diff --git a/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml b/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
index b316f0f..cc4b637 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/prepare-release.yml
@@ -213,11 +213,12 @@ jobs:
           } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
       - name: Commit prepared CHANGELOG to dev via API
-        uses: vig-os/commit-action@c0024cbad0e501764127cccab732c6cd465b4646  # v0.1.5
+        uses: vig-os/commit-action@1bc004353d08d9332a0cb54920b148256220c8e0  # v0.2.0
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ steps.commit_app_token.outputs.token }}
           GITHUB_REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
           TARGET_BRANCH: refs/heads/dev
+          MAX_ATTEMPTS: "3"
           COMMIT_MESSAGE: |-
             chore: freeze changelog for release ${{ needs.validate.outputs.version }}
 
@@ -263,11 +264,12 @@ jobs:
           "
 
       - name: Commit stripped CHANGELOG to release branch via API
-        uses: vig-os/commit-action@c0024cbad0e501764127cccab732c6cd465b4646  # v0.1.5
+        uses: vig-os/commit-action@1bc004353d08d9332a0cb54920b148256220c8e0  # v0.2.0
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ steps.commit_app_token.outputs.token }}
           GITHUB_REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
           TARGET_BRANCH: refs/heads/${{ needs.validate.outputs.release_branch }}
+          MAX_ATTEMPTS: "3"
           COMMIT_MESSAGE: |-
             chore: prepare release ${{ needs.validate.outputs.version }}
 
@@ -348,11 +350,12 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Commit CHANGELOG rollback to dev via API
         if: ${{ failure() && steps.rollback_prepare.outputs.changelog_rollback_needed == 'true' }}
-        uses: vig-os/commit-action@c0024cbad0e501764127cccab732c6cd465b4646  # v0.1.5
+        uses: vig-os/commit-action@1bc004353d08d9332a0cb54920b148256220c8e0  # v0.2.0
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ steps.commit_app_token.outputs.token }}
           GITHUB_REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
           TARGET_BRANCH: refs/heads/dev
+          MAX_ATTEMPTS: "3"
           COMMIT_MESSAGE: |-
             chore: rollback failed prepare-release ${{ needs.validate.outputs.version }}
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-core.yml b/.github/workflows/release-core.yml
index 7642893..61021e6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-core.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-core.yml
@@ -162,19 +162,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Fix git safe.directory
         run: git config --global --add safe.directory "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE"
 
-      - name: Validate image accessibility
-        env:
-          IMAGE_TAG: ${{ needs.resolve-image.outputs.image-tag }}
-        run: |
-          set -euo pipefail
-          IMAGE="ghcr.io/vig-os/devcontainer:${IMAGE_TAG}"
-          echo "Validating image availability: $IMAGE"
-          if ! retry --retries 3 --backoff 5 --max-backoff 30 -- docker manifest inspect "$IMAGE" > /dev/null 2>&1; then
-            echo "ERROR: Cannot access image manifest: $IMAGE"
-            echo "Check whether the tag exists and whether this workflow has access to GHCR."
-            exit 1
-          fi
-
       - name: Record pre-finalization SHA
         id: pre_sha
         run: |
@@ -274,7 +261,20 @@ jobs:
             echo "ERROR: PR #$PR_NUMBER is still in draft"
             exit 1
           fi
-          if [ "$REVIEW_DECISION" != "APPROVED" ]; then
+          if [ "$REVIEW_DECISION" = "APPROVED" ]; then
+            echo "PR #$PR_NUMBER is approved"
+          elif [ "$REVIEW_DECISION" = "null" ] || [ -z "$REVIEW_DECISION" ]; then
+            # Bot approval fallback when gh pr list leaves reviewDecision empty (#438)
+            APPROVED_COUNT=$(retry --retries 3 --backoff 5 --max-backoff 30 -- gh api \
+              --paginate --slurp \
+              "repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/pulls/${PR_NUMBER}/reviews" \
+              | jq 'add | map(select(.state == "APPROVED")) | length')
+            if [ "$APPROVED_COUNT" -eq 0 ]; then
+              echo "ERROR: PR #$PR_NUMBER is not approved (reviewDecision: $REVIEW_DECISION, approved reviews: 0)"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+            echo "reviewDecision='$REVIEW_DECISION' but $APPROVED_COUNT approved review(s) found"
+          else
             echo "ERROR: PR #$PR_NUMBER is not approved (status: $REVIEW_DECISION)"
             exit 1
           fi
@@ -379,11 +379,12 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Commit and push finalization changes via API
         if: ${{ inputs.release_kind == 'final' }}
-        uses: vig-os/commit-action@c0024cbad0e501764127cccab732c6cd465b4646  # v0.1.5
+        uses: vig-os/commit-action@1bc004353d08d9332a0cb54920b148256220c8e0  # v0.2.0
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ steps.commit_app_token.outputs.token }}
           GITHUB_REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
           TARGET_BRANCH: refs/heads/release/${{ needs.validate.outputs.version }}
+          MAX_ATTEMPTS: "3"
           COMMIT_MESSAGE: |-
             chore: finalize release ${{ needs.validate.outputs.version }}
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index d2bb29a..e54c182 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ jobs:
           VERSION: ${{ needs.core.outputs.version }}
           PR_NUMBER: ${{ needs.core.outputs.pr_number }}
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ steps.release_app_token.outputs.token }}
+          GH_REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           WORKFLOW_URL="${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/repository-dispatch.yml b/.github/workflows/repository-dispatch.yml
index b9daecd..141df91 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/repository-dispatch.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/repository-dispatch.yml
@@ -268,6 +268,7 @@ jobs:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ steps.generate_commit_token.outputs.token }}
           GITHUB_REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
           TARGET_BRANCH: refs/heads/${{ steps.prepare_branch.outputs.branch_name }}
+          MAX_ATTEMPTS: "3"
           ALLOW_EMPTY: "true"
           COMMIT_MESSAGE: |-
             chore: deploy ${{ needs.validate.outputs.tag }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/sync-issues.yml b/.github/workflows/sync-issues.yml
index f71e8fd..9243099 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/sync-issues.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/sync-issues.yml
@@ -135,12 +135,13 @@ jobs:
       - name: Commit and push changes via API
         id: commit
         if: steps.sync.outputs.modified-files != ''
-        uses: vig-os/commit-action@c0024cbad0e501764127cccab732c6cd465b4646  # v0.1.5
+        uses: vig-os/commit-action@1bc004353d08d9332a0cb54920b148256220c8e0  # v0.2.0
         env:
           # Use App token so push can bypass branch protection when App is in bypass list
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ steps.generate-token.outputs.token }}
           GITHUB_REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
           TARGET_BRANCH: refs/heads/${{ github.event.inputs.target-branch || 'dev' }}
+          MAX_ATTEMPTS: "3"
           COMMIT_MESSAGE: "${{ github.event.inputs.commit-msg || 'chore: sync issues and PRs' }}"
           FILE_PATHS: ${{ steps.sync.outputs.modified-files }}