diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 91be4cab..163c575d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ jobs:
           node-version: "24"
           registry-url: "https://registry.npmjs.org"
 
-      - name: Check npm version and GitHub release
+      - name: Check GitHub release completion
         id: check
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ jobs:
           LOCAL_VERSION=$(node -p "require('./packages/cli/package.json').version")
           echo "Local version: $LOCAL_VERSION"
           RELEASE_DRAFT=$(gh release view "v$LOCAL_VERSION" --json isDraft --jq .isDraft 2>/dev/null || echo missing)
-          if npm view "scriptc@$LOCAL_VERSION" version >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ "$RELEASE_DRAFT" = false ]; then
-            echo "npm and GitHub release are complete"
+          if [ "$RELEASE_DRAFT" = false ]; then
+            echo "Release is complete"
             echo "should_release=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           else
             echo "Release needs publishing or completion"
@@ -411,13 +411,8 @@ jobs:
             dir="$1"
             packed="${2:-}"
             name=$(node -p "require('./$dir/package.json').name")
-            if npm view "$name@$VERSION" version >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-              echo "$name@$VERSION already published, skipping"
-              echo "$name@$VERSION" >> "$RUNNER_TEMP/npm-accepted.txt"
-              return 0
-            fi
             if grep -Fxq "$name@$VERSION" "$RUNNER_TEMP/npm-accepted.txt"; then
-              echo "$name@$VERSION upload already accepted; skipping upload while npm processes it"
+              echo "$name@$VERSION upload already accepted, skipping"
               return 0
             fi
             if [ -z "$packed" ]; then
@@ -453,43 +448,9 @@ jobs:
             return "$publish_status"
           }
 
-          # Check exact public versions concurrently. A staged upload is never
-          # sufficient to publish a dependent package or finish the release.
-          require_public_versions() {
-            node --input-type=module - "$@" <<'NODE'
-          import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
-          const version = process.env.VERSION;
-          let pending = process.argv.slice(2)
-            .map((dir) => JSON.parse(readFileSync(`${dir}/package.json`, 'utf8')))
-            .filter((pkg) => pkg.private !== true).map((pkg) => pkg.name);
-          for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 12; attempt++) {
-            pending = (await Promise.all(pending.map(async (name) => {
-              try {
-                const response = await fetch(`https://registry.npmjs.org/${encodeURIComponent(name)}`, {
-                  headers: { accept: 'application/vnd.npm.install-v1+json' },
-                  signal: AbortSignal.timeout(10000),
-                });
-                if (response.ok) {
-                  const metadata = (await response.json()).versions?.[version];
-                  if (metadata?.name === name && metadata.version === version && metadata.dist?.tarball) {
-                    const tarball = await fetch(metadata.dist.tarball, { method: 'HEAD', signal: AbortSignal.timeout(10000) });
-                    if (tarball.ok) return null;
-                  }
-                }
-              } catch {}
-              return name;
-            }))).filter(Boolean);
-            if (pending.length === 0) process.exit(0);
-            console.log(`Awaiting public availability: ${pending.map((name) => `${name}@${version}`).join(', ')}`);
-            if (attempt < 11) await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 10000));
-          }
-          console.error('::error::npm has not made every accepted upload public. Receipts are saved; rerun failed jobs to resume without re-uploading.');
-          process.exit(1);
-          NODE
-          }
-
           # pnpm pack resolves workspace dependencies; npm handles OIDC.
-          # Upload all independent platform packages before waiting for npm.
+          # Publish dependencies first. Registry propagation after an accepted
+          # upload must not block the remaining packages or the GitHub release.
           publish_dir packages/runtime
           publish_dir packages/runtime-darwin-arm64
           publish_dir packages/llvm-darwin-arm64
@@ -510,10 +471,9 @@ jobs:
           publish_dir packages/runtime-win32-x64-msvc
           publish_dir packages/llvm-win32-x64-msvc
           for pkg in packages/cli-*; do publish_dir "$pkg"; done
-          require_public_versions packages/runtime packages/runtime-* packages/llvm-* packages/cli-*
           publish_dir packages/compiler
           publish_dir packages/cli
-          require_public_versions packages/compiler packages/cli
+          echo "All package uploads accepted; npm registry propagation may continue after this job." >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
 
       - name: Save accepted upload receipts
         if: always()