diff --git a/docs/devops.md b/docs/devops.md
index d4a800b..b27c63c 100644
--- a/docs/devops.md
+++ b/docs/devops.md
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ To release a new version (e.g., `v2.5.1`), follow these steps:
    git commit -m "release: prepare v2.5.1"
    npm run release:gate -- 2.5.1 --candidate
    ```
-2. Commit the release notes and prepared version changes, open a pull request,
+2. Push the already committed and candidate-gated changes, open a pull request,
    and wait for required `verify`, `node20`, and `e2e` checks.
 3. After the PR is merged, fast-forward local `main`, wait for `verify`,
    `node20`, and `e2e` on the merge commit, then run the final local gate. It
diff --git a/scripts/release-local-gate.mjs b/scripts/release-local-gate.mjs
index d4a73e5..e755b14 100644
--- a/scripts/release-local-gate.mjs
+++ b/scripts/release-local-gate.mjs
@@ -58,6 +58,12 @@ export function linuxGateCommand() {
     ].join(' && ');
 }
 
+export function parseRemoteMain(text) {
+    const match = /^([a-f0-9]{40})\trefs\/heads\/main\s*$/u.exec(String(text));
+    if (!match) throw new Error(`could not resolve origin main from: ${String(text).trim() || '<empty>'}`);
+    return match[1];
+}
+
 function assertCleanTree() {
     const status = capture('git', ['status', '--porcelain=v1']);
     if (status) throw new Error(`release gate requires a clean working tree:\n${status}`);
@@ -67,7 +73,9 @@ function assertFinalMainChecks() {
     const branch = capture('git', ['branch', '--show-current']);
     if (branch !== 'main') throw new Error(`final release gate requires branch main, found ${branch || '<detached>'}`);
     const head = capture('git', ['rev-parse', 'HEAD']);
-    const remoteMain = capture('git', ['rev-parse', 'origin/main']);
+    const remoteMain = parseRemoteMain(capture('git', [
+        'ls-remote', '--exit-code', 'origin', 'refs/heads/main'
+    ]));
     if (head !== remoteMain) throw new Error(`HEAD ${head} does not match origin/main ${remoteMain}`);
 
     const checksText = capture('gh', [
diff --git a/scripts/release-local-gate.test.mjs b/scripts/release-local-gate.test.mjs
index 50461cc..1eadb23 100644
--- a/scripts/release-local-gate.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/release-local-gate.test.mjs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 import {
     linuxGateCommand,
     parseGateArgs,
+    parseRemoteMain,
     playwrightImageFromLock
 } from './release-local-gate.mjs';
 
@@ -20,6 +21,13 @@ describe('local release gate contract', () => {
         expect(() => playwrightImageFromLock({ packages: {} })).toThrow('must pin');
     });
 
+    it('extracts main only from the exact remote branch record', () => {
+        const sha = '0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef01234567';
+        expect(parseRemoteMain(`${sha}\trefs/heads/main\n`)).toBe(sha);
+        expect(() => parseRemoteMain('')).toThrow('could not resolve origin main');
+        expect(() => parseRemoteMain(`${sha}\trefs/heads/not-main`)).toThrow('could not resolve origin main');
+    });
+
     it('runs the complete CI-equivalent dependency, verify, and browser sequence', () => {
         expect(linuxGateCommand()).toBe([
             'git clone --no-local /src /work',