diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index 95e00f68..c188e697 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -214,12 +214,47 @@ jobs:
         if: matrix.python-version == '3.14'
         run: ls -laR dist/
 
-      - name: Store build artifacts
+      - name: Stage publication artifacts
+        if: matrix.python-version == '3.14'
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          mkdir -p publish-dist release-assets-dist
+          cp dist/*.tar.gz dist/*.whl publish-dist/
+          cp dist/*.tar.gz dist/*.whl dist/*.sha256 release-assets-dist/
+
+          echo "PyPI distributions:"
+          ls -la publish-dist/
+          echo ""
+          echo "GitHub release assets:"
+          ls -la release-assets-dist/
+
+          pypi_count="$(find publish-dist -maxdepth 1 -type f | wc -l | tr -d ' ')"
+          release_count="$(find release-assets-dist -maxdepth 1 -type f | wc -l | tr -d ' ')"
+
+          [ "${pypi_count}" = "2" ] || {
+            echo "::error::Expected 2 uploadable distributions, found ${pypi_count}"
+            exit 1
+          }
+          [ "${release_count}" = "3" ] || {
+            echo "::error::Expected 3 GitHub release assets, found ${release_count}"
+            exit 1
+          }
+
+      - name: Store PyPI distributions
         if: matrix.python-version == '3.14'
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@ea165f8d65b6e75b540449e92b4886f43607fa02 # v4.6.2
         with:
-          name: dist
-          path: dist/
+          name: pypi-dist
+          path: publish-dist/
+          retention-days: 7
+          if-no-files-found: error
+
+      - name: Store GitHub release assets
+        if: matrix.python-version == '3.14'
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@ea165f8d65b6e75b540449e92b4886f43607fa02 # v4.6.2
+        with:
+          name: release-assets
+          path: release-assets-dist/
           retention-days: 7
           if-no-files-found: error
 
@@ -231,7 +266,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@d3f86a106a0bac45b974a628896c90dbdf5c8093 # v4.3.0
         with:
-          name: dist
+          name: pypi-dist
           path: dist/
 
       - name: Publish to TestPyPI
@@ -350,7 +385,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@d3f86a106a0bac45b974a628896c90dbdf5c8093 # v4.3.0
         with:
-          name: dist
+          name: release-assets
           path: dist/
 
       - name: Publish GitHub release assets
@@ -383,7 +418,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@d3f86a106a0bac45b974a628896c90dbdf5c8093 # v4.3.0
         with:
-          name: dist
+          name: pypi-dist
           path: dist/
 
       - name: Publish to PyPI
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 90e2091e..179d9aba 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Changed
+
+- **Release publication now stages PyPI uploads separately from GitHub Release assets.** The
+  publish workflow now uploads only the wheel and source distribution to PyPI-facing jobs while
+  keeping the `.sha256` receipt in the GitHub Release asset path, and the maintainer runbook now
+  documents rerunning `workflow_dispatch` against an existing tag to recover a partial release
+  without moving or recreating the tag.
+
 ## [0.163.0] - 2026-04-22
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/docs/RELEASE_PROTOCOL.md b/docs/RELEASE_PROTOCOL.md
index 878cc83f..0ac4bd13 100644
--- a/docs/RELEASE_PROTOCOL.md
+++ b/docs/RELEASE_PROTOCOL.md
@@ -230,6 +230,13 @@ gh run list --workflow=publish.yml --event=push --commit "$TAG_SHA" --limit=20
 gh run view <run-id> --log-failed
 ```
 
+Publication invariant:
+
+- PyPI-facing jobs may receive only uploadable distribution files (`.tar.gz` and `.whl`).
+- The `ftllexengine-X.Y.Z.sha256` receipt is a GitHub Release asset, not a PyPI upload.
+- If the workflow stages both distributions and the checksum receipt into the same artifact,
+  treat that as a release-pipeline defect and fix the workflow before rerunning publication.
+
 If you need to rerun publication for the existing tag, rerun the workflow against that tag. Do not
 move or recreate the tag:
 
@@ -238,6 +245,11 @@ gh workflow run publish.yml -f release_tag=vX.Y.Z
 gh workflow run publish.yml -f release_tag=vX.Y.Z -f publish_to_testpypi=true
 ```
 
+If the tag push reaches a partial success state — for example, GitHub Release assets publish but
+the PyPI job fails — repair the workflow on `main`, merge the fix, and then rerun
+`workflow_dispatch` for the existing tag. Do not delete, move, or recreate the tag to retrigger
+publication.
+
 If GitHub Release assets need manual convergence after the workflow, use:
 
 ```bash