diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-repo-maintenance.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-repo-maintenance.yml
index 7012827..5e05590 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate-repo-maintenance.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-repo-maintenance.yml
@@ -15,9 +15,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: macos-26
     steps:
       # This is a validated floor, not a ceiling; update to newer stable official versions when validated.
-      - uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd
-        with:
-          persist-credentials: false
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6.0.2
       - name: Report selected Xcode
         run: xcode-select --print-path
       - name: Report Swift toolchain
diff --git a/scripts/repo-maintenance/release.sh b/scripts/repo-maintenance/release.sh
index 12856e7..7151e19 100755
--- a/scripts/repo-maintenance/release.sh
+++ b/scripts/repo-maintenance/release.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ load_env_file "$SELF_DIR/config/release.env"
 mode="${REPO_MAINTENANCE_DEFAULT_RELEASE_MODE:-standard}"
 release_tag=""
 skip_validate="false"
-skip_local_release_gate="false"
 skip_gh_release="false"
 skip_version_bump="false"
 base_branch="${REPO_MAINTENANCE_RELEASE_BRANCH:-main}"
@@ -34,10 +33,6 @@ while [ "$#" -gt 0 ]; do
       skip_validate="true"
       shift
       ;;
-    --skip-local-release-gate)
-      skip_local_release_gate="true"
-      shift
-      ;;
     --skip-gh-release)
       skip_gh_release="true"
       shift
@@ -69,7 +64,7 @@ while [ "$#" -gt 0 ]; do
     -h|--help)
       cat <<'USAGE'
 Usage:
-  release.sh --mode standard --version <vX.Y.Z> [--base-branch main] [--skip-validate] [--skip-local-release-gate] [--skip-version-bump] [--skip-gh-release] [--review-comments-addressed] [--remote-ci-mode full|defer] [--skip-branch-cleanup] [--dry-run]
+  release.sh --mode standard --version <vX.Y.Z> [--base-branch main] [--skip-validate] [--skip-version-bump] [--skip-gh-release] [--review-comments-addressed] [--remote-ci-mode full|defer] [--skip-branch-cleanup] [--dry-run]
   release.sh --mode submodule --version <vX.Y.Z> [--skip-validate] [--skip-gh-release] [--dry-run]
 USAGE
       exit 0
@@ -161,26 +156,6 @@ run_version_bump() {
   log "Committed version bump for $RELEASE_TAG."
 }
 
-run_local_release_gate() {
-  release_gate_script="$REPO_ROOT/scripts/run-live-codex-release-gate.sh"
-
-  if [ "$skip_local_release_gate" = "true" ]; then
-    log "Skipping local release gate because --skip-local-release-gate was requested."
-    return 0
-  fi
-
-  [ -f "$release_gate_script" ] || die "Standard release mode expected a local release gate at $release_gate_script so the release candidate can run full Swift package tests and live Codex probes before publishing."
-
-  if [ "$REPO_MAINTENANCE_DRY_RUN" = "true" ]; then
-    log "Would run local release gate at $release_gate_script."
-    return 0
-  fi
-
-  log "Running local release gate before publishing $RELEASE_TAG."
-  sh "$release_gate_script"
-  log "Local release gate passed for $RELEASE_TAG."
-}
-
 create_release_tag() {
   head_sha="$(git -C "$REPO_ROOT" rev-parse HEAD)"
   tag_sha="$(git -C "$REPO_ROOT" rev-parse -q --verify "refs/tags/$RELEASE_TAG" 2>/dev/null || true)"
@@ -389,28 +364,6 @@ check_pr_comments() {
   log "PR #$pr_number has no blocking review state."
 }
 
-ensure_base_branch_checkout_available() {
-  branch_name="$1"
-
-  if [ "$REPO_MAINTENANCE_DRY_RUN" = "true" ]; then
-    log "Would verify local $base_branch can be checked out before merging the release PR."
-    return 0
-  fi
-
-  git -C "$REPO_ROOT" fetch origin "$base_branch"
-
-  if git -C "$REPO_ROOT" switch "$base_branch" 2>/dev/null || git -C "$REPO_ROOT" checkout "$base_branch" 2>/dev/null; then
-    if git -C "$REPO_ROOT" switch "$branch_name" 2>/dev/null || git -C "$REPO_ROOT" checkout "$branch_name" 2>/dev/null; then
-      log "Verified local $base_branch can be checked out for post-merge fast-forward and tagging."
-      return 0
-    fi
-
-    die "Release workflow could check out $base_branch but could not return to $branch_name. Restore the release branch checkout before rerunning release.sh."
-  fi
-
-  die "Could not check out local $base_branch before merging, likely because another worktree owns it. Fast-forward $base_branch from origin/$base_branch in that checkout or release that worktree before rerunning release.sh."
-}
-
 merge_pr() {
   pr_number="$1"
 
@@ -504,8 +457,6 @@ run_standard_release() {
 
   run_version_bump
   ensure_clean_worktree
-  run_local_release_gate
-  ensure_clean_worktree
   push_release_branch "$branch_name"
   create_or_update_pr "$branch_name"
   pr_number="$PR_NUMBER"
@@ -516,7 +467,6 @@ run_standard_release() {
   fi
   watch_ci "$pr_number"
   check_pr_comments "$pr_number"
-  ensure_base_branch_checkout_available "$branch_name"
   merge_pr "$pr_number"
   fast_forward_base_branch
   create_release_tag