diff --git a/.github/workflows/cargo-publish.yaml b/.github/workflows/cargo-publish.yaml
index e8173d8..74831b1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cargo-publish.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cargo-publish.yaml
@@ -93,3 +93,33 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           test -n "$CARGO_REGISTRY_TOKEN"
           cargo +1.85.0 publish --package "$PACKAGE_NAME" --registry crates-io --locked
+
+  cargo-install:
+    if: inputs.publish == true
+    needs: publish
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      attestations: read
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/distribution-smoke.yaml
+    with:
+      scope: cargo
+      version: ${{ inputs.version }}
+      source_commit: ${{ inputs.expected_sha }}
+
+  completion:
+    name: cargo publication completion
+    if: always()
+    needs: [publish, cargo-install]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+      - name: Require packaging, publication intent, and all applicable Cargo installations
+        env:
+          PUBLICATION_NEEDS: ${{ toJSON(needs) }}
+          PUBLISH: ${{ inputs.publish }}
+        run: node scripts/publication-completion.mjs cargo >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index db9a415..b133880 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ jobs:
         run: node --test scripts/initial-publish-context.test.mjs scripts/cargo-publish-context.test.mjs
       - name: Validate continuous distribution smoke guards
         run: |
-          node --test scripts/distribution-smoke-context.test.mjs scripts/distribution-smoke-workflow.test.mjs
+          node --test scripts/distribution-smoke-context.test.mjs scripts/distribution-smoke-workflow.test.mjs scripts/publication-completion.test.mjs
           python3 -m unittest scripts/test_smoke_installed_cli.py
 
       - name: Read supported specification revision
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 7c84147..9e22129 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ jobs:
           python3 scripts/normalize_macos_binary.py --binary "$second_binary" --target "$target"
           cmp "$first_binary" "$second_binary"
           python3 scripts/verify_release_binary.py --binary "$first_binary" --target "$target" --version "$VERSION"
+          python3 -m scripts.smoke_installed_cli --binary "$first_binary" --target "$target" --version "$VERSION" --source-root "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE"
           first_archive=$(python3 scripts/package_release.py create \
             --binary "$first_binary" \
             --target "$target" \
@@ -192,6 +193,7 @@ jobs:
           second_binary="$second_target/$target/release/stack"
           cmp "$first_binary" "$second_binary"
           python3 scripts/verify_release_binary.py --binary "$first_binary" --target "$target" --version "$VERSION"
+          python3 -m scripts.smoke_installed_cli --binary "$first_binary" --target "$target" --version "$VERSION" --source-root "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE"
           first_archive=$(python3 scripts/package_release.py create \
             --binary "$first_binary" \
             --target "$target" \
@@ -623,3 +625,32 @@ jobs:
             gh release edit "$TAG" --draft=false --latest
           fi
           test "$(gh release view "$TAG" --json isDraft --jq '.isDraft')" = "false"
+
+  native-install:
+    if: needs.context.outputs.publish == 'true' && !contains(needs.context.outputs.version, '-rc.')
+    needs: [context, publish]
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      attestations: read
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/distribution-smoke.yaml
+    with:
+      scope: native
+      version: ${{ needs.context.outputs.version }}
+      source_commit: ${{ github.sha }}
+
+  completion:
+    name: release completion
+    if: always()
+    needs: [context, build-macos, build-linux, attest, assemble, publish, native-install]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+      - name: Require all applicable build, publication, and installation results
+        env:
+          PUBLICATION_NEEDS: ${{ toJSON(needs) }}
+        run: node scripts/publication-completion.mjs release >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
diff --git a/docs/cargo-releasing.md b/docs/cargo-releasing.md
index 2333d39..a84c670 100644
--- a/docs/cargo-releasing.md
+++ b/docs/cargo-releasing.md
@@ -17,3 +17,20 @@ After initial publication, configure each crate's Settings → Trusted Publishin
 Dispatch `cargo-publish.yaml` from `main` with the full successful main CI commit and the exact package version. The default `publish: false` validates identity, registry state, and packaging, then checks the OIDC exchange **without uploading a crate**. This proves workflow authentication, not a new version's publication or every crate's owner configuration. The pinned authentication action revokes its short-lived token when the job ends; no long-lived repository secret or credentials file is used.
 
