diff --git a/.github/workflows/backend-release.yml b/.github/workflows/backend-release.yml
index 3d2576a8..4efe4665 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/backend-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/backend-release.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,10 @@ jobs:
       contents: write
     outputs:
       version: ${{ steps.ver.outputs.version }}
-      created: ${{ steps.check.outputs.exists == 'false' }}
+      # The publish jobs run only for a release this run created. A release
+      # that already existed was either made by hand (its release event
+      # published it) or made by an earlier run: re-run that run's failed jobs.
+      created: ${{ steps.check.outputs.release == 'missing' }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@34e114876b0b11c390a56381ad16ebd13914f8d5 # v4.3.1
         with:
@@ -45,20 +48,30 @@ jobs:
           echo "version=$VERSION" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           echo "Resolved version: $VERSION"
 
-      - name: Check if tag already exists
+      - name: Check what already exists
         id: check
         env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           VERSION: ${{ steps.ver.outputs.version }}
         run: |
+          # The tag and the release are checked separately: a run that pushed
+          # the tag and then failed to create the release must still create
+          # it (and publish) when re-run.
           if git ls-remote --tags --exit-code origin "refs/tags/$VERSION" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-            echo "exists=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-            echo "Tag $VERSION already exists on origin — skipping."
+            echo "tag=exists" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "Tag $VERSION already exists on origin."
           else
-            echo "exists=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "tag=missing" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          fi
+          if gh release view "$VERSION" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "release=exists" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "Release $VERSION already exists — nothing to publish."
+          else
+            echo "release=missing" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           fi
 
       - name: Create and push tag
-        if: steps.check.outputs.exists == 'false'
+        if: steps.check.outputs.tag == 'missing'
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           VERSION: ${{ steps.ver.outputs.version }}
@@ -74,7 +87,7 @@ jobs:
             "$VERSION"
 
       - name: Create GitHub release
-        if: steps.check.outputs.exists == 'false'
+        if: steps.check.outputs.release == 'missing'
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           VERSION: ${{ steps.ver.outputs.version }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pypi-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/pypi-publish.yml
index c5c559cc..6f480f8a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pypi-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pypi-publish.yml
@@ -13,9 +13,13 @@ on:
   workflow_call:
     inputs:
       version:
-        description: Version the archives must carry (the release tag)
+        description: Version the archives must carry (empty skips the check)
         type: string
-        required: true
+        default: ''
+      target:
+        description: Package index to publish to (pypi or testpypi)
+        type: string
+        default: pypi
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       target:
@@ -61,8 +65,8 @@ jobs:
           if-no-files-found: error
 
   publish-pypi:
-    # A release event, a call from backend-release, or a manual run aimed at PyPI.
-    if: github.event_name == 'release' || inputs.version != '' || inputs.target == 'pypi'
+    # A release event, or a call or manual run aimed at PyPI (the call default).
+    if: github.event_name == 'release' || inputs.target == 'pypi'
     needs: build
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     environment:
@@ -79,7 +83,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@dc37677b2e1c63e2034f94d8a5b11f265b73ba33 # v1.14.2
 
   publish-testpypi:
-    if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.target == 'testpypi'
+    if: inputs.target == 'testpypi'
     needs: build
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     environment:
@@ -96,3 +100,6 @@ jobs:
       - uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@dc37677b2e1c63e2034f94d8a5b11f265b73ba33 # v1.14.2
         with:
           repository-url: https://test.pypi.org/legacy/
+          # TestPyPI is a rehearsal target: a version that is already there
+          # must not fail the run.
+          skip-existing: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tmp-release-chain-rehearsal.yml b/.github/workflows/tmp-release-chain-rehearsal.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e453df04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/tmp-release-chain-rehearsal.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+name: TEMPORARY release-chain rehearsal (remove before merge)
+
+# Exercises the exact mechanism backend-release uses to publish: a same-repo
+# reusable-workflow call of pypi-publish.yml with trusted publishing, aimed at
+# TestPyPI. PyPI verifies the job_workflow_ref claim against the registered
+# filename, which for a reusable workflow is the called file, so this run
+# either proves the call path or shows the publisher error before 0.20.0.
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [main]
+
+permissions: {}
+
+jobs:
+  pypi-testpypi:
+    uses: $/.github/workflows/pypi-publish.yml
+    with:
+      target: testpypi
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      id-token: write
diff --git a/.github/workflows/zizmor.yml b/.github/workflows/zizmor.yml
index a7ff1b31..ca565e08 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/zizmor.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/zizmor.yml
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ jobs:
           persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Run zizmor 🌈
-        uses: zizmorcore/zizmor-action@71321a20a9ded102f6e9ce5718a2fcec2c4f70d8 # v0.5.2
+        uses: zizmorcore/zizmor-action@70fb788f84895a7701f5643d103d587e460b5c99 # v0.6.3