diff --git a/.github/workflows/README.md b/.github/workflows/README.md
index 12d3537771b..8bef9f547f0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/README.md
+++ b/.github/workflows/README.md
@@ -63,9 +63,11 @@ Rules for a roll-up job that is (or may become) required:
 
 `reborn-release-compile.yml` is a compile-and-smoke preflight for the shipping
 Reborn `ironclaw` binary. The tag-only `release.yml` calls it for matching
-release tags and will not run its `host` job unless every target succeeds. The
-preflight workflow can also run directly through `workflow_dispatch`; it is not
-triggered by pull requests, so ordinary CLI and WebUI changes do not start the
+release tags. Under #6160's temporary compile-only policy below, the legacy
+`host` job stays disabled; if that job is restored, its dependency and success
+gate still prevent it from running unless every target succeeds. The preflight
+workflow can also run directly through `workflow_dispatch`; it is not triggered
+by pull requests, so ordinary CLI and WebUI changes do not start the
 seven-platform release matrix.
 
 | Rust target | GitHub runner |
@@ -151,6 +153,26 @@ alerts can target dedicated channels.
 When adding a new workflow that runs on `push` to `main`, add its workflow
 `name:` to the watched list in `main-ci-slack-alerts.yml`.
 
+## Reborn-only release validation policy
+
+For #6160, `release.yml` temporarily keeps the legacy cargo-dist release chain
+visible but disables its `plan` root with the impossible
+`github.repository == ''` guard. Its dependent local/global artifact, WASM,
+GitHub Release host, registry-checksum, and announcement jobs therefore skip.
+The Reborn compile matrix merged in #6176 is the only intended active path.
+This compile-only mode produces short-lived Actions evidence artifacts; it does
+not create a GitHub Release or permanent downloadable release assets.
+
+The release Docker caller retains its own impossible guard as an explicit
+defense against image publication. The reusable `docker.yml` workflow is
+unchanged, so its manual and hourly entry points remain available. Changes to
+the release, Docker, or reusable Reborn compile workflow enter the Reborn CLI
+smoke selector, and the required Code Style roll-up propagates that contract
+result. To restore the non-Docker legacy release path, remove `plan`'s
+impossible guard; the workflow's tag-only trigger already scopes it to release
+tags. Restore the Docker caller's host-success condition separately only when
+release image publication is intentionally re-enabled.
+
 ## Known accepted gaps (deliberate, revisit as needed)
 
 - **Windows clippy** (`code_style.yml` `clippy-windows`) runs on push only;
diff --git a/.github/workflows/code_style.yml b/.github/workflows/code_style.yml
index 25df43d4be1..4ba4df0e5a0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/code_style.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/code_style.yml
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ jobs:
             echo "has_boundary_check=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           fi
 
-          if printf '%s\n' "$CHANGED_FILES" | grep -Eq '^(crates/ironclaw_runner/|crates/ironclaw_reborn_cli/|crates/ironclaw_reborn_config/|crates/ironclaw_architecture/tests/reborn_dependency_boundaries\.rs$|Cargo\.toml$|Cargo\.lock$|\.github/workflows/code_style\.yml$)'; then
+          if printf '%s\n' "$CHANGED_FILES" | grep -Eq '^(crates/ironclaw_runner/|crates/ironclaw_reborn_cli/|crates/ironclaw_reborn_config/|crates/ironclaw_architecture/tests/reborn_dependency_boundaries\.rs$|Cargo\.toml$|Cargo\.lock$|\.github/workflows/(code_style|release|docker|reborn-release-compile)\.yml$)'; then
             echo "has_reborn_cli=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           else
             echo "has_reborn_cli=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
@@ -477,6 +477,10 @@ jobs:
           persist-credentials: false
       - run: |
           if [[ "${{ needs.changes.outputs.has_code }}" == "false" ]]; then
+            if [[ "${{ needs.changes.outputs.has_reborn_cli }}" == "true" && "${{ needs.reborn-cli-smoke.result }}" != "success" ]]; then
+              echo "Reborn CLI smoke failed: ${{ needs.reborn-cli-smoke.result }}"
+              exit 1
+            fi
             echo "No code changes — style checks skipped correctly"
             exit 0
           fi
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index aaf37794663..e1c248bd825 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 #
 # Note that the GitHub Release will be created with a generated
 # title/body based on your changelogs.
+#
+# Temporary #6160 policy: only the Reborn compile preflight below runs;
+# the generated cargo-dist/WASM/GitHub Release and Docker jobs stay defined
+# for rollback but are skipped.
 