 For an actual new release, merge the version change and all checks first, publish dependencies before consumers, then dispatch with `publish: true`. Existing versions, missing crates, non-main refs, version/SHA drift, and unsuccessful CI fail closed. Verify the downloaded archive checksum and source SHA after publication; a failed post-upload check does not undo an upload. Never rerun an upload without checking registry state. Keep the native release version/source identical and verify each package-manager channel separately.
+
+After an actual upload, `cargo-install` invokes the shared distribution smoke in
+Cargo-only mode for the exact version and `expected_sha`: all four supported
+native targets, each with Rust 1.85.0 and stable. Each fresh registry install
+checks its packaged source SHA, commands, generated shell assets, and a real
+audited provider import/render. `cargo publication completion` always runs and
+rejects failed, cancelled, skipped, or missing installation results. The default
+`publish: false` intentionally skips new-version installation: it proves
+packaging/OIDC only and cannot claim that an unpublished crate was installed.
+
+A failed post-upload smoke makes the workflow fail but cannot undo a crates.io
+upload. Use GitHub Actions failure notifications and the named matrix cell to
+diagnose it. Re-run only failed verification jobs once the cause is resolved;
+do not rerun a successful publication job. Run the complete 19-cell Distribution
+smoke for the same stable version after the GitHub Release and Homebrew tap are
+available before declaring all-channel activation. Never edit immutable release
+assets to record later channel evidence.
diff --git a/docs/distribution.md b/docs/distribution.md
index 1b64b19..961f554 100644
--- a/docs/distribution.md
+++ b/docs/distribution.md
@@ -200,12 +200,16 @@ Direct, Aqua, and Homebrew binaries must byte-match the canonical archive after
 
 The `distribution smoke completion` job always evaluates the context and the whole requested matrix. A failure, cancellation, skip, missing artifact, wrong version, or mismatched digest prevents success. The job summary identifies the version and scope; GitHub Actions reports failure through its normal workflow notifications. Maintainers should watch **Actions** notifications for this repository and inspect the failed matrix cell before retrying; a retry is not a substitute for resolving a reproducible failure.
 
-The reusable workflow also exposes `native` (Direct + Aqua, eight cells) and `cargo` (eight cells) scopes for publication integration. Cargo-only checks require the exact published source commit and do not assume the GitHub Release already exists. A scoped success is **not** all-channel activation. Full activation requires a successful `all` run for the same stable version after the tap and registry are available. These later results supplement the immutable publication-time manifest; they never rewrite a tag, release asset, or its `verifiedChannels` field.
+The reusable workflow also exposes `native` (Direct + Aqua, eight cells) and `cargo` (eight cells) scopes for publication integration. The Release workflow calls the native scope after stable publication; Cargo trusted publishing calls the Cargo scope after an actual upload. Cargo-only checks require the exact published source commit and do not assume the GitHub Release already exists. A scoped success is **not** all-channel activation. Full activation requires a successful `all` run for the same stable version after the tap and registry are available. These later results supplement the immutable publication-time manifest; they never rewrite a tag, release asset, or its `verifiedChannels` field.
+
+Both publication workflows have an always-running completion job that rejects missing, failed, cancelled, or unexpectedly skipped required work. Native release builds exercise a real audited provider import/render before publication, including manual dry runs. A native dry run verifies newly built artifacts without requiring an unpublished version to exist in a package manager. Release candidates retain those build checks but skip stable package-manager installation; they do not activate stable channels. Cargo's no-upload OIDC verification similarly does not claim installation of a new version.
+
+After an upload, a failing installation makes the workflow fail but does not undo publication. Inspect the named failed cell and registry/release state first, fix the cause, then re-run failed verification jobs only. Never rerun a successful upload job or overwrite release assets to make the run green. If the published package itself is broken, follow the withdrawal and new-patch procedure below.
 
