fix: preserve selected release execution

.github/workflows/publish.yml

@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ jobs:
       - verify-recovery
     if: >-
       always() &&
+      !cancelled() &&
       github.run_attempt == 1 &&
       (
         (
@@ -205,7 +206,11 @@ jobs:
 
   build:
     name: Verify and build the immutable default-branch release
-    if: github.run_attempt == 1
+    if: >-
+      always() &&
+      !cancelled() &&
+      github.run_attempt == 1 &&
+      needs.select-release.result == 'success'
     needs:
       - select-release
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -275,7 +280,11 @@ jobs:
 
   release-live-smoke:
     name: Verify the exact release commit against CometAPI
-    if: github.run_attempt == 1
+    if: >-
+      always() &&
+      !cancelled() &&
+      github.run_attempt == 1 &&
+      needs.build.result == 'success'
     needs:
       - build
     concurrency:
@@ -325,7 +334,12 @@ jobs:
 
   publish:
     name: Publish verified artifacts with PyPI OIDC
-    if: github.run_attempt == 1
+    if: >-
+      always() &&
+      !cancelled() &&
+      github.run_attempt == 1 &&
+      needs.build.result == 'success' &&
+      needs.release-live-smoke.result == 'success'
     needs:
       - build
       - release-live-smoke
@@ -355,7 +369,12 @@ jobs:
 
   verify-registry:
     name: Verify the public registry artifact
-    if: github.run_attempt == 1
+    if: >-
+      always() &&
+      !cancelled() &&
+      github.run_attempt == 1 &&
+      needs.build.result == 'success' &&
+      needs.publish.result == 'success'
     needs:
       - build
       - publish

AGENTS.md

@@ -118,6 +118,12 @@ Post-alpha invariants:
    attestation's Build Config URI to match the workflow identity used for the
    Trusted Publisher exchange. The workflow inventory and semantic tests must
    fail if this single-publisher boundary changes.
+8. Every release job downstream of the mutually exclusive release selector
+   must use `always() && !cancelled()` so GitHub evaluates it after the unused
+   release path is skipped, must reject workflow reruns, and must require every
+   direct dependency's `result` to equal `success`. A skipped, cancelled,
+   failed, or missing dependency must never make build, live smoke,
+   publication, or registry verification eligible.
 
 ## Repository independence
 
@@ -291,7 +297,9 @@ committed.
   `COMETAPI_KEY` scoped only to the protected live credential preflight and
   test. The semantic checker must reject reusable publication, split workflow
   identities, additional OIDC consumers, and raw dispatch inputs downstream of
-  the verified release selector.
+  the verified release selector. Every selector descendant must explicitly
+  evaluate skipped ancestry, reject cancellation and reruns, and require each
+  direct dependency to succeed.
 - Keep README, roadmap, compatibility matrix, examples, and changelog aligned
   with shipped behavior. Use currently supported model IDs.
 - All repository documentation is written in English.

ARCHITECTURE.md

@@ -153,6 +153,15 @@ checks its credential before checkout or any request. `scripts/check_workflows.p
 rejects split or reusable publisher identities, unverified selector inputs,
 additional OIDC consumers, and missing first-attempt guards.
 
+The Release Please and recovery paths are mutually exclusive, so one selector
+dependency is intentionally skipped on every run. GitHub propagates that
+skipped ancestry to later jobs even after the selector succeeds unless each
+selector descendant explicitly asks to be evaluated. Build, live smoke,
+publication, and registry verification therefore use `always() && !cancelled()`,
+reject every rerun, and require every direct dependency's result to equal
+`success`. This crosses only the unused branch's skipped ancestry; cancellation,
+failure, a skipped direct dependency, or a missing result remains fail-closed.
+
 The initial alpha has one release-identity exception. GitHub's immutable
 release tombstone permanently reserves `v0.1.0-alpha.1`, so the reviewed
 recovery release uses SemVer build metadata in

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ automation.
 - Execute PyPI Trusted Publishing directly in the single top-level
   `publish.yml` identity, and add regression gates that reject reusable
   publication, split attestation identities, and unverified recovery inputs.
+- Prevent GitHub's skipped-ancestry propagation from silently skipping the
+  release chain after a successful selector, while continuing to reject
+  cancellation, reruns, and every non-successful direct dependency.
 
