diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6bbe5eb..d257742 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@
 - Gate real and normally installed generation/validation/no-op workflows against
   isolated PostgreSQL 16, 17 and 18 scratch databases.
 
-### Remaining release gate
+### Candidate verification
 
-- Complete coordinated 0.5.0 packed-candidate and website qualification remains
-  pending. Maintainer review and approval are required before publication.
+- The exact promotion candidate on PR #58 passes the Linux, macOS and Windows
+  package gates, PostgreSQL 16–18 integration and installed-generation checks,
+  and CodeQL. Tag creation and npm publication run through the main-branch
+  package workflow.
diff --git a/docs/0.5.0-api.md b/docs/0.5.0-api.md
index 06708ae..f837894 100644
--- a/docs/0.5.0-api.md
+++ b/docs/0.5.0-api.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # 0.5.0 ORM API decisions
 
-Status: implementation candidate; API issue #53 remains open for the complete 0.5.0 packed-package and generated website review. The real PostgreSQL tooling fix for [#55](https://github.com/askrjs/askr-orm/issues/55) has separate native and installed workflow qualification in [PostgreSQL tooling](postgres-tooling.md).
+Status: the API contraction was delivered by merged PR #56, and issue #53 is closed. The exact 0.5.0 promotion candidate is covered by the packed-package contract and hosted checks on [PR #58](https://github.com/askrjs/askr-orm/pull/58). The real PostgreSQL tooling fix tracked by [#55](https://github.com/askrjs/askr-orm/issues/55) is qualified in [PostgreSQL tooling](postgres-tooling.md). This document records package API decisions and migration guidance.
 
 The published 0.4.0 declarations expose 132 entrypoint/name pairs. The curated contract exposes 78: 68 root names, one CLI bridge, seven PostgreSQL names and two SQLite names. There are 54 removed named exports, plus the removed `sql.key` member. No compatibility shims are provided.
 
diff --git a/docs/0.5.0-hardening.md b/docs/0.5.0-hardening.md
index 10b2d95..f782d9b 100644
--- a/docs/0.5.0-hardening.md
+++ b/docs/0.5.0-hardening.md
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 # 0.5.0 ORM hardening evidence
 
-Status: the API/runtime candidate and real PostgreSQL tooling fix are qualified
-locally. PostgreSQL 16–18 hosted and installed workflow checks must pass before
-#55 closes. The package is **not release-ready**: #53 and #54 still require the
-complete coordinated candidate/website qualification and maintainer review.
+Status: issues #53, #54 and #55 are closed with the API, runtime and real PostgreSQL workflow evidence recorded below. The exact 0.5.0 promotion head on [PR #58](https://github.com/askrjs/askr-orm/pull/58) passes the Linux, macOS and Windows package gates, PostgreSQL 16–18 integration and installed-generation checks, and CodeQL. Tag creation and npm publication run through the main-branch package workflow.
 
 ## Assertion review and real adapters