 Run the negative guards locally with:
 
 ```sh
-node --test scripts/distribution-smoke-context.test.mjs scripts/distribution-smoke-workflow.test.mjs
+node --test scripts/distribution-smoke-context.test.mjs scripts/distribution-smoke-workflow.test.mjs scripts/publication-completion.test.mjs
 python3 -m unittest scripts/test_smoke_installed_cli.py
 ```
 
diff --git a/scripts/publication-completion.mjs b/scripts/publication-completion.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b7c7984
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/publication-completion.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { pathToFileURL } from 'node:url';
+
+function requireResult(needs, job, expected = 'success') {
+  assert.equal(needs[job]?.result, expected, `${job} must finish with ${expected}`);
+}
+
+export function requireReleaseCompletion(needs) {
+  for (const job of ['context', 'build-macos', 'build-linux', 'attest', 'assemble']) requireResult(needs, job);
+  const { publish, version } = needs.context.outputs;
+  assert.ok(['true', 'false'].includes(publish), 'Publication intent is missing');
+  assert.match(version, /^(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)\.(0|[1-9]\d*)(?:-rc\.[1-9]\d*)?$/);
+  requireResult(needs, 'publish', publish === 'true' ? 'success' : 'skipped');
+  const stablePublished = publish === 'true' && !version.includes('-rc.');
+  requireResult(needs, 'native-install', stablePublished ? 'success' : 'skipped');
+  return stablePublished ? 'Native publication verified; all-channel activation still requires a full distribution smoke run.'
+    : publish === 'true' ? 'Release candidate verified; stable package-manager activation is not claimed.'
+      : 'New artifacts passed dry-run verification, including real provider import; nothing was published.';
+}
+
+export function requireCargoCompletion(needs, publish) {
+  assert.ok(['true', 'false'].includes(publish), 'Publication intent is missing');
+  requireResult(needs, 'publish');
+  requireResult(needs, 'cargo-install', publish === 'true' ? 'success' : 'skipped');
+  return publish === 'true' ? 'Registry publication and all eight Cargo installations verified; other channels are independent.'
+    : 'Packaging and OIDC verified without publication; new-version installation is not claimed.';
+}
+
+if (process.argv[1] && import.meta.url === pathToFileURL(process.argv[1]).href) {
+  const needs = JSON.parse(process.env.PUBLICATION_NEEDS);
+  const mode = process.argv[2];
+  assert.ok(['release', 'cargo'].includes(mode));
+  console.log(mode === 'release' ? requireReleaseCompletion(needs) : requireCargoCompletion(needs, process.env.PUBLISH));
+}
diff --git a/scripts/publication-completion.test.mjs b/scripts/publication-completion.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..386bf5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/publication-completion.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import fs from 'node:fs';
+import test from 'node:test';
+import { requireCargoCompletion, requireReleaseCompletion } from './publication-completion.mjs';
+import { validateReleaseWorkflow } from './validate-release-workflow.mjs';
+
+function releaseNeeds(publish, version = '0.5.1') {
+  const needs = Object.fromEntries(['context', 'build-macos', 'build-linux', 'attest', 'assemble'].map(job => [job, { result: 'success' }]));
+  needs.context.outputs = { publish, version };
+  needs.publish = { result: publish === 'true' ? 'success' : 'skipped' };
+  needs['native-install'] = { result: publish === 'true' && !version.includes('-rc.') ? 'success' : 'skipped' };
+  return needs;
+}
+
+test('stable release, prerelease, and dry-run have distinct completion requirements', () => {
