diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index fdd6409a..4aae11dc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ permissions:
   actions: read
 
 concurrency:
-  group: frontend-release-${{ github.event.workflow_run.head_branch }}-${{ github.event.workflow_run.head_sha }}
-  cancel-in-progress: false
+  group: frontend-release-${{ github.event.workflow_run.head_branch }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
   build-upload-and-verify:
@@ -40,38 +40,65 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 0
           ref: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.head_sha }}
 
+      - name: Check release commit is current
+        id: branch-head
+        run: |
+          latest_sha="$(git ls-remote origin "refs/heads/$RELEASE_BRANCH" | awk '{print $1}')"
+          if [[ -z "$latest_sha" ]]; then
+            echo "Could not resolve origin/$RELEASE_BRANCH." >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if [[ "$latest_sha" != "$RELEASE_EXPECTED_COMMIT" ]]; then
+            echo "current=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "Skipping stale release for $RELEASE_EXPECTED_COMMIT; origin/$RELEASE_BRANCH is $latest_sha."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          echo "current=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "Release commit is current for $RELEASE_BRANCH."
+        env:
+          RELEASE_BRANCH: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.head_branch }}
+
       - name: Setup Node.js
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         uses: actions/setup-node@v5
         with:
           node-version: 22
           cache: npm
 
       - name: Install dependencies
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         run: npm ci --legacy-peer-deps
 
       - name: Check AI workflow sync
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         run: node scripts/sync-ai-workflow.mjs --check
 
       - name: Source and i18n checks
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         run: |
           npm run text:check-encoding
           npm run i18n:v2:source-check
 
       - name: Unit tests
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         run: npm run test:unit
         env:
           VITEST_BATCH_SIZE: 5
 
       - name: Build release artifact
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         run: npm run build
 
       - name: Install Playwright Chromium
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         run: npx playwright install --with-deps chromium
 
       - name: Production Playwright gate
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         run: npm run test:e2e:prod
 
       - name: Upload dist artifact
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         continue-on-error: true
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
@@ -80,25 +107,14 @@ jobs:
           retention-days: 3
 
       - name: Request Release Manager auto sync
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         run: |
           test -n "$RELEASE_MANAGER_GATE_TOKEN" || (echo "RELEASE_MANAGER_GATE_TOKEN is required" >&2; exit 1)
-          response_file="$(mktemp)"
-          status_code="$(curl --show-error --silent \
-            --output "$response_file" \
-            --write-out "%{http_code}" \
+          curl --fail --show-error --silent \
             -X POST "$RELEASE_MANAGER_GATE_URL" \
             -H "Authorization: Bearer $RELEASE_MANAGER_GATE_TOKEN" \
             -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-            --data "{\"environment_url\":\"$RELEASE_BASE_URL\",\"channel_slug\":\"stable\",\"app\":\"frontend\",\"repository\":\"$RELEASE_REPOSITORY\",\"branch\":\"$RELEASE_BRANCH\",\"expected_commit\":\"$RELEASE_EXPECTED_COMMIT\",\"build_id\":\"$RELEASE_EXPECTED_BUILD_ID\",\"workflow_url\":\"$RELEASE_WORKFLOW_URL\",\"auto_sync\":true,\"wait_timeout_seconds\":300,\"poll_interval_seconds\":10,\"required_checks\":[\"api_gateway\"]}")"
-          if [[ "$status_code" =~ ^2 ]]; then
-            cat "$response_file"
-          elif [[ "$status_code" == "504" ]]; then
-            echo "Release Manager auto sync request reached the gateway timeout; continuing to artifact wait."
-          else
-            cat "$response_file" >&2
-            echo "Release Manager auto sync request failed with HTTP $status_code." >&2
-            exit 1
-          fi
+            --data "{\"environment_url\":\"$RELEASE_BASE_URL\",\"channel_slug\":\"stable\",\"app\":\"frontend\",\"repository\":\"$RELEASE_REPOSITORY\",\"branch\":\"$RELEASE_BRANCH\",\"expected_commit\":\"$RELEASE_EXPECTED_COMMIT\",\"build_id\":\"$RELEASE_EXPECTED_BUILD_ID\",\"workflow_url\":\"$RELEASE_WORKFLOW_URL\",\"auto_sync\":true,\"wait_timeout_seconds\":300,\"poll_interval_seconds\":10,\"required_checks\":[\"api_gateway\"]}"
         env:
           RELEASE_MANAGER_GATE_URL: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_MANAGER_GATE_URL || 'https://api.truckwash.io/release/gate/test-runs' }}
           RELEASE_MANAGER_GATE_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_MANAGER_GATE_TOKEN }}
@@ -107,14 +123,17 @@ jobs:
           RELEASE_WORKFLOW_URL: https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}
 
       - name: Wait for Coolify release artifact
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         run: npm run release:verify-upload
 
       - name: Public live Playwright gate
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         run: npm run test:e2e:live:public
         env:
           NODE_OPTIONS: --use-system-ca
 
       - name: Credentialed live Playwright gate
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         run: npm run test:e2e:live:roles
         env:
           NODE_OPTIONS: --use-system-ca
@@ -127,6 +146,7 @@ jobs:
           PLAYWRIGHT_DEPARTMENT_ID: ${{ secrets.PLAYWRIGHT_DEPARTMENT_ID }}
 
       - name: Record Release Manager gate
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         run: |
           test -n "$RELEASE_MANAGER_GATE_TOKEN" || (echo "RELEASE_MANAGER_GATE_TOKEN is required" >&2; exit 1)
           release_gate_build_id="${RELEASE_VERIFIED_BUILD_ID:-$RELEASE_EXPECTED_BUILD_ID}"
@@ -143,13 +163,14 @@ jobs:
           RELEASE_WORKFLOW_URL: https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}
 
       - name: Update server version after verification
+        if: steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         run: npm run release:update-server-version
         env:
           SERVER_UPDATE_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.SERVER_UPDATE_TOKEN }}
           RELEASE_VERSION: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.head_sha }}
 
       - name: Upload Playwright report
-        if: failure()
+        if: failure() && steps.branch-head.outputs.current == 'true'
         continue-on-error: true
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with: