diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/post-merge.yml b/.gitea/workflows/post-merge.yml
index 9640465..81930a1 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/post-merge.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/post-merge.yml
@@ -112,13 +112,8 @@ jobs:
             echo "No tag found — skipping publish"
             exit 0
           fi
-          HEAD_MSG=$(git log -1 --format=%s)
-          if echo "$HEAD_MSG" | grep -q "^release: ${TAG}"; then
-            echo "Publishing release $TAG..."
-            python3 -m devx.ci.publish "$TAG" "${{ github.repository }}"
-          else
-            echo "HEAD is not a release commit for $TAG — skipping publish"
-          fi
+          echo "Publishing release $TAG (idempotent — skips if already published)..."
+          python3 -m devx.ci.publish "$TAG" "${{ github.repository }}"
       - name: Notify on failure
         if: failure()
         env: