applyVerifyGate(rawNeeds, baseCond, capability.phase, usesVerifyGate)
+        applyVerifyGate(rawNeeds, baseCond, capability.phase, usesVerifyGate)
       val targetCond =
         targets.headOption.flatMap(t => JobCondition.renderOpt(t.condition))
       val cond      = andConditions(andConditions(gated, JobCondition.renderOpt(capability.condition)), targetCond)
@@ -1255,11 +1256,10 @@ object Planner:
     val guardedNeeds = rawNeeds.filterNot(id => id == affectedJobId || id == verifyGateJobId)
     val skipTolerant = dependsOnSkippable(capability, affectedGatedNames)
     val baseCond     = jobCondition(capability, node, guardedNeeds, gatedOnAffected, skipTolerant)
-    // The affected setup job already needs verify-gate, so a gated-on-affected job inherits the skip through it and asks
-    // only for the tag exclusion.
+    // Verify jobs carry their own gate. They must not inherit a merged-PR skip by hoping `affected` is skipped: when
+    // Publish or Deploy reads `affected`, that job stays running so later `fromJson` sees real JSON.
     val (needs, gated) =
-      if gatedOnAffected then applyVerifyGate(rawNeeds, baseCond, capability.phase, usesVerifyGate = false)
-      else applyVerifyGate(rawNeeds, baseCond, capability.phase, usesVerifyGate)
+      applyVerifyGate(rawNeeds, baseCond, capability.phase, usesVerifyGate)
     val cond   = andConditions(gated, JobCondition.renderOpt(capability.condition))
     val runner = capability.runsOn.getOrElse(List(config.runnerOs))
 
diff --git a/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/AffectedDeploySpec.scala b/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/AffectedDeploySpec.scala
index 2437183..7151bde 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/AffectedDeploySpec.scala
+++ b/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/AffectedDeploySpec.scala
@@ -294,6 +294,22 @@ object AffectedDeploySpec extends ZIOSpecDefault:
         )
         assertTrue(cond(wf, "affected").contains("!startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')"))
       },
+      test("the affected job runs on a merged-PR push once Deploy reads it") {
+        val wf = plan(
+          List(
+            Capability.testGraph.withMatrixCollapse(MatrixCollapse.Off),
+            dockerExpanded,
+            deployGraph(),
+          ),
+          on.copy(skipMergedPrPush = true),
+        )
+        assertTrue(
+          !cond(wf, "affected").contains("needs.verify-gate.outputs.run == 'true'"),
+          cond(wf, "test-serviceA").contains("needs.verify-gate.outputs.run == 'true'"),
+          !wf.jobs("deploy-serviceA-prod").needs.contains("verify-gate"),
+          cond(wf, "deploy-serviceA-prod").contains("needs.affected.outputs.modules"),
+        )
+      },
       test("fail-open is unchanged: an unusable diff deploys everything") {
         assertTrue(
           Affected.outputModules(dockerGraphFixture, None) == Affected.AllSentinel,
diff --git a/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/AffectedPublishSpec.scala b/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/AffectedPublishSpec.scala
index 7ea7a90..6c3bb80 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/AffectedPublishSpec.scala
+++ b/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/AffectedPublishSpec.scala
@@ -188,13 +188,41 @@ object AffectedPublishSpec extends ZIOSpecDefault:
           cond(wf, "test-schema").contains("!startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')"),
         )
       },
-      test("the merged-PR skip still applies to the affected job, only the tag exclusion is dropped") {
+      test("the affected job runs on a merged-PR push once Publish reads it") {
+        // Without this the whole publish is skipped: `affected` would carry Verify's merged-PR skip, skip after
+        // merge, and every Publish job's membership test would `fromJson` an empty output.
         val wf = plan(List(testExpanded, publishExpanded), on.copy(skipMergedPrPush = true))
         assertTrue(
-          wf.jobs("affected").needs.contains("verify-gate"),
-          // Fail-open: a gate that did not succeed (on a tag it is skipped outright) lets this run anyway.
-          cond(wf, "affected").contains("needs.verify-gate.result != 'success'"),
+          !cond(wf, "affected").contains("needs.verify-gate.outputs.run == 'true'"),
           !cond(wf, "affected").contains("!startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')"),
+          cond(wf, "test-schema").contains("needs.verify-gate.outputs.run == 'true'"),
+          !wf.jobs("publish-schema").needs.contains("verify-gate"),
+        )
+      },
+      test("with only Verify gated, the affected job still skips after a merged PR") {
+        val wf = plan(List(testExpanded), off.copy(skipMergedPrPush = true))
+        assertTrue(
+          cond(wf, "affected").contains("needs.verify-gate.outputs.run == 'true'"),
+          cond(wf, "test-schema").contains("needs.verify-gate.outputs.run == 'true'"),
+        )
+      },
+      test("affected emits JSON whenever a later job will fromJson it") {
+        val wf        = plan(List(testExpanded, publishExpanded), on.copy(skipMergedPrPush = true))
+        val fromJson  = "fromJson(needs.affected.outputs.modules)"
+        val consumers = wf.jobs.filter { (id, job) =>
+          id != "affected" && (
+            job.`if`.exists(_.contains(fromJson)) ||
+              job.steps.exists(_.`if`.exists(_.contains(fromJson)))
+          )
+        }
+        val mergedPrSkip = "needs.verify-gate.outputs.run == 'true'"
+        assertTrue(
+          consumers.nonEmpty,
+          consumers.forall((_, job) => job.needs.contains("affected")),
+          // affected's skip condition is a subset of the consumers': the merged-PR skip is not on affected, so
+          // it cannot skip while a consumer's if: is still true.
+          !cond(wf, "affected").contains(mergedPrSkip),
+          consumers.exists((_, job) => job.`if`.exists(_.contains("needs.affected.outputs.modules"))),
         )
       },
       test("fail-open is unchanged: an unusable diff publishes everything") {
diff --git a/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/MatrixCollapseSpec.scala b/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/MatrixCollapseSpec.scala
index 088d64e..c7d7d5f 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/MatrixCollapseSpec.scala
+++ b/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/MatrixCollapseSpec.scala
@@ -446,6 +446,45 @@ object MatrixCollapseSpec extends ZIOSpecDefault:
           !api.`if`.exists(_.contains("matrix.")),
         )
       },
+      test("collapsed Graph Publish cannot fromJson a skipped affected job") {
+        // Production shape: job-level `modules != '[]'`, step-level `contains(fromJson(...), matrix.module)`.
+        // GitHub's skipped-job output is `""`, not `'[]'`, so `!= '[]'` does not protect a step `fromJson`.