 name: Release
 permissions:
@@ -53,8 +57,11 @@ jobs:
     with:
       ref: ${{ github.sha }}
 
-  # Run 'dist plan' (or host) to determine what tasks we need to do
+  # Keep the legacy cargo-dist/WASM/GitHub Release chain visible for rollback,
+  # but disable its root while #6160 makes this workflow Reborn-compile-only.
+  # The Reborn compile matrix above remains the only active release path.
   plan:
+    if: github.repository == ''
     runs-on: "ubuntu-22.04"
     outputs:
       val: ${{ steps.plan.outputs.manifest }}
@@ -481,10 +488,12 @@ jobs:
           # shellcheck disable=SC2086  # PRERELEASE_FLAG is '--prerelease' or empty
           gh release create "$RELEASE_TAG" --target "$RELEASE_COMMIT" $PRERELEASE_FLAG --title "$ANNOUNCEMENT_TITLE" --notes-file "$RUNNER_TEMP/notes.txt" artifacts/*
 
-  # Build and push Docker Hub images (:version, :latest, :sha-*) after the GitHub Release exists.
+  # Keep release-path Docker build/publish explicitly disabled for #6160 even
+  # though the legacy host chain is also gated. The reusable Docker workflow
+  # remains available through manual and scheduled triggers.
   docker-image:
     needs: host
-    if: ${{ always() && needs.host.result == 'success' }}
+    if: github.repository == ''
     permissions:
       contents: read
       packages: read
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 442f0cc9c52..a3b4e7e6b99 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### CI / Release
 
-- *(release)* compile the canonical Reborn `ironclaw` binary across the seven supported OS/CPU targets as a tag-driven release preflight ([#6160](https://github.com/nearai/ironclaw/issues/6160)).
+- *(release)* compile the canonical Reborn `ironclaw` binary across the seven supported OS/CPU targets as a tag-driven preflight while temporarily skipping the legacy cargo-dist, WASM, GitHub Release, registry-update, announcement, and Docker jobs; manual and hourly Docker workflow entry points remain available ([#6160](https://github.com/nearai/ironclaw/issues/6160)).
 
