diff --git a/.agents/skills/release-changelog/SKILL.md b/.agents/skills/release-changelog/SKILL.md
index 4b1cdba0..d17c1f69 100644
--- a/.agents/skills/release-changelog/SKILL.md
+++ b/.agents/skills/release-changelog/SKILL.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 name: release-changelog
 description: >
-  Generate the stable Paperclip release changelog at releases/v{version}.md by
+  Generate the stable Paperclip release changelog at releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md by
   reading commits, changesets, and merged PR context since the last stable tag.
 ---
 
@@ -9,20 +9,33 @@ description: >
 
 Generate the user-facing changelog for the **stable** Paperclip release.
 
+## Versioning Model
+
+Paperclip uses **calendar versioning (calver)**:
+
+- Stable releases: `YYYY.MDD.P` (e.g. `2026.318.0`)
+- Canary releases: `YYYY.MDD.P-canary.N` (e.g. `2026.318.1-canary.0`)
+- Git tags: `vYYYY.MDD.P` for stable, `canary/vYYYY.MDD.P-canary.N` for canary
+
+There are no major/minor/patch bumps. The stable version is derived from the
+intended release date (UTC) plus the next same-day stable patch slot.
+
 Output:
 
-- `releases/v{version}.md`
+- `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md`
 
-Important rule:
+Important rules:
 
-- even if there are canary releases such as `1.2.3-canary.0`, the changelog file stays `releases/v1.2.3.md`
+- even if there are canary releases such as `2026.318.1-canary.0`, the changelog file stays `releases/v2026.318.1.md`
+- do not derive versions from semver bump types
+- do not create canary changelog files
 
 ## Step 0 — Idempotency Check
 
 Before generating anything, check whether the file already exists:
 
 ```bash
-ls releases/v{version}.md 2>/dev/null
+ls releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md 2>/dev/null
 ```
 
 If it exists:
@@ -41,13 +54,14 @@ git tag --list 'v*' --sort=-version:refname | head -1
 git log v{last}..HEAD --oneline --no-merges
 ```
 
-The planned stable version comes from one of:
+The stable version comes from one of:
 
 - an explicit maintainer request
-- the chosen bump type applied to the last stable tag
+- `./scripts/release.sh stable --date YYYY-MM-DD --print-version`
 - the release plan already agreed in `doc/RELEASING.md`
 
 Do not derive the changelog version from a canary tag or prerelease suffix.
+Do not derive major/minor/patch bumps from API intent — calver uses the date and same-day stable slot.
 
 ## Step 2 — Gather the Raw Inputs
 
@@ -73,7 +87,6 @@ Look for:
 - destructive migrations
 - removed or changed API fields/endpoints
 - renamed or removed config keys
-- `major` changesets
 - `BREAKING:` or `BREAKING CHANGE:` commit signals
 
 Key commands:
@@ -85,7 +98,8 @@ git diff v{last}..HEAD -- server/src/routes/ server/src/api/
 git log v{last}..HEAD --format="%s" | rg -n 'BREAKING CHANGE|BREAKING:|^[a-z]+!:' || true
 ```
 
-If the requested bump is lower than the minimum required bump, flag that before the release proceeds.
+If breaking changes are detected, flag them prominently — they must appear in the
+Breaking Changes section with an upgrade path.
 
 ## Step 4 — Categorize for Users
 
@@ -130,9 +144,9 @@ Rules:
 Template:
 
 ```markdown
-# v{version}
+# vYYYY.MDD.P
 
-> Released: {YYYY-MM-DD}
+> Released: YYYY-MM-DD
 
 ## Breaking Changes
 
diff --git a/.agents/skills/release/SKILL.md b/.agents/skills/release/SKILL.md
index 2eac6ad8..8f8e7ca2 100644
--- a/.agents/skills/release/SKILL.md
+++ b/.agents/skills/release/SKILL.md
@@ -2,23 +2,21 @@
 name: release
 description: >
   Coordinate a full Paperclip release across engineering verification, npm,
-  GitHub, website publishing, and announcement follow-up. Use when leadership
-  asks to ship a release, not merely to discuss version bumps.
+  GitHub, smoke testing, and announcement follow-up. Use when leadership asks
+  to ship a release, not merely to discuss versioning.
 ---
 
 # Release Coordination Skill
 
-Run the full Paperclip release as a maintainer workflow, not just an npm publish.
+Run the full Paperclip maintainer release workflow, not just an npm publish.
 
 This skill coordinates:
 
 - stable changelog drafting via `release-changelog`
-- release-train setup via `scripts/release-start.sh`
-- prerelease canary publishing via `scripts/release.sh --canary`
+- canary verification and publish status from `master`
 - Docker smoke testing via `scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh`
-- stable publishing via `scripts/release.sh`
-- pushing the stable branch commit and tag
-- GitHub Release creation via `scripts/create-github-release.sh`
+- manual stable promotion from a chosen source ref
+- GitHub Release creation
 - website / announcement follow-up tasks
 
 ## Trigger
@@ -26,8 +24,9 @@ This skill coordinates:
 Use this skill when leadership asks for:
 
 - "do a release"
-- "ship the next patch/minor/major"
-- "release vX.Y.Z"
+- "ship the release"
+- "promote this canary to stable"
+- "cut the stable release"
 
 ## Preconditions
 
@@ -35,10 +34,10 @@ Before proceeding, verify all of the following:
 
 1. `.agents/skills/release-changelog/SKILL.md` exists and is usable.
 2. The repo working tree is clean, including untracked files.
-3. There are commits since the last stable tag.
-4. The release SHA has passed the verification gate or is about to.
-5. If package manifests changed, the CI-owned `pnpm-lock.yaml` refresh is already merged on `master` before the release branch is cut.
-6. npm publish rights are available locally, or the GitHub release workflow is being used with trusted publishing.
+3. There is at least one canary or candidate commit since the last stable tag.
+4. The candidate SHA has passed the verification gate or is about to.
+5. If manifests changed, the CI-owned `pnpm-lock.yaml` refresh is already merged on `master`.
+6. npm publish rights are available through GitHub trusted publishing, or through local npm auth for emergency/manual use.
 7. If running through Paperclip, you have issue context for status updates and follow-up task creation.
 
 If any precondition fails, stop and report the blocker.
@@ -47,78 +46,67 @@ If any precondition fails, stop and report the blocker.
 
 Collect these inputs up front:
 
-- requested bump: `patch`, `minor`, or `major`
-- whether this run is a dry run or live release
-- whether the release is being run locally or from GitHub Actions
+- whether the target is a canary check or a stable promotion
+- the candidate `source_ref` for stable
+- whether the stable run is dry-run or live
 - release issue / company context for website and announcement follow-up
 
 ## Step 0 — Release Model
 
-Paperclip now uses this release model:
+Paperclip now uses a commit-driven release model:
 
-1. Start or resume `release/X.Y.Z`
-2. Draft the **stable** changelog as `releases/vX.Y.Z.md`
-3. Publish one or more **prerelease canaries** such as `X.Y.Z-canary.0`
-4. Smoke test the canary via Docker
-5. Publish the stable version `X.Y.Z`
-6. Push the stable branch commit and tag
-7. Create the GitHub Release
-8. Merge `release/X.Y.Z` back to `master` without squash or rebase
-9. Complete website and announcement surfaces
+1. every push to `master` publishes a canary automatically
+2. canaries use `YYYY.MDD.P-canary.N`
+3. stable releases use `YYYY.MDD.P`
+4. the middle slot is `MDD`, where `M` is the UTC month and `DD` is the zero-padded UTC day
+5. the stable patch slot increments when more than one stable ships on the same UTC date
+6. stable releases are manually promoted from a chosen tested commit or canary source commit
+7. only stable releases get `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md`, git tag `vYYYY.MDD.P`, and a GitHub Release
 
-Critical consequence:
+Critical consequences:
 
-- Canaries do **not** use promote-by-dist-tag anymore.
-- The changelog remains stable-only. Do not create `releases/vX.Y.Z-canary.N.md`.
+- do not use release branches as the default path
+- do not derive major/minor/patch bumps
+- do not create canary changelog files
+- do not create canary GitHub Releases
 
-## Step 1 — Decide the Stable Version
+## Step 1 — Choose the Candidate
 
-Start the release train first:
+For canary validation:
+
+- inspect the latest successful canary run on `master`
+- record the canary version and source SHA
+
+For stable promotion:
+
+1. choose the tested source ref
+2. confirm it is the exact SHA you want to promote
+3. resolve the target stable version with `./scripts/release.sh stable --date YYYY-MM-DD --print-version`
+
+Useful commands:
 
