diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index d09bbb8..0d284b1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ jobs:
             dist/*.tar.gz
             dist/*.json
             dist/SHA256SUMS
-      - uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
+      - uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v3
         with:
           files: |
             dist/*.whl
diff --git a/tests/contract/test_release_workflow.py b/tests/contract/test_release_workflow.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..089413f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/contract/test_release_workflow.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+RELEASE_WORKFLOW = ROOT / ".github" / "workflows" / "release.yml"
+
+
+def test_release_workflow_preserves_publish_contract() -> None:
+    text = RELEASE_WORKFLOW.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+
+    for required in (
+        'tags: ["v*"]',
+        "contents: write",
+        "id-token: write",
+        "attestations: write",
+        "uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v3",
+        "generate_release_notes: true",
+        "dist/*.whl",
+        "dist/*.tar.gz",
+        "dist/*.json",
+        "dist/SHA256SUMS",
+        "uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@release/v1",
+    ):
+        assert required in text, f"release workflow lost required contract: {required}"
+
+    release_index = text.index("uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v3")
+    cleanup_index = text.index("Clean dist for PyPI")
+    publish_index = text.index("uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@release/v1")
+    assert release_index < cleanup_index < publish_index
+
+
+def test_release_workflow_uses_reproducible_python_environment() -> None:
+    text = RELEASE_WORKFLOW.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    for required in (
+        "PIP_CONSTRAINT: constraints/ci.txt",
+        "PIP_BUILD_CONSTRAINT: constraints/ci.txt",
+        "cache-dependency-path:",
+        "constraints/ci.txt",
+        'python -m pip install --upgrade "pip==26.1.2"',
+        'python -m pip install -e ".[dev]"',
+    ):
+        assert required in text, f"release workflow lost reproducibility contract: {required}"