 ## [0.1.0] - 2026-07-28
 

RELEASING.md

@@ -210,6 +210,11 @@ violations in one run and still returns non-zero when any violation exists.
   against the exact pre-publication digests and Trusted Publisher provenance
   before a clean install explicitly from `https://pypi.org/simple/`. An unset
   or empty live-model repository variable resolves to `gpt-5.4`.
+  Because the unused Release Please or recovery path is intentionally skipped,
+  every job after the selector must use `always() && !cancelled()`, reject
+  reruns, and require each direct dependency's result to equal `success`. This
+  makes GitHub evaluate the successful path without accepting cancellation,
+  failure, or a skipped direct dependency.
 
 Third-party Actions are pinned to full commit SHAs. Workflow permissions are
 read-only by default, and only the protected publishing job declares
@@ -368,7 +373,9 @@ A recovery failure stops the sequence. Diagnose and land a separate reviewed
 fix before requesting another explicit recovery authorization; do not rerun a
 failed job merely to obtain a different result. The workflow enforces this by
 allowing only `github.run_attempt == 1` for verification, selection, build,
-live smoke, publication, and registry verification.
+live smoke, publication, and registry verification. Every selector descendant
+also evaluates skipped ancestry with `always() && !cancelled()` and requires
+each direct dependency's result to equal `success`.
 
 [Recovery run 30353657522](https://github.com/cometapi-dev/cometapi-python/actions/runs/30353657522)
 passed immutable identity verification, the exact artifact rebuild, credential
@@ -378,3 +385,14 @@ caller produced an attestation Build Config URI for `release-recovery.yml`
 while the Trusted Publisher expected `publish.yml`. The permanent correction
 keeps attestations enabled and moves the PyPI action into the single top-level
 `publish.yml`; it does not weaken or reconfigure the Trusted Publisher.
+
+[Recovery run 30357111315](https://github.com/cometapi-dev/cometapi-python/actions/runs/30357111315)
+then passed immutable recovery verification and the shared release selector,
+but GitHub propagated the intentionally skipped Release Please ancestry to the
+plain downstream job conditions. Build, live smoke, publication, and registry
+verification were all skipped while the overall workflow incorrectly reported
+success. No live request or PyPI upload occurred, and `cometapi==0.1.0` remained
+absent. The permanent correction explicitly evaluates every selector descendant
+and requires all of its direct dependencies to succeed. Do not dispatch another
+recovery until that fix reaches `main` and a new recovery is explicitly
+authorized.

ROADMAP.md

@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 Status: `0.1.0a1` released; `0.1.0` recovery in progress
 Last updated: 2026-07-28
 Repository contract: this roadmap is self-contained.
-Current gate: land and remotely verify the single-workflow stable publisher,
-then complete the explicitly authorized `0.1.0` recovery.
+Current gate: land and remotely verify the selector-descendant control-flow
+fix, then complete a newly authorized `0.1.0` recovery.
 
 ## Product target
 
@@ -463,6 +463,18 @@ existing Trusted Publisher intact. Stable remains unreleased until this change
 passes pull-request CI, reaches `main`, and a newly authorized recovery passes
 OIDC, provenance, and registry gates.
 
+[Recovery run 30357111315](https://github.com/cometapi-dev/cometapi-python/actions/runs/30357111315)
+verified the exact immutable release and passed the shared selector from the
+correct top-level workflow identity. GitHub nevertheless propagated the
+intentionally skipped Release Please ancestry to the selector descendants, so
+build, live smoke, publication, and registry verification were all skipped and
+the overall run incorrectly reported success. No live request or registry side
+effect occurred, and PyPI still returned 404 for `cometapi==0.1.0`. The
+permanent control-flow fix makes every selector descendant explicitly evaluate
+skipped ancestry while rejecting cancellation and reruns and requiring every
+direct dependency to succeed. Another recovery remains blocked until that fix
+passes review and reaches `main`, followed by fresh explicit authorization.
+
 ## `0.2.0`: Provider-native text adapters
 
 Planned scope:
@@ -515,10 +527,13 @@ attempt a request with an empty model. Immutable-release recovery additionally
 requires `RELEASE_RECOVERY_TAG` and `RELEASE_RECOVERY_SHA` to equal the exact
 dispatch inputs; keep both variables absent except for one explicitly authorized
 identity and delete them immediately after success or failure. Recovery and
-publication jobs reject rerun attempts. The PyPI action must execute directly in
-top-level `publish.yml`; workflow inventory, semantic checks, and mutation tests
-must reject reusable publishing, split publisher identities, additional OIDC
-consumers, or downstream use of raw dispatch inputs.
+publication jobs reject rerun attempts. Every job downstream of the mutually
+exclusive selector must explicitly evaluate skipped ancestry, reject
+cancellation, and require every direct dependency's result to equal `success`.
+The PyPI action must execute directly in top-level `publish.yml`; workflow
+inventory, semantic checks, and mutation tests must reject reusable publishing,
+split publisher identities, additional OIDC consumers, downstream use of raw
+dispatch inputs, or weakened selector-descendant conditions.
 
 ## Maintenance cadence
 

SECURITY.md

@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ the protected publishing job may declare `id-token: write`. The protected live
 job may reference `COMETAPI_KEY` only in its credential preflight and live-test
 steps. Recovery verification, release selection, and downstream publication
 jobs must reject workflow reruns so an old authorization cannot be replayed.
+Every job downstream of the mutually exclusive selector must explicitly
+evaluate skipped ancestry, reject cancellation, and require every direct
+dependency to succeed; skipped or failed release work must never be represented
+as an eligible publication path.
 
 ## Scope
 

scripts/check_workflows.py

@@ -76,13 +76,29 @@
     "vars.RELEASE_RECOVERY_SHA == inputs.release-sha"
 )
 SELECT_RELEASE_CONDITION = (
-    "always() && github.run_attempt == 1 && "
+    "always() && !cancelled() && github.run_attempt == 1 && "
     "( ( github.event_name == 'push' && needs.release-please.result == 'success' && "
     "needs.release-please.outputs.release-created == 'true' && "
     "needs.release-please.outputs.release-verified == 'true' ) || "
     "( github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && "
     "needs.verify-recovery.result == 'success' ) )"
 )
+BUILD_JOB_CONDITION = (
+    "always() && !cancelled() && github.run_attempt == 1 && "
+    "needs.select-release.result == 'success'"
+)
+RELEASE_LIVE_JOB_CONDITION = (
+    "always() && !cancelled() && github.run_attempt == 1 && needs.build.result == 'success'"
+)
+PUBLISH_JOB_CONDITION = (
+    "always() && !cancelled() && github.run_attempt == 1 && "
+    "needs.build.result == 'success' && "
+    "needs.release-live-smoke.result == 'success'"
+)
+REGISTRY_JOB_CONDITION = (
+    "always() && !cancelled() && github.run_attempt == 1 && "
+    "needs.build.result == 'success' && needs.publish.result == 'success'"
+)
 SELECT_RELEASE_COMMAND = """\
 case "$EVENT_NAME" in
   push)
@@ -1066,7 +1082,10 @@ def check_publish_workflow(text: str, live_smoke_text: str) -> None:
         "steps.release.outputs.release_created == 'true'",
         RECOVERY_JOB_CONDITION,
         SELECT_RELEASE_CONDITION,
-        *(["github.run_attempt == 1"] * 4),
+        BUILD_JOB_CONDITION,
+        RELEASE_LIVE_JOB_CONDITION,
+        PUBLISH_JOB_CONDITION,
+        REGISTRY_JOB_CONDITION,
     ]
     if sorted(conditions) != sorted(expected_conditions):
         raise CheckError(
@@ -1224,15 +1243,25 @@ def check_publish_workflow(text: str, live_smoke_text: str) -> None:
             "steps",
         },
     }
+    expected_release_conditions = {
+        "build": BUILD_JOB_CONDITION,
+        "release-live-smoke": RELEASE_LIVE_JOB_CONDITION,
+        "publish": PUBLISH_JOB_CONDITION,
+        "verify-registry": REGISTRY_JOB_CONDITION,
+    }
     for name, job in (
         ("build", build),
         ("release-live-smoke", release_live),
         ("publish", publish),
         ("verify-registry", registry),
     ):
         _require_exact_keys(job, expected_release_job_keys[name], f"release {name} job")
-        if job["if"] != "github.run_attempt == 1":
-            raise CheckError(f"release {name} job must run only on the first workflow attempt")
+        condition = " ".join(_scalar(job["if"], f"release {name} condition").split())
+        if condition != expected_release_conditions[name]:
+            raise CheckError(
+                f"release {name} job must evaluate skipped ancestry, reject cancellation "
+                "and reruns, and require every direct dependency to succeed"
+            )
         _require_step_working_directories(
             job,
             ({"Recheck immutable artifact digests": "release-bundle"} if name == "publish" else {}),