+  assert.match(requireReleaseCompletion(releaseNeeds('true')), /all-channel activation still requires/);
+  assert.match(requireReleaseCompletion(releaseNeeds('true', '0.6.0-rc.1')), /stable package-manager activation is not claimed/);
+  assert.match(requireReleaseCompletion(releaseNeeds('false', '0.6.0')), /nothing was published/);
+  assert.throws(() => requireReleaseCompletion(releaseNeeds('')), /intent is missing/);
+});
+
+test('publication cannot succeed with a failed, cancelled, skipped, or missing required job', () => {
+  for (const publish of ['true', 'false']) {
+    const original = releaseNeeds(publish);
+    for (const job of Object.keys(original)) {
+      for (const result of ['failure', 'cancelled', 'skipped', 'success', undefined]) {
+        if (result === original[job].result) continue;
+        const needs = structuredClone(original);
+        needs[job].result = result;
+        assert.throws(() => requireReleaseCompletion(needs), `${publish}/${job}/${result}`);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+});
+
+test('Cargo upload and no-upload verification cannot be confused', () => {
+  const needs = { publish: { result: 'success' }, 'cargo-install': { result: 'success' } };
+  assert.match(requireCargoCompletion(needs, 'true'), /all eight Cargo installations verified/);
+  assert.throws(() => requireCargoCompletion(needs, 'false'));
+  needs['cargo-install'].result = 'skipped';
+  assert.match(requireCargoCompletion(needs, 'false'), /without publication/);
+  assert.throws(() => requireCargoCompletion(needs, 'true'));
+  for (const result of ['failure', 'cancelled', undefined]) {
+    assert.throws(() => requireCargoCompletion({ ...needs, publish: { result } }, 'false'));
+    assert.throws(() => requireCargoCompletion({ ...needs, 'cargo-install': { result } }, 'true'));
+  }
+});
+
+test('release integration rejects missing import, mutable reuse, and detached completion', () => {
+  const workflow = fs.readFileSync('.github/workflows/release.yaml', 'utf8');
+  for (const [before, after] of [
+    ['python3 -m scripts.smoke_installed_cli', 'echo skipped'],
+    ['./.github/workflows/distribution-smoke.yaml', 'stack-sh/cli/.github/workflows/distribution-smoke.yaml@main'],
+    ['needs: [context, publish]', 'needs: context'],
+    ['scope: native', 'scope: all'],
+    ['source_commit: ${{ github.sha }}', 'source_commit: main'],
+    ['if: always()', 'if: success()'],
+    ['node scripts/publication-completion.mjs release', 'echo passed'],
+  ]) assert.throws(() => validateReleaseWorkflow(workflow.replace(before, after)), before);
+});
+
+test('Cargo integration starts only after upload and always reports completion', () => {
+  const workflow = fs.readFileSync('.github/workflows/cargo-publish.yaml', 'utf8');
+  for (const requirement of [
+    "cargo-install:\n    if: inputs.publish == true\n    needs: publish",
+    "uses: ./.github/workflows/distribution-smoke.yaml", "scope: cargo",
+    "version: ${{ inputs.version }}", "source_commit: ${{ inputs.expected_sha }}",
+    "if: always()\n    needs: [publish, cargo-install]", "node scripts/publication-completion.mjs cargo",
+  ]) assert.ok(workflow.includes(requirement), requirement);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(workflow, /continue-on-error:|secrets[.[]/);
+});
diff --git a/scripts/release-workflow.test.mjs b/scripts/release-workflow.test.mjs
index 96ec4c5..a3fd638 100644
--- a/scripts/release-workflow.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/release-workflow.test.mjs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ const root = path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), "..");
 const workflow = fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, ".github", "workflows", "release.yaml"), "utf8");
 
