diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish_rust.yml b/.github/workflows/publish_rust.yml
index 676b433d5..651f1e18a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish_rust.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish_rust.yml
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
 
-          just set-version "$RELEASE_TAG"
+          just set-cargo-version "$RELEASE_TAG"
           version="$(sed -n 's/^version = "\(.*\)"$/\1/p' Cargo.toml | head -n 1)"
           packages=(
             nemo-fabric-core
@@ -76,5 +76,19 @@ jobs:
               continue
             fi
 
-            cargo publish --package "$package" --no-verify --allow-dirty
+            cargo publish --package "$package" --no-verify --locked --allow-dirty
+
+            if [[ "$package" == "nemo-fabric-core" ]]; then
+              for attempt in {1..12}; do
+                if cargo info "${package}@${version}" --registry crates-io >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+                  break
+                fi
+                if [[ "$attempt" == 12 ]]; then
+                  echo "${package} ${version} did not become visible on crates.io" >&2
+                  exit 1
+                fi
+                echo "Waiting for ${package} ${version} to become visible on crates.io"
+                sleep 10
+              done
+            fi
           done
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish_typescript.yml b/.github/workflows/publish_typescript.yml
index a7c369d6e..9cab9d6ae 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish_typescript.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish_typescript.yml
@@ -94,9 +94,6 @@ jobs:
           esac
 
           python3 scripts/ci/set_typescript_project_version.py "$version"
-          git diff --exit-code -- \
-            adapter-contract/typescript/package.json \
-            adapter-contract/typescript/package-lock.json
           {
             echo "version=$version"
             echo "dist_tag=$dist_tag"
diff --git a/RELEASING.md b/RELEASING.md
index 1a67b8c1c..1a7e815aa 100644
--- a/RELEASING.md
+++ b/RELEASING.md
@@ -131,19 +131,26 @@ Before you create a release tag, confirm the following:
 
 1. The intended release commit is already on the release branch you intend to
    tag. For frozen release lines, tag the matching `release/*` branch.
-2. The release commit contains the final version bump, docs updates, and any
-   public API changes that belong in the release.
+2. The release commit contains the final stable base version, docs updates, and
+   any public API changes that belong in the release. Prerelease versions are
+   derived from beta or RC tags in disposable workflow checkouts.
 3. The working tree you use for local validation is clean or disposable.
 
 ## Prepare The Release Commit
 
-Update the versioned source files in the release PR or release-prep commit.
-Prefer the repository helper:
+Update the versioned source files in the release PR or release-prep commit to
+the stable base version for the release line. Prefer the repository helper:
 
 ```bash
-just set-version <release-version>
+just set-version <stable-base-version>
+# For example: just set-version 0.1.0
 ```
 
+For beta and RC tags, keep the committed source metadata at the corresponding
+stable base version. The tag workflows normalize the prerelease tag and stamp
+ecosystem-specific package metadata in their disposable checkouts. Do not
+commit RC-specific versions or internal dependency pins to the release branch.
+
 The helper updates:
 
