diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-check.yml b/.github/workflows/release-check.yml
index 2d09a16..55dc2bd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-check.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ name: release-check
 on:
   push:
     branches: [master]
+    # Tag pushes fire the tag-integrity job (below): the tag push itself
+    # is the green proof after a release, so no empty-commit re-trigger
+    # on master is needed.
+    tags: ['v*']
 
 jobs:
   tag-current:
@@ -25,3 +29,27 @@ jobs:
             echo "::error::  git push origin --tags"
             exit 1
           fi
+
+  tag-integrity:
+    # Tag push is the green proof after a release. tag-current above only
+    # proves the tag EXISTs on origin; this proves the tag's CONTENT: the
+    # VERSION in the tagged tree must equal the tag name minus the leading
+    # v. Runs on tag pushes only.
+    if: startsWith(github.ref, "refs/tags/v")
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          # The tag ref itself (github.ref_name is the tag name on a tag
+          # push). We only read the checked-out tree, so no fetch-depth: 0.
+          ref: ${{ github.ref_name }}
+
+      - name: Tagged tree VERSION must equal the tag name
+        run: |
+          TAG=${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}
+          VERSION=$(cat VERSION)
+          if [ "$VERSION" != "$TAG" ]; then
+            echo "::error::tag ${GITHUB_REF_NAME} points at a tree with VERSION=${VERSION}, tag name says ${TAG}"
+            echo "::error::re-tag on the right commit or fix VERSION before pushing"
+            exit 1
+          fi
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 7ba185a..561236d 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -17,11 +17,12 @@ Three files move together, as one unit, in the PR that ships a release:
 
 **Why the tag is not optional:** `.github/workflows/release-check.yml`
 runs `tag-current` on every push to master and fails the build with
-`VERSION=X but tag vX is not on origin` if the tag is missing. The
-workflow only triggers on push — pushing the tag alone does NOT
-re-run it. If you add the tag after merging, push an empty commit to
-master (`git commit --allow-empty`) to re-trigger `release-check` and
-turn the red X green.
+`VERSION=X but tag vX is not on origin` if the tag is missing. Pushing
+the tag ALSO fires the workflow: the `tag-integrity` job runs on tag
+pushes, checks out the tagged tree, and fails if that tree's `VERSION`
+does not equal the tag name (leading `v` stripped). So the tag push
+itself is the green proof after a release — no empty commit, no direct
+push to master.
 
 `skills/box-audit/SKILL.md` carries a `version:` in its frontmatter,
 kept in sync **by hand** with `VERSION` (see the comment in that file)
@@ -84,7 +85,8 @@ follow:
    file/line citations. Reviewers never merge.
 3. **Maintainer release-tail card** (created only after an approving
    verdict) merges, tags `v$VERSION` on the merge commit, and pushes
-   the empty commit to re-trigger `release-check`.
+   the tag — the tag push fires release-check (tag-integrity) which
+   is the green proof. No empty commit.
 
 No agent merges without an approving review verdict on the PR — not
 the coder that opened it, not a steered mid-run instruction, not