 ### Removed
 
diff --git a/crates/ironclaw_reborn_cli/tests/smoke.rs b/crates/ironclaw_reborn_cli/tests/smoke.rs
index 6ff066baf5e..433e8153cb8 100644
--- a/crates/ironclaw_reborn_cli/tests/smoke.rs
+++ b/crates/ironclaw_reborn_cli/tests/smoke.rs
@@ -6948,6 +6948,108 @@ api_key_env = "REBORN_TEST_UNSET_BC8F4D_KEY"
     );
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn release_ci_skips_legacy_publish_dag_without_disabling_independent_docker_runs() {
+    let root = workspace_root();
+    let release_workflow = std::fs::read_to_string(root.join(".github/workflows/release.yml"))
+        .expect("release workflow")
+        .replace("\r\n", "\n");
+    let docker_workflow = std::fs::read_to_string(root.join(".github/workflows/docker.yml"))
+        .expect("Docker workflow")
+        .replace("\r\n", "\n");
+    let code_style_workflow =
+        std::fs::read_to_string(root.join(".github/workflows/code_style.yml"))
+            .expect("code style workflow")
+            .replace("\r\n", "\n");
+
+    let release_job = |job_name: &str| {
+        let job_marker = format!("  {job_name}:\n");
+        let job_start = release_workflow
+            .match_indices(&job_marker)
+            .find_map(|(index, _)| {
+                (index == 0 || release_workflow.as_bytes()[index - 1] == b'\n')
+                    .then_some(index + job_marker.len())
+            })
+            .unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("release workflow should retain the {job_name} job"));
+        let jobs_after_marker = &release_workflow[job_start..];
+        let job_body = jobs_after_marker
+            .lines()
+            .take_while(|line| {
+                let trimmed = line.trim_start();
+                trimmed.is_empty() || line.len() - trimmed.len() > 2
+            })
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            .join("\n");
+        assert!(
+            !job_body.is_empty(),
+            "release workflow should retain the {job_name} job body"
+        );
+        job_body
+    };
+
+    let reborn_compile_job = release_job("reborn-binary-compile");
+    assert!(
+        reborn_compile_job.contains("uses: ./.github/workflows/reborn-release-compile.yml")
+            && reborn_compile_job.contains("ref: ${{ github.sha }}")
+            && !reborn_compile_job
+                .lines()
+                .any(|line| line.starts_with("    if:")),
+        "the Reborn compile matrix must remain the active release path"
+    );
+
+    let plan_job = release_job("plan");
+    assert!(
+        plan_job.contains("if: github.repository == ''")
+            && plan_job.contains("dist host --steps=create")
+            && plan_job.contains("dist plan --output-format=json"),
+        "release CI must retain but skip the legacy cargo-dist plan root"
+    );
+    for legacy_job_name in [
+        "build-local-artifacts",
+        "build-global-artifacts",
+        "build-wasm-extensions",
+        "host",
+        "update-registry-checksums",
+        "announce",
+    ] {
+        let legacy_job = release_job(legacy_job_name);
+        assert!(
+            legacy_job.contains("\n      - plan\n"),
+            "legacy release job {legacy_job_name} must remain downstream of the disabled plan root"
+        );
+    }
+
+    let docker_job = release_job("docker-image");
+    assert!(
+        docker_job.contains("needs: host")
+            && docker_job.contains("if: github.repository == ''")
+            && docker_job.contains("uses: ./.github/workflows/docker.yml")
+            && docker_job.contains("release: true")
+            && docker_job.contains("secrets: inherit"),
+        "release CI must retain but skip its Docker build/publish caller"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        docker_workflow.contains("workflow_dispatch:") && docker_workflow.contains("schedule:"),
+        "the independent Docker workflow must remain manually and periodically runnable"
+    );
+    let reborn_cli_selector = code_style_workflow
+        .lines()
+        .find(|line| line.contains("grep -Eq") && line.contains("crates/ironclaw_reborn_cli/"))
+        .expect("code style workflow should classify Reborn CLI changes");
+    assert!(
+        reborn_cli_selector.contains(
+            r"\.github/workflows/(code_style|release|docker|reborn-release-compile)\.yml$"
+        ),
+        "release workflow-only PRs must run the Reborn CLI smoke contract"
+    );
+    assert!(
+        code_style_workflow.contains(
+            r#"if [[ "${{ needs.changes.outputs.has_reborn_cli }}" == "true" && "${{ needs.reborn-cli-smoke.result }}" != "success" ]]; then"#,
+        ),
+        "the required Code Style roll-up must propagate workflow-only Reborn CLI smoke failures"
+    );
+}
+
 fn local_yolo_command(temp: &tempfile::TempDir, args: &[&str]) -> Command {
     let reborn_home = temp.path().join("reborn-home");
     let home = temp.path().join("home");
diff --git a/docs/reborn-binary.md b/docs/reborn-binary.md
index df71c5cb5c3..b847b72530c 100644
--- a/docs/reborn-binary.md
+++ b/docs/reborn-binary.md
@@ -676,6 +676,13 @@ evidence only and are excluded from the `artifacts-*` set uploaded to the
 GitHub Release. It does not claim `serve`, external-service, installer, or
 canonical Reborn packaging coverage.
 
+While #6160's temporary Reborn-only release policy is active, matching tag runs
+stop after this compile matrix. The legacy cargo-dist plan, WASM build, GitHub
+Release host, registry-checksum, announcement, and release Docker caller all
+skip, so the run creates neither a GitHub Release nor published release assets
+or images. The independent manual and hourly entry points in `docker.yml`
+remain available.
+
 Current `dist plan --output-format=json` with `crates/ironclaw_reborn_cli` marked `dist = false` emits only the root legacy package artifacts (`ironclaw` package, `ironclaw-legacy` executable). Removing `dist = false` alone is not enough to ship the canonical Reborn `ironclaw` executable in the existing `ironclaw-v*` release workflow because that workflow is shaped around the root `ironclaw` package tag. Enabling the `ironclaw_reborn_cli` release also requires cargo-dist WiX metadata/template work and an explicit package/tag/versioning decision.
 
 Follow-up issue: #3483 tracks packaging the canonical Reborn binary in release artifacts.