+        val cfg = baseConfig.copy(
+          affected = AffectedMode.AffectedOnPR,
+          affectedPublish = true,
+          skipMergedPrPush = true,
+        )
+        val image = Capability
+          .custom(
+            name = CapabilityName("image"),
+            command = n => SbtCommand.module(n, SbtCommand.unsafeTask("Docker/publishLocal")),
+            participates = _.docker,
+            phase = Phase.Verify,
+            gate = Gate.Always,
+            ordering = Ordering.ParallelWithUpstream,
+          )
+          .withMatrixCollapse(MatrixCollapse.Coarse)
+        val wf             = Planner.plan(independentDocker, List(image, dockerCap(MatrixCollapse.Coarse)), cfg)
+        val affectedIf     = wf.jobs("affected").`if`.getOrElse("")
+        val docker         = wf.jobs("docker")
+        val imageJob       = wf.jobs("image")
+        val fromJson       = "fromJson(needs.affected.outputs.modules)"
+        val dockerFromJson =
+          docker.`if`.exists(_.contains(fromJson)) || docker.steps.exists(_.`if`.exists(_.contains(fromJson)))
+        val imageFromJson =
+          imageJob.`if`.exists(_.contains(fromJson)) ||
+            imageJob.steps.exists(_.`if`.exists(_.contains(fromJson)))
+        assertTrue(
+          !affectedIf.contains("needs.verify-gate.outputs.run == 'true'"),
+          docker.`if`.exists(_.contains("needs.affected.outputs.modules != '[]'")),
+          dockerFromJson,
+          docker.needs.contains("affected"),
+          !docker.needs.contains("verify-gate"),
+          imageJob.`if`.exists(_.contains("needs.verify-gate.outputs.run == 'true'")),
+          imageJob.needs.contains("verify-gate"),
+          imageFromJson,
+        )
+      },
       test("rendered YAML job if line is matrix-free for every collapsing mode") {
         check(Gen.elements(MatrixCollapse.Auto, MatrixCollapse.Strict, MatrixCollapse.Coarse)) { mode =>
           val cfg   = baseConfig.copy(affected = AffectedMode.AffectedOnPR, affectedPublish = true)
diff --git a/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/PlannerSpec.scala b/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/PlannerSpec.scala
index e93453e..097a8b0 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/PlannerSpec.scala
+++ b/modules/core/src/test/scala/zipx/core/PlannerSpec.scala
@@ -1151,6 +1151,50 @@ object PlannerSpec extends ZIOSpecDefault:
         !wf.jobs("publish").`if`.exists(_.contains("!startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')")),
       )
     },
+    test("skipMergedPrPush gates Graph Verify even when it is affected-gated") {
+      // Once `affected` itself no longer skips after a merged PR (Publish/Deploy read it), Graph Verify must
+      // carry its own gate clause. Skip-inheritance-through-affected is how production `fromJson("")` happened.
+      val graph = sampleGraph.mapNodes {
+        case n if n.id.startsWith("service") => n.copy(docker = true)
+        case n                               => n
+      }
+      val image = Capability
+        .custom(
+          name = CapabilityName("image"),
+          command = n => SbtCommand.module(n, SbtCommand.unsafeTask("Docker/publishLocal")),
+          participates = _.docker,
+          phase = Phase.Verify,
+          gate = Gate.Always,
+          ordering = Ordering.ParallelWithUpstream,
+        )
+        .withMatrixCollapse(MatrixCollapse.Coarse)
+      val docker = Capability.dockerGraph.withMatrixCollapse(MatrixCollapse.Coarse)
+      val wf     = Planner.plan(
+        graph,
+        List(Capability.test, image, docker),
+        config.copy(
+          skipMergedPrPush = true,
+          affected = AffectedMode.AffectedOnPR,
+          affectedPublish = true,
+        ),
+      )
+      val fromJson = "fromJson(needs.affected.outputs.modules)"
+      assertTrue(
+        wf.jobs("test").`if`.exists(_.contains("needs.verify-gate.outputs.run == 'true'")),
+        wf.jobs("image").`if`.exists(_.contains("needs.verify-gate.outputs.run == 'true'")),
+        wf.jobs("image").needs.contains("verify-gate"),
+        wf.jobs("image").needs.contains("affected"),
+        !wf.jobs("affected").`if`.exists(_.contains("needs.verify-gate.outputs.run == 'true'")),
+        !wf.jobs("docker").needs.contains("verify-gate"),
+        wf.jobs("docker").`if`.exists(_.contains("needs.affected.outputs.modules")),
+        wf.jobs("docker").steps.exists(_.`if`.exists(_.contains(fromJson))),
+        wf.jobs("cache-rehydrate")
+          .`if`
+          .contains(
+            "needs.verify-gate.result == 'success' && needs.verify-gate.outputs.run == 'false'"
+          ),
+      )
+    },
     test("skipMergedPrPush false omits verify-gate but still skips Verify on tags and dispatch") {
       val wf = Planner.plan(sampleGraph, List(Capability.test), config.copy(skipMergedPrPush = false))
       assertTrue(