tests/test_release_workflow.py

@@ -310,7 +310,30 @@ def _remove_live_credential_preflight(text: str) -> str:
 
 
 def _allow_publication_rerun(text: str) -> str:
-    return text.replace("    if: github.run_attempt == 1\n", "    if: always()\n", 1)
+    build_start = text.index("  build:")
+    return text[:build_start] + text[build_start:].replace(
+        "      github.run_attempt == 1 &&\n",
+        "      github.run_attempt >= 1 &&\n",
+        1,
+    )
+
+
+def _allow_cancelled_release_job(text: str) -> str:
+    build_start = text.index("  build:")
+    return text[:build_start] + text[build_start:].replace(
+        "      !cancelled() &&\n",
+        "",
+        1,
+    )
+
+
+def _accept_skipped_release_dependency(text: str) -> str:
+    build_start = text.index("  build:")
+    return text[:build_start] + text[build_start:].replace(
+        "needs.select-release.result == 'success'",
+        "needs.select-release.result != 'failure'",
+        1,
+    )
 
 
 def _remove_release_selector_dependency(text: str) -> str:
@@ -362,6 +385,8 @@ def _disable_publish_attestations(text: str) -> str:
     _remove_live_model_fallback,
     _remove_live_credential_preflight,
     _allow_publication_rerun,
+    _allow_cancelled_release_job,
+    _accept_skipped_release_dependency,
     _remove_release_selector_dependency,
     _use_unverified_release_input,
     _disable_publish_attestations,
@@ -476,6 +501,8 @@ def test_workflow_contract_rejects_unpinned_docker_action() -> None:
         "empty-live-model-bypass",
         "missing-live-credential-preflight",
         "publication-rerun-bypass",
+        "cancelled-release-job-bypass",
+        "skipped-release-dependency-bypass",
         "release-selector-dependency-bypass",
         "unverified-release-input-bypass",
         "disabled-publish-attestations-bypass",
@@ -876,8 +903,8 @@ def test_publisher_rejects_reusable_workflow_call_identity() -> None:
     ("needle", "replacement", "message"),
     [
         (
-            "always() &&\n      github.run_attempt == 1",
-            "github.run_attempt == 1",
+            "always() &&\n      !cancelled() &&\n      github.run_attempt == 1",
+            "!cancelled() &&\n      github.run_attempt == 1",
             "successfully verified path",
         ),
         (