 1. The root [`Cargo.toml`](Cargo.toml) workspace version.
@@ -258,7 +265,8 @@ older release line.
 ## Cut An RC Tag
 
 After the release commit is merged and validated, create and push a signed,
-annotated tag. Set the complete release-candidate version:
+annotated tag. Set the complete release-candidate version; the release branch
+continues to carry its matching stable base version:
 
 ```bash
 export RELEASE_VERSION=0.1.0-rc.1
@@ -275,6 +283,9 @@ RELEASE_SHA="$(git rev-parse HEAD)"
 REMOTE_RELEASE_SHA="$(git rev-parse "upstream/${RELEASE_BRANCH}^{commit}")"
 test "${RELEASE_SHA}" = "${REMOTE_RELEASE_SHA}"
 test "$(just normalize-release-tag "${RELEASE_TAG}")" = "${RELEASE_VERSION}"
+BASE_RELEASE_VERSION="${RELEASE_VERSION%%-*}"
+CURRENT_VERSION="$(sed -n 's/^version = "\(.*\)"$/\1/p' Cargo.toml | head -n 1)"
+test "${CURRENT_VERSION}" = "${BASE_RELEASE_VERSION}"
 
 if git ls-remote --exit-code --tags upstream "refs/tags/${RELEASE_TAG}" >/dev/null; then
   echo "Error: remote tag ${RELEASE_TAG} already exists" >&2
@@ -393,8 +404,8 @@ Pushing a valid tag triggers :
 
 The release pipeline then:
 
-1. Validates the tag format with `just set-version` or
-   `normalize_release_tag.py`.
+1. Normalizes and validates the tag format, then stamps ecosystem-specific
+   package metadata in each disposable workflow checkout.
 2. Builds platform `nemo-fabric-runtime` wheels and pure-Python
    `nemo-fabric` and adapter wheels with the exact tag version, then uploads
    them as GitHub Actions artifacts.
diff --git a/justfile b/justfile
index 55fcf0a97..ffdbf0ca7 100644
--- a/justfile
+++ b/justfile
@@ -384,15 +384,32 @@ lock-python:
 
 # Normalize a release tag to the version used by package metadata.
 normalize-release-tag tag:
-    @uv run --no-project --no-cache python scripts/ci/normalize_release_tag.py "{{ tag }}"
+    @uv run --no-project --no-cache python scripts/ci/normalize_release_tag.py {{ quote(tag) }}
+
+# Apply a release version only to Cargo workspace metadata and Cargo.lock.
+# Tag publication uses this narrow recipe in a disposable checkout.
+set-cargo-version version="":
+    #!/usr/bin/env bash
+    {{ bash_helpers }}
+    version={{ quote(version) }}
+    if [[ -z "$version" ]]; then
+        version={{ quote(ref_name) }}
+    fi
+    if [[ -z "$version" ]]; then
+        echo "Error: version is required for set-cargo-version" >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    version="$(just normalize-release-tag "$version")"
+    cd "$REPO_ROOT"
+    set_cargo_workspace_version "$version"
 
 # [version-or-tag] or --set ref_name=<version-or-tag>
 set-version version="":
     #!/usr/bin/env bash
     {{ bash_helpers }}
-    version="{{ version }}"
+    version={{ quote(version) }}
     if [[ -z "$version" ]]; then
-        version="{{ ref_name }}"
+        version={{ quote(ref_name) }}
     fi
     if [[ -z "$version" ]]; then
         echo "Error: version is required for set-version" >&2
diff --git a/tests/scripts/test_justfile_release_tag_quoting.py b/tests/scripts/test_justfile_release_tag_quoting.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3ed0d006e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/scripts/test_justfile_release_tag_quoting.py
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2026, NVIDIA CORPORATION & AFFILIATES. All rights reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+
+REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "arguments",
+    [
+        ("normalize-release-tag",),
+        ("set-cargo-version",),
+        ("set-version",),
+        ("--set", "ref_name={payload}", "set-cargo-version"),
+        ("--set", "ref_name={payload}", "set-version"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_release_tag_interpolation_does_not_execute_command_substitution(
+    tmp_path: Path,
+    arguments: tuple[str, ...],
+):
+    marker = tmp_path / "interpolation-executed"
+    payload = f"$(touch {marker})"
+    command = [
+        "just",
+        *(argument.format(payload=payload) for argument in arguments),
+    ]
+    if not any("{payload}" in argument for argument in arguments):
+        command.append(payload)
+
+    environment = os.environ.copy()
+    environment["UV_CACHE_DIR"] = str(tmp_path / "uv-cache")
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        command,
+        cwd=REPO_ROOT,
+        env=environment,
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+        check=False,
+    )
+
+    assert result.returncode != 0
+    assert not marker.exists()