 test("the checked-in release workflow has the reviewed target and trust boundaries", () => {
-  assert.deepEqual(validateReleaseWorkflow(workflow), { actions: 19, jobs: 6, permissions: 11, targets: 4 });
+  assert.deepEqual(validateReleaseWorkflow(workflow), { actions: 20, jobs: 8, permissions: 14, targets: 4 });
 });
 
 test("an additional automatic trigger is rejected", () => {
diff --git a/scripts/validate-release-workflow.mjs b/scripts/validate-release-workflow.mjs
index d1e5ea9..d8303ac 100644
--- a/scripts/validate-release-workflow.mjs
+++ b/scripts/validate-release-workflow.mjs
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ const expectedPermissions = new Map([
   ["attest", ["attestations: write", "contents: read", "id-token: write"]],
   ["assemble", ["attestations: write", "contents: read", "id-token: write"]],
   ["publish", ["attestations: read", "contents: write"]],
+  ["native-install", ["attestations: read", "contents: read"]],
+  ["completion", ["contents: read"]],
 ]);
 
 function invariant(condition, message) {
@@ -73,7 +75,7 @@ export function validateReleaseWorkflow(source) {
   const jobs = extractJobs(workflow);
   invariant(
     JSON.stringify([...jobs.keys()].sort()) === JSON.stringify([...expectedPermissions.keys()].sort()),
-    "release workflow must contain only the six reviewed jobs",
+    "release workflow must contain only the eight reviewed jobs",
   );
   let permissionCount = 0;
   for (const [name, expected] of expectedPermissions) {
@@ -103,6 +105,7 @@ export function validateReleaseWorkflow(source) {
     ["attest", "20"],
     ["assemble", "15"],
     ["publish", "15"],
+    ["completion", "5"],
   ]);
   for (const [name, minutes] of expectedTimeouts) {
     invariant(jobs.get(name).includes(`timeout-minutes: ${minutes}`), `${name} timeout is missing or changed`);
@@ -111,7 +114,7 @@ export function validateReleaseWorkflow(source) {
   const runsOn = [...workflow.matchAll(/^    runs-on: (.+)$/gm)].map((match) => match[1]);
   invariant(
     JSON.stringify(runsOn.sort()) ===
-      JSON.stringify(["${{ matrix.runner }}", "${{ matrix.runner }}", "ubuntu-24.04", "ubuntu-24.04", "ubuntu-24.04", "ubuntu-24.04"].sort()),
+      JSON.stringify(["${{ matrix.runner }}", "${{ matrix.runner }}", "ubuntu-24.04", "ubuntu-24.04", "ubuntu-24.04", "ubuntu-24.04", "ubuntu-24.04"].sort()),
     "release jobs must use only reviewed GitHub-hosted runners",
   );
   const targetRunners = [
@@ -145,6 +148,7 @@ export function validateReleaseWorkflow(source) {
     invariant(occurrences(job, "python3 scripts/package_release.py create") === 2, `${name} must package twice`);
     invariant(job.includes('cmp "$first_archive" "$second_archive"'), `${name} must compare rebuilt archives`);
     invariant(job.includes("python3 scripts/verify_release_binary.py"), `${name} must run native binary smoke tests`);
+    invariant(job.includes('python3 -m scripts.smoke_installed_cli --binary "$first_binary" --target "$target" --version "$VERSION" --source-root "$GITHUB_WORKSPACE"'), `${name} must import and render a real provider before publication`);
     invariant(job.includes("--remap-path-prefix=$GITHUB_WORKSPACE=/workspace"), `${name} must remap source paths`);
   }
   for (const requirement of [
@@ -160,8 +164,11 @@ export function validateReleaseWorkflow(source) {
   invariant(!macos.includes("-no_uuid"), "macOS binaries must retain a valid UUID");
   invariant(linux.includes('test "$(rustc --version)" = "rustc 1.85.0 (4d91de4e4 2025-02-17)"'), "GNU/Linux Rust version must be exact");
 
-  const uses = [...workflow.matchAll(/^\s+uses: ([^\s#]+)(?:\s+#.*)?$/gm)].map((match) => match[1]);
-  invariant(uses.length === 19, "release workflow action count changed and requires review");
+  const allUses = [...workflow.matchAll(/^\s+(?:- )?uses: ([^\s#]+)(?:\s+#.*)?$/gm)].map((match) => match[1]);
+  const localUses = allUses.filter(action => action.startsWith('./'));
+  invariant(JSON.stringify(localUses) === JSON.stringify(['./.github/workflows/distribution-smoke.yaml']), "only the reviewed local installation workflow may be reused");
+  const uses = allUses.filter(action => !action.startsWith('./'));
+  invariant(uses.length === 20, "release workflow action count changed and requires review");
   for (const action of uses) {
     const match = action.match(/^([^@]+)@([0-9a-f]{40})$/);
     invariant(match, `action must be pinned to a full commit: ${action}`);
@@ -223,6 +230,17 @@ export function validateReleaseWorkflow(source) {
   invariant(publish.includes("python3 scripts/verify_release_binary.py"), "a downloaded native binary must pass install smoke tests");
   invariant(publish.includes('gh release edit "$TAG" --draft=false'), "only a fully verified draft may be published");
 
+  const install = jobs.get("native-install");
+  for (const requirement of [
+    "if: needs.context.outputs.publish == 'true' && !contains(needs.context.outputs.version, '-rc.')",
+    "needs: [context, publish]", "scope: native", "version: ${{ needs.context.outputs.version }}", "source_commit: ${{ github.sha }}",
+  ]) invariant(install.includes(requirement), `post-publication installation requirement is missing: ${requirement}`);
+  const completion = jobs.get("completion");
+  for (const requirement of [
+    "if: always()", "needs: [context, build-macos, build-linux, attest, assemble, publish, native-install]",
+    "PUBLICATION_NEEDS: ${{ toJSON(needs) }}", "node scripts/publication-completion.mjs release",
+  ]) invariant(completion.includes(requirement), `release completion requirement is missing: ${requirement}`);
+
   return { actions: uses.length, jobs: jobs.size, permissions: permissionCount, targets: targetRunners.length };
 }