diff --git a/.changeset/require-human-release-approval.md b/.changeset/require-human-release-approval.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b7ab418a11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/require-human-release-approval.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"adcontextprotocol": patch
+---
+
+Require a human approval on the final release PR head before publishing committed protocol artifacts, and leave generated documentation snapshots open for human review.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-docs.yml b/.github/workflows/release-docs.yml
index b5ab3af4ac..f923cd2518 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-docs.yml
@@ -125,9 +125,3 @@ jobs:
           add-paths: |
             dist/docs/${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}/
             docs.json
-
-      - name: Enable auto-merge
-        if: steps.create-pr.outputs.pull-request-number
-        run: gh pr merge --auto --squash "${{ steps.create-pr.outputs.pull-request-number }}"
-        env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ steps.app-token.outputs.token }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 900049249b..0075d183ee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -110,6 +110,50 @@ jobs:
             echo "No committed release artifacts detected for ${VERSION}."
           fi
 
+      # Branch rules can be bypassed by repository administrators and GitHub
+      # Apps. Before publishing committed artifacts, independently verify that
+      # the merged release PR received a human approval on its final head SHA.
+      - name: Require human approval for committed release artifacts
+        if: steps.release-artifacts.outputs.has_release_artifacts == 'true'
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ steps.app-token.outputs.token }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+
+          pulls="$(gh api \
+            -H 'Accept: application/vnd.github+json' \
+            "/repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/commits/${GITHUB_SHA}/pulls")"
+          pr_number="$(jq -r \
+            --arg base "${GITHUB_REF_NAME}" \
+            '[.[] | select(.merged_at != null and .base.ref == $base)] | sort_by(.merged_at) | last | .number // empty' \
+            <<< "${pulls}")"
+
+          if [ -z "${pr_number}" ]; then
+            echo "::error::Release artifact commit ${GITHUB_SHA} is not associated with a merged PR targeting ${GITHUB_REF_NAME}."
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          pr="$(gh api "/repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/pulls/${pr_number}")"
+          head_sha="$(jq -r '.head.sha' <<< "${pr}")"
+          author="$(jq -r '.user.login' <<< "${pr}")"
+          reviews="$(gh api --paginate "/repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/pulls/${pr_number}/reviews" | jq -s 'add')"
+          approved_count="$(jq \
+            --arg head "${head_sha}" \
+            '[.[] | select(.user.type == "User")]
+            | sort_by(.user.login, .submitted_at)
+            | group_by(.user.login)
+            | map(last)
+            | map(select(.state == "APPROVED" and .commit_id == $head))
+            | length' \
+            <<< "${reviews}")"
+
+          if [ "${approved_count}" -lt 1 ]; then
+            echo "::error::Release PR #${pr_number} by ${author} has no human approval on final head ${head_sha}. Refusing to publish artifacts."
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          echo "Release PR #${pr_number} has ${approved_count} human approval(s) on final head ${head_sha}."
+
       - name: Create Release Pull Request or Tag Release
         if: steps.release-relevance.outputs.relevant == 'true' && steps.release-artifacts.outputs.has_release_artifacts != 'true'
         id: changesets
diff --git a/tests/release-workflow-immutability.test.cjs b/tests/release-workflow-immutability.test.cjs
index 1451239cd1..d13a107c5c 100644
--- a/tests/release-workflow-immutability.test.cjs
+++ b/tests/release-workflow-immutability.test.cjs
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ const assert = require('assert');
 const repoRoot = path.join(__dirname, '..');
 const workflowPath = path.join(repoRoot, '.github/workflows/release.yml');
 const workflow = fs.readFileSync(workflowPath, 'utf8');
+const releaseDocsWorkflow = fs.readFileSync(
+  path.join(repoRoot, '.github/workflows/release-docs.yml'),
+  'utf8'
+);
 const eolReleaseBranches = ['2.5-maintenance', '2.6.x'];
 const activeWorkflowPaths = [
   'apps-web-check.yml',
@@ -33,6 +37,7 @@ function extractStep(name) {
 
 const releaseRelevance = extractStep('Detect release-relevant push');
 const artifactDetection = extractStep('Detect committed release artifacts');
+const approvalGate = extractStep('Require human approval for committed release artifacts');
 const changesetsStep = extractStep('Create Release Pull Request or Tag Release');
 const uploadStep = extractStep('Upload protocol tarball to GitHub Release');
 
@@ -64,6 +69,30 @@ assert(
   'Release artifact detection must be based on artifact paths changed by the triggering commit.'
 );
 
+assert(
+  approvalGate.includes("if: steps.release-artifacts.outputs.has_release_artifacts == 'true'"),
+  'Human approval must be required whenever a commit contains release artifacts.'
+);
+
+assert(
+  approvalGate.includes('/commits/${GITHUB_SHA}/pulls') &&
+    approvalGate.includes('.base.ref == $base') &&
+    approvalGate.includes('.merged_at != null'),
+  'The approval gate must resolve the merged PR associated with the release commit and branch.'
+);
+
+assert(
+  approvalGate.includes('select(.user.type == "User")') &&
+    approvalGate.includes('map(last)') &&
+    approvalGate.includes('select(.state == "APPROVED" and .commit_id == $head)'),
+  'Only human approvals submitted against the final release PR head may authorize publication.'
+);
+
+assert(
+  !releaseDocsWorkflow.includes('gh pr merge --auto'),
+  'Release documentation snapshots must wait for human review instead of enabling auto-merge.'
+);
+
 assert(
   changesetsStep.includes("HUSKY: '0'"),
   'Changesets automation must not rerun local pre-commit hooks while creating its release commit.'