diff --git a/.agents/skills/release-maintainer/SKILL.md b/.agents/skills/release-maintainer/SKILL.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9d6f247f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.agents/skills/release-maintainer/SKILL.md
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+---
+name: release-maintainer
+description: Internal maintainer SOP for version bumps, release PRs, tagging, publishing, and post-publish verification in this repository.
+advertise: false
+---
+
+# agent-tty release maintainer SOP
+
+This is a project-local maintainer skill for `agent-tty` releases. The canonical human policy lives in [`docs/RELEASE-PROCESS.md`](../../../docs/RELEASE-PROCESS.md); use this skill as the execution checklist when an agent is asked to cut or publish a release from this repository.
+
+## When to use this skill
+
+Use this skill when you are asked to:
+
+- bump the package version for a stable release or prerelease,
+- create or manage the release PR,
+- wait for CI and merge the release PR,
+- tag and publish a release,
+- or verify the published npm package and GitHub Release assets.
+
+## Core guardrails
+
+- Do **not** release from an unmerged branch. The release tag must reference a commit already merged into `main`.
+- Keep the version bump minimal unless the user explicitly asks for additional release-related changes.
+- Follow the repo's PR body/footer requirements from `AGENTS.md` when creating the release PR.
+- Treat `gh auth status` as advisory only. When access looks suspicious, verify with a real API call instead.
+- Run post-publish verification under Node 24. If the ambient shell is older, point `NODE_BIN` at an explicit Node 24 binary.
+- For `doctor --json`, the health signal is `.result.ok`; the outer `.ok` field only says the CLI command envelope succeeded.
+
+## Preflight
+
+1. Re-read `RELEASE.md`, `ROADMAP.md`, and `docs/RELEASE-PROCESS.md`.
+2. Confirm the workspace is clean and based on up-to-date `main`.
+3. Verify GitHub CLI access with a real API call:
+
+```bash
+gh api graphql -f query='query { viewer { login } }'
+```
+
+4. Prefer `mise run ci` when `mise` is available; otherwise use `npm run verify`.
+
+## Prepare the version bump
+
+Start from fresh `main`:
+
+```bash
+git checkout main
+git pull origin main
+```
+
+Create a release branch and bump without tagging.
+
+Stable patch release example:
+
+```bash
+git switch -c release/0.1.1
+npm version patch --no-git-tag-version
+```
+
+First beta on the next patch line:
+
+```bash
+git switch -c release/0.1.1-beta.0
+npm version prepatch --preid beta --no-git-tag-version
+```
+
+Next beta on the same line:
+
+```bash
+npm version prerelease --preid beta --no-git-tag-version
+```
+
+Then validate and commit the pure version bump:
+
+```bash
+npm run verify
+npm run version:json
+git add package.json package-lock.json
+git commit -m "chore(release): <version>"
+```
+
+## Create the release PR
+
+```bash
+git push -u origin <release-branch>
+gh pr create --base main --head <release-branch> --title "chore(release): <version>"
+```
+
+Before creating the PR, check whether one already exists for the release branch:
+
+```bash
+gh pr list --head <release-branch> --state all
+```
+
+## Wait for CI and merge the PR
+
+Interactive waiting is fine with:
+
+```bash
+gh pr checks <pr-number> --watch
+```
+
+For automation or agent-driven waiting, prefer structured workflow inspection:
+
+```bash
+gh pr checks <pr-number>
+gh run list --branch <release-branch> --event pull_request --limit 5
+gh run view <run-id> --json status,conclusion,jobs
+```
+
+Merge the PR only after the required checks succeed.
+
+Normal merge path:
+
+```bash
+gh pr merge <pr-number> --squash --delete-branch
+```
+
+If branch policy still blocks the merge after checks pass and an authorized releaser is allowed to override it:
+
+```bash
+gh pr merge <pr-number> --squash --admin --delete-branch
+```
+
+If remote refs look stale after the merge, refresh them before checking `origin/main` or deleted release branches:
+
+```bash
+git fetch origin --prune
+```
+
+## Tag and publish the release
+
+Default to the documented tag flow unless the user explicitly asks for the GitHub CLI shortcut.
+
+Documented flow:
+
+```bash
+git checkout main
+git pull origin main
+git tag -a vX.Y.Z -m "vX.Y.Z"
+git push origin vX.Y.Z
+```
+
+If you are explicitly asked to create the tag and GitHub Release with `gh`, use the merged `main` commit SHA:
+
+```bash
+MERGED_SHA=<merge-commit-on-main>
+gh release create vX.Y.Z \
+  --target "$MERGED_SHA" \
+  --title vX.Y.Z \
+  --notes-file <notes-file>
+```
+
+For prereleases, also add:
+
+```bash
+--prerelease --latest=false
+```
+
+The release workflow should publish the verified tarball to both GitHub Releases and npm.
+
+## Verify the published npm package
+
+Run the installed CLI under Node 24:
+
+```bash
+PACKAGE_NAME='agent-tty'
+PACKAGE_VERSION='<version>'
+NODE_BIN=${NODE_BIN:-node}
+INSTALL_PREFIX=$(mktemp -d)
+AGENT_TTY_HOME=$(mktemp -d)
+
+npm view "$PACKAGE_NAME" dist-tags --json
+npm install -g --prefix "$INSTALL_PREFIX" "$PACKAGE_NAME@$PACKAGE_VERSION"
+"$NODE_BIN" "$INSTALL_PREFIX/bin/agent-tty" version --json | jq -r '.result.cliVersion'
+"$NODE_BIN" "$INSTALL_PREFIX/bin/agent-tty" --home "$AGENT_TTY_HOME" doctor --json | jq '.result.ok'
+```
+
+For prereleases, also confirm the expected dist-tag points at the exact version.
+
+## Verify the published GitHub Release assets
+
+```bash
+VERSION=<version>
+RELEASE_TAG="v${VERSION}"
+RELEASE_TGZ="agent-tty-${VERSION}.tgz"
+NODE_BIN=${NODE_BIN:-node}
+
+DOWNLOAD_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
+INSTALL_PREFIX=$(mktemp -d)
+AGENT_TTY_HOME=$(mktemp -d)
+
+gh release download "$RELEASE_TAG" --repo coder/agent-tty --dir "$DOWNLOAD_DIR" --pattern "$RELEASE_TGZ"
+gh release download "$RELEASE_TAG" --repo coder/agent-tty --dir "$DOWNLOAD_DIR" --pattern "${RELEASE_TGZ}.sha256"
+(
+  cd "$DOWNLOAD_DIR"
+  sha256sum -c "${RELEASE_TGZ}.sha256"
+)
+
+npm install -g --prefix "$INSTALL_PREFIX" "$DOWNLOAD_DIR/$RELEASE_TGZ"
+"$NODE_BIN" "$INSTALL_PREFIX/bin/agent-tty" version --json | jq -r '.result.cliVersion'
+"$NODE_BIN" "$INSTALL_PREFIX/bin/agent-tty" --home "$AGENT_TTY_HOME" doctor --json | jq '.result.ok'
+```
+
+## Failure recovery checklist
+
+- If a release tag was pushed before the PR merged, cancel the workflow run, delete the remote tag, delete the local tag, and redo the release through the PR-first flow.
+- If the GitHub Release exists but assets or npm publish are missing, inspect the `Release` workflow run before attempting any manual repair.
+- If `gh auth status` looks broken but the real API calls succeed, keep using real `gh` command results as the source of truth.
+- If installation succeeds with an `EBADENGINE` warning because `npm` itself is running under an older Node, rerun the installed CLI under Node 24 before deciding whether the release is healthy.
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index e171a5f8..70c6740c 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -8,4 +8,5 @@ Use this directory when you need project workflow guidance rather than product-f
 - [`../design/README.md`](../design/README.md) — architecture and design references.
 - [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](./CONTRIBUTING.md) — setup, validation, and day-to-day contribution flow.
 - [`RELEASE-PROCESS.md`](./RELEASE-PROCESS.md) — maintainer release checklist and proof expectations.
+- [`../.agents/skills/release-maintainer/SKILL.md`](../.agents/skills/release-maintainer/SKILL.md) — internal agent SOP for version bumps, release PRs, tagging, and publish verification.
 - [`../dogfood/CATALOG.md`](../dogfood/CATALOG.md) — curated proof bundles for review.
diff --git a/docs/RELEASE-PROCESS.md b/docs/RELEASE-PROCESS.md
index 0caf9dc7..ef7e32ed 100644
--- a/docs/RELEASE-PROCESS.md
+++ b/docs/RELEASE-PROCESS.md
@@ -26,6 +26,18 @@
 5. Confirm the published package metadata still points at `agent-tty` and the public GitHub repository.
 6. Remember that `main` is protected: release changes must land through a pull request, and the release tag must be created only after that PR is merged.
 
+## GitHub CLI readiness
+
+This flow assumes `gh` can create PRs, inspect checks, merge, and create releases. `gh auth status` is useful for a quick summary, but in some environments it can report a stale or misleading state even when real GitHub API calls still work.
+
+Before treating release automation as blocked, verify with a real API call such as:
+
+```bash
+gh api graphql -f query='query { viewer { login } }'
+```
+
+If that succeeds, prefer the result of the real `gh` operation over the status summary.
+
 ## Validation bar
 
 Preferred local validation uses `mise`:
@@ -138,6 +150,26 @@ gh pr create --base main --head <release-branch> --title "chore(release): <versi
 
 Run the normal PR checks, get approval as needed, and merge the PR.
 
+## Wait for CI and merge the release PR
+
+For interactive use, `gh pr checks <pr-number> --watch` is fine. For automation or agent-driven release work, prefer inspecting the workflow run directly so you can wait on structured `status` and `conclusion` fields instead of parsing live terminal refresh output.
+
+Typical sequence:
+
+```bash
+gh pr checks <pr-number>
+gh run list --branch <release-branch> --event pull_request --limit 5
+gh run view <run-id> --json status,conclusion,jobs
+```
+
+If the PR still cannot be merged after every required check passes, inspect the base-branch policy first. When normal merge and `--auto` are unavailable but an authorized releaser is allowed to override the policy, use:
+
+```bash
+gh pr merge <pr-number> --squash --admin --delete-branch
+```
+
+Use `--admin` sparingly and only after confirming the required release checks succeeded.
+
 ## Tag the merged `main` commit
 
 After the release PR has merged:
@@ -166,6 +198,22 @@ or:
 - `package.json`: `0.1.1-beta.0`
 - tag: `v0.1.1-beta.0`
 
+### GitHub CLI alternative: create the tag and release in one step
+
+If you already know the merged `main` commit SHA and want GitHub to create the tag and release together, this also works:
+
+```bash
+MERGED_SHA=<merge-commit-on-main>
+gh release create v0.1.1-beta.0 \
+  --target "$MERGED_SHA" \
+  --prerelease \
+  --latest=false \
+  --title v0.1.1-beta.0 \
+  --notes-file <notes-file>
+```
+
+`gh release create` creates the tag on the specified merged commit and still triggers the `Release` workflow via the pushed `v*` tag. Use the prerelease flags only for prerelease versions; omit them for stable releases.
+
 ## Publish the GitHub Release and npm package
 
 The hand-curated workflow lives at [`.github/workflows/release.yml`](../.github/workflows/release.yml).
@@ -187,20 +235,23 @@ Prerelease versions publish with the prerelease identifier as the dist-tag, so `
 
 ## Verify the published npm package
 
-After the workflow succeeds, verify the exact npm package version before announcing the release:
+After the workflow succeeds, verify the exact npm package version before announcing the release. Run these checks under Node 24; if your interactive shell is older, point `NODE_BIN` at an explicit Node 24 binary first.
 
 ```bash
 PACKAGE_NAME='agent-tty'
 PACKAGE_VERSION='<version>'
+NODE_BIN=${NODE_BIN:-node}
 INSTALL_PREFIX=$(mktemp -d)
 AGENT_TTY_HOME=$(mktemp -d)
 
 npm view "$PACKAGE_NAME" dist-tags --json
 npm install -g --prefix "$INSTALL_PREFIX" "$PACKAGE_NAME@$PACKAGE_VERSION"
-"$INSTALL_PREFIX"/bin/agent-tty version --json
-"$INSTALL_PREFIX"/bin/agent-tty --home "$AGENT_TTY_HOME" doctor --json
+"$NODE_BIN" "$INSTALL_PREFIX/bin/agent-tty" version --json | jq -r '.result.cliVersion'
+"$NODE_BIN" "$INSTALL_PREFIX/bin/agent-tty" --home "$AGENT_TTY_HOME" doctor --json | jq '.result.ok'
 ```
 
+`doctor --json` uses the outer `ok` field for command-envelope success; the release-health signal is `.result.ok`.
+
 If the release is a prerelease, also confirm the intended dist-tag points at the exact published version:
 
 ```bash
@@ -227,12 +278,13 @@ printf 'expected dist-tag %s for %s\n' "$DIST_TAG" "$PACKAGE_VERSION"
 
 ## Verify the published GitHub Release assets
 
-Also verify the hosted tarball fallback before announcing the release:
+Also verify the hosted tarball fallback before announcing the release. Run these checks under Node 24 for the same reason as the npm verification above.
 
 ```bash
 VERSION=<version>
 RELEASE_TAG="v${VERSION}"
 RELEASE_TGZ="agent-tty-${VERSION}.tgz"
+NODE_BIN=${NODE_BIN:-node}
 
 DOWNLOAD_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
 INSTALL_PREFIX=$(mktemp -d)
@@ -240,11 +292,14 @@ AGENT_TTY_HOME=$(mktemp -d)
 
 gh release download "$RELEASE_TAG" --repo coder/agent-tty --dir "$DOWNLOAD_DIR" --pattern "$RELEASE_TGZ"
 gh release download "$RELEASE_TAG" --repo coder/agent-tty --dir "$DOWNLOAD_DIR" --pattern "${RELEASE_TGZ}.sha256"
-sha256sum -c "$DOWNLOAD_DIR/${RELEASE_TGZ}.sha256"
+(
+  cd "$DOWNLOAD_DIR"
+  sha256sum -c "${RELEASE_TGZ}.sha256"
+)
 
 npm install -g --prefix "$INSTALL_PREFIX" "$DOWNLOAD_DIR/$RELEASE_TGZ"
-"$INSTALL_PREFIX"/bin/agent-tty version --json
-"$INSTALL_PREFIX"/bin/agent-tty --home "$AGENT_TTY_HOME" doctor --json
+"$NODE_BIN" "$INSTALL_PREFIX/bin/agent-tty" version --json | jq -r '.result.cliVersion'
+"$NODE_BIN" "$INSTALL_PREFIX/bin/agent-tty" --home "$AGENT_TTY_HOME" doctor --json | jq '.result.ok'
 ```
 
 For private releases, authenticated download is the expected verification route.