diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/beta-release.yml b/.forgejo/workflows/beta-release.yml
index 578cae6..08f8c7b 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/beta-release.yml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/beta-release.yml
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 name: beta release
 
-# Publishes a beta-track build on every push to `beta` — a frozen
-# stabilization branch cut from `dev` when ready to stabilize; only
-# fix/<issue> branches merged into `beta` should land here afterward.
-# See bread-ecosystem's docs/release-channels.md for the three-track policy.
+# Publishes a beta-track build from a `vX.Y.Z-rc.N` tag. The leftover
+# `beta` branch trigger is kept so an old branch push does not go silent;
+# do not use that branch — cut beta from an RC tag. See CONTRIBUTING.md.
 on:
   push:
+    tags: ['v*-rc.*']
     branches: ['beta']
 
 jobs:
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           rm -rf src && mkdir src
-          git clone --branch beta --depth 1 \
+          git clone --branch "${GITHUB_REF_NAME}" --depth 1 \
             "https://git.breadway.dev/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}.git" src
 
       - name: build
@@ -25,19 +25,21 @@ jobs:
       - name: compute beta version
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
+          # An RC tag is already valid semver and is the beta version.
+          # The leftover `beta` branch path still synthesizes one from the
+          # latest stable tag so an old push does not publish as 0.0.0.
+          if [[ "${GITHUB_REF_NAME}" == v*-rc.* ]]; then
+            echo "VERSION=${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+            exit 0
+          fi
           cd src
-          # Base the beta version off the latest published stable tag,
-          # not Cargo.toml — Cargo.toml can go stale relative to the last
-          # real release (seen in practice: breadbox/breadpad/breadcrumbs/
-          # breadpaper), which would make a beta build sort as OLDER than
-          # what's already installed and bakery would correctly refuse it.
           LATEST_TAG="$(git ls-remote --tags --refs \
             "https://git.breadway.dev/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}.git" 'v*' \
-            | awk -F/ '{print $NF}' | sed 's/^v//' | sort -V | tail -1)"
+            | awk -F/ '{print $NF}' | sed 's/^v//' | grep -v -- '-rc' | sort -V | tail -1)"
           if [ -n "${LATEST_TAG}" ]; then
             CUR="${LATEST_TAG}"
           else
-            CUR="$(grep -m1 '^version' breadcast/Cargo.toml | sed -E 's/.*"(.*)".*/\1/')"
+            CUR="$(grep -m1 '^version' Cargo.toml | sed -E 's/.*"(.*)".*/\1/')"
           fi
           IFS='.' read -r MA MI PA <<< "${CUR}"
           SHA="$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)"
diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml b/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
index 9d08de9..bc62a22 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/release.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   build:
+    # RC tags are `v*` too (`v0.1.1-rc.1`) — those belong on the beta
+    # track, see beta-release.yml. A stable cut is a plain `vX.Y.Z`.
+    if: ${{ !contains(github.ref_name, '-rc') }}
     runs-on: [self-hosted, hestia]
     steps:
       - name: checkout
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 0a3ec7e..f6c0ed9 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ out of sync with `dev`/`beta` across most repos in this ecosystem.
 - `github` — GitHub mirror. Push both when publishing.
 
 ## CI
-- `release.yml` triggers on `push: tags: ['v*']` — tag a release to cut
-  the signed stable build.
+- `release.yml` triggers on `push: tags: ['v*']` but skips any tag whose
+  name contains `-rc` — a plain `vX.Y.Z` cuts the signed stable build.
+- `beta-release.yml` publishes a beta-track build from a `vX.Y.Z-rc.N`
+  tag (and still on leftover `beta` so an old branch push does not go silent).
 - `dev-release.yml` publishes a dev-track build on push to `main` (and
   still on leftover `dev` so an old branch push does not go silent).
-- `beta-release.yml` still triggers on leftover `push: branches: ['beta']`.
-  Do **not** use that branch; cut beta from a `vX.Y.Z-rc.N` tag instead.
 - `check.yml` runs clippy + test on `main`, `feature/**`, and `fix/**`.
 
 ## Product cut