 ```bash
-./scripts/release-start.sh {patch|minor|major}
+git tag --list 'v*' --sort=-version:refname | head -1
+git log --oneline --no-merges
+npm view paperclipai@canary version
 ```
 
-Then run release preflight:
-
-```bash
-./scripts/release-preflight.sh canary {patch|minor|major}
-# or
-./scripts/release-preflight.sh stable {patch|minor|major}
-```
-
-Then use the last stable tag as the base:
-
-```bash
-LAST_TAG=$(git tag --list 'v*' --sort=-version:refname | head -1)
-git log "${LAST_TAG}..HEAD" --oneline --no-merges
-git diff --name-only "${LAST_TAG}..HEAD" -- packages/db/src/migrations/
-git diff "${LAST_TAG}..HEAD" -- packages/db/src/schema/
-git log "${LAST_TAG}..HEAD" --format="%s" | rg -n 'BREAKING CHANGE|BREAKING:|^[a-z]+!:' || true
-```
-
-Bump policy:
-
-- destructive migrations, removed APIs, breaking config changes -> `major`
-- additive migrations or clearly user-visible features -> at least `minor`
-- fixes only -> `patch`
-
-If the requested bump is too low, escalate it and explain why.
-
 ## Step 2 — Draft the Stable Changelog
 
-Invoke `release-changelog` and generate:
+Stable changelog files live at:
 
-- `releases/vX.Y.Z.md`
+- `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md`
+
+Invoke `release-changelog` and generate or update the stable notes only.
 
 Rules:
 
 - review the draft with a human before publish
 - preserve manual edits if the file already exists
-- keep the heading and filename stable-only, for example `v1.2.3`
-- do not create a separate canary changelog file
+- keep the filename stable-only
+- do not create a canary changelog file
 
-## Step 3 — Verify the Release SHA
+## Step 3 — Verify the Candidate SHA
 
 Run the standard gate:
 
@@ -128,41 +116,27 @@ pnpm test:run
 pnpm build
 ```
 
-If the release will be run through GitHub Actions, the workflow can rerun this gate. Still report whether the local tree currently passes.
+If the GitHub release workflow will run the publish, it can rerun this gate. Still report local status if you checked it.
 
-The GitHub Actions release workflow installs with `pnpm install --frozen-lockfile`. Treat that as a release invariant, not a nuisance: if manifests changed and the lockfile refresh PR has not landed yet, stop and wait for `master` to contain the committed lockfile before shipping.
+For PRs that touch release logic, the repo also runs a canary release dry-run in CI. That is a release-specific guard, not a substitute for the standard gate.
 
-## Step 4 — Publish a Canary
+## Step 4 — Validate the Canary
 
-Run from the `release/X.Y.Z` branch:
+The normal canary path is automatic from `master` via:
 
-```bash
-./scripts/release.sh {patch|minor|major} --canary --dry-run
-./scripts/release.sh {patch|minor|major} --canary
-```
+- `.github/workflows/release.yml`
 
-What this means:
+Confirm:
 
-- npm receives `X.Y.Z-canary.N` under dist-tag `canary`
-- `latest` remains unchanged
-- no git tag is created
-- the script cleans the working tree afterward
+1. verification passed
+2. npm canary publish succeeded
+3. git tag `canary/vYYYY.MDD.P-canary.N` exists
 
-Guard:
-
-- if the current stable is `0.2.7`, the next patch canary is `0.2.8-canary.0`
-- the tooling must never publish `0.2.7-canary.N` after `0.2.7` is already stable
-
-After publish, verify:
+Useful checks:
 
 ```bash
 npm view paperclipai@canary version
-```
-
-The user install path is:
-
-```bash
-npx paperclipai@canary onboard
+git tag --list 'canary/v*' --sort=-version:refname | head -5
 ```
 
 ## Step 5 — Smoke Test the Canary
@@ -173,60 +147,70 @@ Run:
 PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION=canary ./scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh
 ```
 
+Useful isolated variant:
+
+```bash
+HOST_PORT=3232 DATA_DIR=./data/release-smoke-canary PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION=canary ./scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh
+```
+
 Confirm:
 
 1. install succeeds
-2. onboarding completes
-3. server boots
-4. UI loads
-5. basic company/dashboard flow works
+2. onboarding completes without crashes
+3. the server boots
+4. the UI loads
+5. basic company creation and dashboard load work
 
 If smoke testing fails:
 
 - stop the stable release
-- fix the issue
-- publish another canary
-- repeat the smoke test
+- fix the issue on `master`
+- wait for the next automatic canary
+- rerun smoke testing
 
-Each retry should create a higher canary ordinal, while the stable target version can stay the same.
+## Step 6 — Preview or Publish Stable
 
-## Step 6 — Publish Stable
+The normal stable path is manual `workflow_dispatch` on:
 
-Once the SHA is vetted, run:
+- `.github/workflows/release.yml`
+
+Inputs:
+
+- `source_ref`
+- `stable_date`
+- `dry_run`
+
+Before live stable:
+
+1. resolve the target stable version with `./scripts/release.sh stable --date YYYY-MM-DD --print-version`
+2. ensure `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md` exists on the source ref
+3. run the stable workflow in dry-run mode first when practical
+4. then run the real stable publish
+
+The stable workflow:
+
+- re-verifies the exact source ref
+- computes the next stable patch slot for the chosen UTC date
+- publishes `YYYY.MDD.P` under dist-tag `latest`
+- creates git tag `vYYYY.MDD.P`
+- creates or updates the GitHub Release from `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md`
+
+Local emergency/manual commands:
 
 ```bash
-./scripts/release.sh {patch|minor|major} --dry-run
-./scripts/release.sh {patch|minor|major}
+./scripts/release.sh stable --dry-run
+./scripts/release.sh stable
+git push public-gh refs/tags/vYYYY.MDD.P
+./scripts/create-github-release.sh YYYY.MDD.P
 ```
 
-Stable publish does this:
-
-- publishes `X.Y.Z` to npm under `latest`
-- creates the local release commit
-- creates the local git tag `vX.Y.Z`
-
-Stable publish does **not** push the release for you.
-
-## Step 7 — Push and Create GitHub Release
-
-After stable publish succeeds:
-
-```bash
-git push public-gh HEAD --follow-tags
-./scripts/create-github-release.sh X.Y.Z
-```
-
-Use the stable changelog file as the GitHub Release notes source.
-
-Then open the PR from `release/X.Y.Z` back to `master` and merge without squash or rebase.
-
-## Step 8 — Finish the Other Surfaces
+## Step 7 — Finish the Other Surfaces
 
 Create or verify follow-up work for:
 
 - website changelog publishing
 - launch post / social announcement
-- any release summary in Paperclip issue context
+- release summary in Paperclip issue context
 
 These should reference the stable release, not the canary.
 
@@ -236,9 +220,9 @@ If the canary is bad:
 
 - publish another canary, do not ship stable
 
-If stable npm publish succeeds but push or GitHub release creation fails:
+If stable npm publish succeeds but tag push or GitHub release creation fails:
 
-- fix the git/GitHub issue immediately from the same checkout
+- fix the git/GitHub issue immediately from the same release result
 - do not republish the same version
 
 If `latest` is bad after stable publish:
@@ -247,15 +231,17 @@ If `latest` is bad after stable publish:
 ./scripts/rollback-latest.sh <last-good-version>
 ```
 
-Then fix forward with a new patch release.
+Then fix forward with a new stable release.
 
 ## Output
 
 When the skill completes, provide:
 
-- stable version and, if relevant, the final canary version tested
+- candidate SHA and tested canary version, if relevant
+- stable version, if promoted
 - verification status
 - npm status
+- smoke-test status
 - git tag / GitHub Release status
 - website / announcement follow-up status
 - rollback recommendation if anything is still partially complete
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/release-smoke.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..823a578c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-smoke.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+name: Release Smoke
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      paperclip_version:
+        description: Published Paperclip dist-tag to test
+        required: true
+        default: canary
+        type: choice
+        options:
+          - canary
+          - latest
+      host_port:
+        description: Host port for the Docker smoke container
+        required: false
+        default: "3232"
+        type: string
+      artifact_name:
+        description: Artifact name for uploaded diagnostics
+        required: false
+        default: release-smoke
+        type: string
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      paperclip_version:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      host_port:
+        required: false
+        default: "3232"
+        type: string
+      artifact_name:
+        required: false
+        default: release-smoke
+        type: string
+
+jobs:
+  smoke:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 45
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Setup pnpm
+        uses: pnpm/action-setup@v4
+        with:
+          version: 9.15.4
+
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 24
+          cache: pnpm
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: pnpm install --no-frozen-lockfile
+
+      - name: Install Playwright browser
+        run: npx playwright install --with-deps chromium
+
+      - name: Launch Docker smoke harness
+        run: |
+          metadata_file="$RUNNER_TEMP/release-smoke.env"
+          HOST_PORT="${{ inputs.host_port }}" \
+          DATA_DIR="$RUNNER_TEMP/release-smoke-data" \
+          PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION="${{ inputs.paperclip_version }}" \
+          SMOKE_DETACH=true \
+          SMOKE_METADATA_FILE="$metadata_file" \
+          ./scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh
+          set -a
+          source "$metadata_file"
+          set +a
+          {
+            echo "SMOKE_BASE_URL=$SMOKE_BASE_URL"
+            echo "SMOKE_ADMIN_EMAIL=$SMOKE_ADMIN_EMAIL"
+            echo "SMOKE_ADMIN_PASSWORD=$SMOKE_ADMIN_PASSWORD"
+            echo "SMOKE_CONTAINER_NAME=$SMOKE_CONTAINER_NAME"
+            echo "SMOKE_DATA_DIR=$SMOKE_DATA_DIR"
+            echo "SMOKE_IMAGE_NAME=$SMOKE_IMAGE_NAME"
+            echo "SMOKE_PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION=$SMOKE_PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION"
+            echo "SMOKE_METADATA_FILE=$metadata_file"
+          } >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
+      - name: Run release smoke Playwright suite
+        env:
+          PAPERCLIP_RELEASE_SMOKE_BASE_URL: ${{ env.SMOKE_BASE_URL }}
+          PAPERCLIP_RELEASE_SMOKE_EMAIL: ${{ env.SMOKE_ADMIN_EMAIL }}
+          PAPERCLIP_RELEASE_SMOKE_PASSWORD: ${{ env.SMOKE_ADMIN_PASSWORD }}
+        run: pnpm run test:release-smoke
+
+      - name: Capture Docker logs
+        if: always()
+        run: |
+          if [[ -n "${SMOKE_CONTAINER_NAME:-}" ]]; then
+            docker logs "$SMOKE_CONTAINER_NAME" >"$RUNNER_TEMP/docker-onboard-smoke.log" 2>&1 || true
+          fi
+
+      - name: Upload diagnostics
+        if: always()
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: ${{ inputs.artifact_name }}
+          path: |
+            ${{ runner.temp }}/docker-onboard-smoke.log
+            ${{ env.SMOKE_METADATA_FILE }}
+            tests/release-smoke/playwright-report/
+            tests/release-smoke/test-results/
+          retention-days: 14
+
+      - name: Stop Docker smoke container
+        if: always()
+        run: |
+          if [[ -n "${SMOKE_CONTAINER_NAME:-}" ]]; then
+            docker rm -f "$SMOKE_CONTAINER_NAME" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+          fi
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 1ef1726b..59e25cef 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ on:
         type: string
         default: master
       stable_date:
-        description: Stable release date in UTC (YYYY-MM-DD). Defaults to today.
+        description: Stable release date in UTC (YYYY-MM-DD). First stable that day is .0, then .1, and so on.
         required: false
         type: string
       dry_run:
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 312c3969..61b00a22 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -46,5 +46,7 @@ tmp/
 # Playwright
 tests/e2e/test-results/
 tests/e2e/playwright-report/
+tests/release-smoke/test-results/
+tests/release-smoke/playwright-report/
 .superset/
 .claude/worktrees/
diff --git a/doc/DOCKER.md b/doc/DOCKER.md
index 6f6ca374..a7055e20 100644
--- a/doc/DOCKER.md
+++ b/doc/DOCKER.md
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ Useful overrides:
 ```sh
 HOST_PORT=3200 PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION=latest ./scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh
 PAPERCLIP_DEPLOYMENT_MODE=authenticated PAPERCLIP_DEPLOYMENT_EXPOSURE=private ./scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh
+SMOKE_DETACH=true SMOKE_METADATA_FILE=/tmp/paperclip-smoke.env PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION=latest ./scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh
 ```
 
 Notes:
@@ -131,4 +132,5 @@ Notes:
 - Smoke script also defaults `PAPERCLIP_PUBLIC_URL` to `http://localhost:<HOST_PORT>` so bootstrap invite URLs and auth callbacks use the reachable host port instead of the container's internal `3100`.
 - In authenticated mode, the smoke script defaults `SMOKE_AUTO_BOOTSTRAP=true` and drives the real bootstrap path automatically: it signs up a real user, runs `paperclipai auth bootstrap-ceo` inside the container to mint a real bootstrap invite, accepts that invite over HTTP, and verifies board session access.
 - Run the script in the foreground to watch the onboarding flow; stop with `Ctrl+C` after validation.
+- Set `SMOKE_DETACH=true` to leave the container running for automation and optionally write shell-ready metadata to `SMOKE_METADATA_FILE`.
 - The image definition is in `Dockerfile.onboard-smoke`.
diff --git a/doc/PUBLISHING.md b/doc/PUBLISHING.md
index 1a9249ad..50a1930e 100644
--- a/doc/PUBLISHING.md
+++ b/doc/PUBLISHING.md
@@ -69,13 +69,13 @@ Those rewrites are temporary. The working tree is restored after publish or dry-
 
 Paperclip uses calendar versions:
 
-- stable: `YYYY.M.D`
-- canary: `YYYY.M.D-canary.N`
+- stable: `YYYY.MDD.P`
+- canary: `YYYY.MDD.P-canary.N`
 
 Examples:
 
-- stable: `2026.3.17`
-- canary: `2026.3.17-canary.2`
+- stable: `2026.318.0`
+- canary: `2026.318.1-canary.2`
 
 ## Publish model
 
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ Canaries publish under the npm dist-tag `canary`.
 
 Example:
 
-- `paperclipai@2026.3.17-canary.2`
+- `paperclipai@2026.318.1-canary.2`
 
 This keeps the default install path unchanged while allowing explicit installs with:
 
@@ -99,13 +99,13 @@ Stable publishes use the npm dist-tag `latest`.
 
 Example:
 
-- `paperclipai@2026.3.17`
+- `paperclipai@2026.318.0`
 
 Stable publishes do not create a release commit. Instead:
 
 - package versions are rewritten temporarily
 - packages are published from the chosen source commit
-- git tag `vYYYY.M.D` points at that original commit
+- git tag `vYYYY.MDD.P` points at that original commit
 
 ## Trusted publishing
 
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ Rollback does not unpublish anything.
 It repoints the `latest` dist-tag to a prior stable version:
 
 ```bash
-./scripts/rollback-latest.sh 2026.3.16
+./scripts/rollback-latest.sh 2026.318.0
 ```
 
 This is the fastest way to restore the default install path if a stable release is bad.
diff --git a/doc/RELEASE-AUTOMATION-SETUP.md b/doc/RELEASE-AUTOMATION-SETUP.md
index b9970def..06f70536 100644
--- a/doc/RELEASE-AUTOMATION-SETUP.md
+++ b/doc/RELEASE-AUTOMATION-SETUP.md
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ After setup:
 3. confirm it passes verification
 4. confirm publish succeeds under the `npm-canary` environment
 5. confirm npm now shows a new `canary` release
-6. confirm a git tag named `canary/vYYYY.M.D-canary.N` was pushed
+6. confirm a git tag named `canary/vYYYY.MDD.P-canary.N` was pushed
 
 Install-path check:
 
@@ -217,18 +217,19 @@ npx paperclipai@canary onboard
 
 After at least one good canary exists:
 
-1. prepare `releases/vYYYY.M.D.md` on the source commit you want to promote
-2. open `Actions` -> `Release`
-3. run it with:
+1. resolve the target stable version with `./scripts/release.sh stable --date YYYY-MM-DD --print-version`
+2. prepare `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md` on the source commit you want to promote
+3. open `Actions` -> `Release`
+4. run it with:
    - `source_ref`: the tested commit SHA or canary tag source commit
    - `stable_date`: leave blank or set the intended UTC date
    - `dry_run`: `true`
-4. confirm the dry-run succeeds
-5. rerun with `dry_run: false`
-6. approve the `npm-stable` environment when prompted
-7. confirm npm `latest` points to the new stable version
-8. confirm git tag `vYYYY.M.D` exists
-9. confirm the GitHub Release was created
+5. confirm the dry-run succeeds
+6. rerun with `dry_run: false`
+7. approve the `npm-stable` environment when prompted
+8. confirm npm `latest` points to the new stable version
+9. confirm git tag `vYYYY.MDD.P` exists
+10. confirm the GitHub Release was created
 
 ## 13. Suggested Maintainer Policy
 
diff --git a/doc/RELEASING.md b/doc/RELEASING.md
index cb7a14fe..35d2b50a 100644
--- a/doc/RELEASING.md
+++ b/doc/RELEASING.md
@@ -6,26 +6,29 @@ The release model is now commit-driven:
 
 1. Every push to `master` publishes a canary automatically.
 2. Stable releases are manually promoted from a chosen tested commit or canary tag.
-3. Stable release notes live in `releases/vYYYY.M.D.md`.
+3. Stable release notes live in `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md`.
 4. Only stable releases get GitHub Releases.
 
 ## Versioning Model
 
 Paperclip uses calendar versions that still fit semver syntax:
 
-- stable: `YYYY.M.D`
-- canary: `YYYY.M.D-canary.N`
+- stable: `YYYY.MDD.P`
+- canary: `YYYY.MDD.P-canary.N`
 
 Examples:
 
-- stable on March 17, 2026: `2026.3.17`
-- fourth canary on March 17, 2026: `2026.3.17-canary.3`
+- first stable on March 18, 2026: `2026.318.0`
+- second stable on March 18, 2026: `2026.318.1`
+- fourth canary for the `2026.318.1` line: `2026.318.1-canary.3`
 
 Important constraints:
 
-- do not use leading zeroes such as `2026.03.17`
-- do not use four numeric segments such as `2026.03.17.1`
-- the semver-safe canary form is `2026.3.17-canary.1`
+- the middle numeric slot is `MDD`, where `M` is the UTC month and `DD` is the zero-padded UTC day
+- use `2026.303.0` for March 3, not `2026.33.0`
+- do not use leading zeroes such as `2026.0318.0`
+- do not use four numeric segments such as `2026.3.18.1`
+- the semver-safe canary form is `2026.318.0-canary.1`
 
 ## Release Surfaces
 
@@ -45,7 +48,7 @@ Canaries only cover the first two surfaces plus an internal traceability tag.
 - canaries publish from `master`
 - stables publish from an explicitly chosen source ref
 - tags point at the original source commit, not a generated release commit
-- stable notes are always `releases/vYYYY.M.D.md`
+- stable notes are always `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md`
 - canaries never create GitHub Releases
 - canaries never require changelog generation
 
@@ -60,12 +63,14 @@ It:
 - verifies the pushed commit
 - computes the canary version for the current UTC date
 - publishes under npm dist-tag `canary`
-- creates a git tag `canary/vYYYY.M.D-canary.N`
+- creates a git tag `canary/vYYYY.MDD.P-canary.N`
 
 Users install canaries with:
 
 ```bash
 npx paperclipai@canary onboard
+# or
+npx paperclipai@canary onboard --data-dir "$(mktemp -d /tmp/paperclip-canary.XXXXXX)"
 ```
 
 ### Stable
@@ -84,15 +89,17 @@ Inputs:
 Before running stable:
 
 1. pick the canary commit or tag you trust
-2. create or update `releases/vYYYY.M.D.md` on that source ref
-3. run the stable workflow from that source ref
+2. resolve the target stable version with `./scripts/release.sh stable --date YYYY-MM-DD --print-version`
+3. create or update `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md` on that source ref
+4. run the stable workflow from that source ref
 
 The workflow:
 
 - re-verifies the exact source ref
-- publishes `YYYY.M.D` under npm dist-tag `latest`
-- creates git tag `vYYYY.M.D`
-- creates or updates the GitHub Release from `releases/vYYYY.M.D.md`
+- computes the next stable patch slot for the chosen UTC date
+- publishes `YYYY.MDD.P` under npm dist-tag `latest`
+- creates git tag `vYYYY.MDD.P`
+- creates or updates the GitHub Release from `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md`
 
 ## Local Commands
 
@@ -114,22 +121,22 @@ This is mainly for emergency/manual use. The normal path is the GitHub workflow.
 
 ```bash
 ./scripts/release.sh stable
-git push public-gh refs/tags/vYYYY.M.D
-./scripts/create-github-release.sh YYYY.M.D
+git push public-gh refs/tags/vYYYY.MDD.P
+./scripts/create-github-release.sh YYYY.MDD.P
 ```
 
 ## Stable Changelog Workflow
 
 Stable changelog files live at:
 
-- `releases/vYYYY.M.D.md`
+- `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md`
 
 Canaries do not get changelog files.
 
 Recommended local generation flow:
 
 ```bash
-VERSION=2026.3.17
+VERSION="$(./scripts/release.sh stable --date 2026-03-18 --print-version)"
 claude --print --output-format stream-json --verbose --dangerously-skip-permissions --model claude-opus-4-6 "Use the release-changelog skill to draft or update releases/v${VERSION}.md for Paperclip. Read doc/RELEASING.md and .agents/skills/release-changelog/SKILL.md, then generate the stable changelog for v${VERSION} from commits since the last stable tag. Do not create a canary changelog."
 ```
 
@@ -160,13 +167,22 @@ HOST_PORT=3232 DATA_DIR=./data/release-smoke-canary PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION=canary .
 HOST_PORT=3233 DATA_DIR=./data/release-smoke-stable PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION=latest ./scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh
 ```
 
+Automated browser smoke is also available:
+
+```bash
+gh workflow run release-smoke.yml -f paperclip_version=canary
+gh workflow run release-smoke.yml -f paperclip_version=latest
+```
+
 Minimum checks:
 
 - `npx paperclipai@canary onboard` installs
 - onboarding completes without crashes
-- the server boots
-- the UI loads
-- basic company creation and dashboard load work
+- authenticated login works with the smoke credentials
+- the browser lands in onboarding on a fresh instance
+- company creation succeeds
+- the first CEO agent is created
+- the first CEO heartbeat run is triggered
 
 ## Rollback
 
@@ -175,11 +191,11 @@ Rollback does not unpublish versions.
 It only moves the `latest` dist-tag back to a previous stable:
 
 ```bash
-./scripts/rollback-latest.sh 2026.3.16 --dry-run
-./scripts/rollback-latest.sh 2026.3.16
+./scripts/rollback-latest.sh 2026.318.0 --dry-run
+./scripts/rollback-latest.sh 2026.318.0
 ```
 
-Then fix forward with a new stable release date.
+Then fix forward with a new stable patch slot or release date.
 
 ## Failure Playbooks
 
@@ -201,8 +217,8 @@ This is a partial release. npm is already live.
 Do this immediately:
 
 1. push the missing tag
-2. rerun `./scripts/create-github-release.sh YYYY.M.D`
-3. verify the GitHub Release notes point at `releases/vYYYY.M.D.md`
+2. rerun `./scripts/create-github-release.sh YYYY.MDD.P`
+3. verify the GitHub Release notes point at `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md`
 
 Do not republish the same version.
 
@@ -211,7 +227,7 @@ Do not republish the same version.
 Roll back the dist-tag:
 
 ```bash
-./scripts/rollback-latest.sh YYYY.M.D
+./scripts/rollback-latest.sh YYYY.MDD.P
 ```
 
 Then fix forward with a new stable release.
diff --git a/doc/plans/2026-03-17-docker-release-browser-e2e.md b/doc/plans/2026-03-17-docker-release-browser-e2e.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e776206a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/plans/2026-03-17-docker-release-browser-e2e.md
@@ -0,0 +1,424 @@
+# Docker Release Browser E2E Plan
+
+## Context
+
+Today release smoke testing for published Paperclip packages is manual and shell-driven:
+
+```sh
+HOST_PORT=3232 DATA_DIR=./data/release-smoke-canary PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION=canary ./scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh
+HOST_PORT=3233 DATA_DIR=./data/release-smoke-stable PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION=latest ./scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh
+```
+
+That is useful because it exercises the same public install surface users hit:
+
+- Docker
+- `npx paperclipai@canary`
+- `npx paperclipai@latest`
+- authenticated bootstrap flow
+
+But it still leaves the most important release questions to a human with a browser:
+
+- can I sign in with the smoke credentials?
+- do I land in onboarding?
+- can I complete onboarding?
+- does the initial CEO agent actually get created and run?
+
+The repo already has two adjacent pieces:
+
+- `tests/e2e/onboarding.spec.ts` covers the onboarding wizard against the local source tree
+- `scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh` boots a published Docker install and auto-bootstraps authenticated mode, but only verifies the API/session layer
+
+What is missing is one deterministic browser test that joins those two paths.
+
+## Goal
+
+Add a release-grade Docker-backed browser E2E that validates the published `canary` and `latest` installs end to end:
+
+1. boot the published package in Docker
+2. sign in with known smoke credentials
+3. verify the user is routed into onboarding
+4. complete onboarding in the browser
+5. verify the first CEO agent exists
+6. verify the initial CEO run was triggered and reached a terminal or active state
+
+Then wire that test into GitHub Actions so release validation is no longer manual-only.
+
+## Recommendation In One Sentence
+
+Turn the current Docker smoke script into a machine-friendly test harness, add a dedicated Playwright release-smoke spec that drives the authenticated browser flow against published Docker installs, and run it in GitHub Actions for both `canary` and `latest`.
+
+## What We Have Today
+
+### Existing local browser coverage
+
+`tests/e2e/onboarding.spec.ts` already proves the onboarding wizard can:
+
+- create a company
+- create a CEO agent
+- create an initial issue
+- optionally observe task progress
+
+That is a good base, but it does not validate the public npm package, Docker path, authenticated login flow, or release dist-tags.
+
+### Existing Docker smoke coverage
+
+`scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh` already does useful setup work:
+
+- builds `Dockerfile.onboard-smoke`
+- runs `paperclipai@${PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION}` inside Docker
+- waits for health
+- signs up or signs in a smoke admin user
+- generates and accepts the bootstrap CEO invite in authenticated mode
+- verifies a board session and `/api/companies`
+
+That means the hard bootstrap problem is mostly solved already. The main gap is that the script is human-oriented and never hands control to a browser test.
+
+### Existing CI shape
+
+The repo already has:
+
+- `.github/workflows/e2e.yml` for manual Playwright runs against local source
+- `.github/workflows/release.yml` for canary publish on `master` and manual stable promotion
+
+So the right move is to extend the current test/release system, not create a parallel one.
+
+## Product Decision
+
+### 1. The release smoke should stay deterministic and token-free
+
+The first version should not require OpenAI, Anthropic, or external agent credentials.
+
+Use the onboarding flow with a deterministic adapter that can run on a stock GitHub runner and inside the published Docker install. The existing `process` adapter with a trivial command is the right base path for this release gate.
+
+That keeps this test focused on:
+
+- release packaging
+- auth/bootstrap
+- UI routing
+- onboarding contract
+- agent creation
+- heartbeat invocation plumbing
+
+Later we can add a second credentialed smoke lane for real model-backed agents.
+
+### 2. Smoke credentials become an explicit test contract
+
+The current defaults in `scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh` should be treated as stable test fixtures:
+
+- email: `smoke-admin@paperclip.local`
+- password: `paperclip-smoke-password`
+
+The browser test should log in with those exact values unless overridden by env vars.
+
+### 3. Published-package smoke and source-tree E2E stay separate
+
+Keep two lanes:
+
+- source-tree E2E for feature development
+- published Docker release smoke for release confidence
+
+They overlap on onboarding assertions, but they guard different failure classes.
+
+## Proposed Design
+
+## 1. Add a CI-friendly Docker smoke harness
+
+Refactor `scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh` so it can run in two modes:
+
+- interactive mode
+  - current behavior
+  - streams logs and waits in foreground for manual inspection
+- CI mode
+  - starts the container
+  - waits for health and authenticated bootstrap
+  - prints machine-readable metadata
+  - exits while leaving the container running for Playwright
+
+Recommended shape:
+
+- keep `scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh` as the public entry point
+- add a `SMOKE_DETACH=true` or `--detach` mode
+- emit a JSON blob or `.env` file containing:
+  - `SMOKE_BASE_URL`
+  - `SMOKE_ADMIN_EMAIL`
+  - `SMOKE_ADMIN_PASSWORD`
+  - `SMOKE_CONTAINER_NAME`
+  - `SMOKE_DATA_DIR`
+
+The workflow and Playwright tests can then consume the emitted metadata instead of scraping logs.
+
+### Why this matters
+
+The current script always tails logs and then blocks on `wait "$LOG_PID"`. That is convenient for manual smoke testing, but it is the wrong shape for CI orchestration.
+
+## 2. Add a dedicated Playwright release-smoke spec
+
+Create a second Playwright entry point specifically for published Docker installs, for example:
+
+- `tests/release-smoke/playwright.config.ts`
+- `tests/release-smoke/docker-auth-onboarding.spec.ts`
+
+This suite should not use Playwright `webServer`, because the app server will already be running inside Docker.
+
+### Browser scenario
+
+The first release-smoke scenario should validate:
+
+1. open `/`
+2. unauthenticated user is redirected to `/auth`
+3. sign in using the smoke credentials
+4. authenticated user lands on onboarding when no companies exist
+5. onboarding wizard appears with the expected step labels
+6. create a company
+7. create the first agent using `process`
+8. create the initial issue
+9. finish onboarding and open the created issue
+10. verify via API:
+    - company exists
+    - CEO agent exists
+    - issue exists and is assigned to the CEO
+11. verify the first heartbeat run was triggered:
+    - either by checking issue status changed from initial state, or
+    - by checking agent/runs API shows a run for the CEO, or
+    - both
+
+The test should tolerate the run completing quickly. For this reason, the assertion should accept:
+
+- `queued`
+- `running`
+- `succeeded`
+
+and similarly for issue progression if the issue status changes before the assertion runs.
+
+### Why a separate spec instead of reusing `tests/e2e/onboarding.spec.ts`
+
+The local-source test and release-smoke test have different assumptions:
+
+- different server lifecycle
+- different auth path
+- different deployment mode
+- published npm package instead of local workspace code
+
+Trying to force both through one spec will make both worse.
+
+## 3. Add a release-smoke workflow in GitHub Actions
+
+Add a workflow dedicated to this surface, ideally reusable:
+
+- `.github/workflows/release-smoke.yml`
+
+Recommended triggers:
+
+- `workflow_dispatch`
+- `workflow_call`
+
+Recommended inputs:
+
+- `paperclip_version`
+  - `canary` or `latest`
+- `host_port`
+  - optional, default runner-safe port
+- `artifact_name`
+  - optional for clearer uploads
+
+### Job outline
+
+1. checkout repo
+2. install Node/pnpm
+3. install Playwright browser dependencies
+4. launch Docker smoke harness in detached mode with the chosen dist-tag
+5. run the release-smoke Playwright suite against the returned base URL
+6. always collect diagnostics:
+   - Playwright report
+   - screenshots
+   - trace
+   - `docker logs`
+   - harness metadata file
+7. stop and remove container
+
+### Why a reusable workflow
+
+This lets us:
+
+- run the smoke manually on demand
+- call it from `release.yml`
+- reuse the same job for both `canary` and `latest`
+
+## 4. Integrate it into release automation incrementally
+
+### Phase A: Manual workflow only
+
+First ship the workflow as manual-only so the harness and test can be stabilized without blocking releases.
+
+### Phase B: Run automatically after canary publish
+
+After `publish_canary` succeeds in `.github/workflows/release.yml`, call the reusable release-smoke workflow with:
+
+- `paperclip_version=canary`
+
+This proves the just-published public canary really boots and onboards.
+
+### Phase C: Run automatically after stable publish
+
+After `publish_stable` succeeds, call the same workflow with:
+
+- `paperclip_version=latest`
+
+This gives us post-publish confirmation that the stable dist-tag is healthy.
+
+### Important nuance
+
+Testing `latest` from npm cannot happen before stable publish, because the package under test does not exist under `latest` yet. So the `latest` smoke is a post-publish verification, not a pre-publish gate.
+
+If we later want a true pre-publish stable gate, that should be a separate source-ref or locally built package smoke job.
+
+## 5. Make diagnostics first-class
+
+This workflow is only valuable if failures are fast to debug.
+
+Always capture:
+
+- Playwright HTML report
+- Playwright trace on failure
+- final screenshot on failure
+- full `docker logs` output
+- emitted smoke metadata
+- optional `curl /api/health` snapshot
+
+Without that, the test will become a flaky black box and people will stop trusting it.
+
+## Implementation Plan
+
+## Phase 1: Harness refactor
+
+Files:
+
+- `scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh`
+- optionally `scripts/lib/docker-onboard-smoke.sh` or similar helper
+- `doc/DOCKER.md`
+- `doc/RELEASING.md`
+
+Tasks:
+
+1. Add detached/CI mode to the Docker smoke script.
+2. Make the script emit machine-readable connection metadata.
+3. Keep the current interactive manual mode intact.
+4. Add reliable cleanup commands for CI.
+
+Acceptance:
+
+- a script invocation can start the published Docker app, auto-bootstrap it, and return control to the caller with enough metadata for browser automation
+
+## Phase 2: Browser release-smoke suite
+
+Files:
+
+- `tests/release-smoke/playwright.config.ts`
+- `tests/release-smoke/docker-auth-onboarding.spec.ts`
+- root `package.json`
+
+Tasks:
+
+1. Add a dedicated Playwright config for external server testing.
+2. Implement login + onboarding + CEO creation flow.
+3. Assert a CEO run was created or completed.
+4. Add a root script such as:
+   - `test:release-smoke`
+
+Acceptance:
+
+- the suite passes locally against both:
+  - `PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION=canary`
+  - `PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION=latest`
+
+## Phase 3: GitHub Actions workflow
+
+Files:
+
+- `.github/workflows/release-smoke.yml`
+
+Tasks:
+
+1. Add manual and reusable workflow entry points.
+2. Install Chromium and runner dependencies.
+3. Start Docker smoke in detached mode.
+4. Run the release-smoke Playwright suite.
+5. Upload diagnostics artifacts.
+
+Acceptance:
+
+- a maintainer can run the workflow manually for either `canary` or `latest`
+
+## Phase 4: Release workflow integration
+
+Files:
+
+- `.github/workflows/release.yml`
+- `doc/RELEASING.md`
+
+Tasks:
+
+1. Trigger release smoke automatically after canary publish.
+2. Trigger release smoke automatically after stable publish.
+3. Document expected behavior and failure handling.
+
+Acceptance:
+
+- canary releases automatically produce a published-package browser smoke result
+- stable releases automatically produce a `latest` browser smoke result
+
+## Phase 5: Future extension for real model-backed agent validation
+
+Not part of the first implementation, but this should be the next layer after the deterministic lane is stable.
+
+Possible additions:
+
+- a second Playwright project gated on repo secrets
+- real `claude_local` or `codex_local` adapter validation in Docker-capable environments
+- assertion that the CEO posts a real task/comment artifact
+- stable release holdback until the credentialed lane passes
+
+This should stay optional until the token-free lane is trustworthy.
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+
+The plan is complete when the implemented system can demonstrate all of the following:
+
+1. A published `paperclipai@canary` Docker install can be smoke-tested by Playwright in CI.
+2. A published `paperclipai@latest` Docker install can be smoke-tested by Playwright in CI.
+3. The test logs into authenticated mode with the smoke credentials.
+4. The test sees onboarding for a fresh instance.
+5. The test completes onboarding in the browser.
+6. The test verifies the initial CEO agent was created.
+7. The test verifies at least one CEO heartbeat run was triggered.
+8. Failures produce actionable artifacts rather than just a red job.
+
+## Risks And Decisions To Make
+
+### 1. Fast process runs may finish before the UI visibly updates
+
+That is expected. The assertions should prefer API polling for run existence/status rather than only visual indicators.
+
+### 2. `latest` smoke is post-publish, not preventive
+
+This is a real limitation of testing the published dist-tag itself. It is still valuable, but it should not be confused with a pre-publish gate.
+
+### 3. We should not overcouple the test to cosmetic onboarding text
+
+The important contract is flow success, created entities, and run creation. Use visible labels sparingly and prefer stable semantic selectors where possible.
+
+### 4. Keep the smoke adapter path boring
+
+For release safety, the first test should use the most boring runnable adapter possible. This is not the place to validate every adapter.
+
+## Recommended First Slice
+
+If we want the fastest path to value, ship this in order:
+
+1. add detached mode to `scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh`
+2. add one Playwright spec for authenticated login + onboarding + CEO run verification
+3. add manual `release-smoke.yml`
+4. once stable, wire canary into `release.yml`
+5. after that, wire stable `latest` smoke into `release.yml`
+
+That gives release confidence quickly without turning the first version into a large CI redesign.
diff --git a/doc/plans/2026-03-17-release-automation-and-versioning.md b/doc/plans/2026-03-17-release-automation-and-versioning.md
index 35416956..5701a7ab 100644
--- a/doc/plans/2026-03-17-release-automation-and-versioning.md
+++ b/doc/plans/2026-03-17-release-automation-and-versioning.md
@@ -49,13 +49,13 @@ The repo and npm tooling still assume semver-shaped version strings in many plac
 
 Recommended format:
 
-- stable: `YYYY.M.D`
-- canary: `YYYY.M.D-canary.N`
+- stable: `YYYY.MDD.P`
+- canary: `YYYY.MDD.P-canary.N`
 
 Examples:
 
-- stable on March 17, 2026: `2026.3.17`
-- third canary on March 17, 2026: `2026.3.17-canary.2`
+- first stable on March 17, 2026: `2026.317.0`
+- third canary on the `2026.317.0` line: `2026.317.0-canary.2`
 
 Why this shape:
 
@@ -66,11 +66,12 @@ Why this shape:
 
 Important constraints:
 
+- the middle numeric slot should be `MDD`, where `M` is the month and `DD` is the zero-padded day
 - `2026.03.17` is not the format to use
   - numeric semver identifiers do not allow leading zeroes
-- `2026.03.16.8` is not the format to use
+- `2026.3.17.1` is not the format to use
   - semver has three numeric components, not four
-- the practical semver-safe equivalent of your example is `2026.3.16-canary.8`
+- the practical semver-safe equivalent is `2026.317.0-canary.8`
 
 This is effectively CalVer on semver rails.
 
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ This is the most important mechanical constraint.
 npm can move dist-tags, but it does not let you rename an already-published version. That means:
 
 - you can move `latest` to `paperclipai@1.2.3`
-- you cannot turn `paperclipai@2026.3.16-canary.8` into `paperclipai@2026.3.17`
+- you cannot turn `paperclipai@2026.317.0-canary.8` into `paperclipai@2026.317.0`
 
 So "promote canary to stable" really means:
 
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ Recommended stable input:
 
 - `source_ref`
   - commit SHA, or
-  - a canary git tag such as `canary/v2026.3.16-canary.8`
+  - a canary git tag such as `canary/v2026.317.1-canary.8`
 
 ### 5. Only stable releases get release notes, tags, and GitHub Releases
 
@@ -137,9 +138,9 @@ Canaries should stay lightweight:
 
 Stable releases should remain the public narrative surface:
 
-- git tag `v2026.3.17`
-- GitHub Release `v2026.3.17`
-- stable changelog file `releases/v2026.3.17.md`
+- git tag `v2026.317.0`
+- GitHub Release `v2026.317.0`
+- stable changelog file `releases/v2026.317.0.md`
 
 ## Security Model
 
@@ -233,14 +234,14 @@ Recommended stable path:
 
 1. pick a canary commit or tag
 2. run changelog generation locally from a trusted machine
-3. commit `releases/vYYYY.M.D.md`
+3. commit `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md`
 4. run stable promotion
 
 If the notes are not ready yet, a fallback is acceptable:
 
 - publish stable
 - create a minimal GitHub Release
-- update `releases/vYYYY.M.D.md` immediately afterward
+- update `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md` immediately afterward
 
 But the better steady-state is to have the stable notes committed before stable publish.
 
@@ -268,13 +269,13 @@ Steps:
 1. checkout the merged `master` commit
 2. run verification on that exact commit
 3. compute canary version for current UTC date
-4. version public packages to `YYYY.M.D-canary.N`
+4. version public packages to `YYYY.MDD.P-canary.N`
 5. publish to npm with dist-tag `canary`
 6. create a canary git tag for traceability
 
 Recommended canary tag format:
 
-- `canary/v2026.3.17-canary.4`
+- `canary/v2026.317.1-canary.4`
 
 Outputs:
 
@@ -299,14 +300,14 @@ Steps:
 
 1. checkout `source_ref`
 2. run verification on that exact commit
-3. compute stable version from UTC date or provided override
-4. fail if `vYYYY.M.D` already exists
-5. require `releases/vYYYY.M.D.md`
-6. version public packages to `YYYY.M.D`
+3. compute the next stable patch slot for the UTC date or provided override
+4. fail if `vYYYY.MDD.P` already exists
+5. require `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md`
+6. version public packages to `YYYY.MDD.P`
 7. publish to npm under `latest`
-8. create git tag `vYYYY.M.D`
+8. create git tag `vYYYY.MDD.P`
 9. push tag
-10. create GitHub Release from `releases/vYYYY.M.D.md`
+10. create GitHub Release from `releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md`
 
 Outputs:
 
@@ -332,8 +333,8 @@ That logic should be replaced with:
 
 For example:
 
-- `stable_version_for_utc_date(2026-03-17) -> 2026.3.17`
-- `next_canary_for_utc_date(2026-03-17) -> 2026.3.17-canary.0`
+- `next_stable_version(2026-03-17) -> 2026.317.0`
+- `next_canary_for_utc_date(2026-03-17) -> 2026.317.0-canary.0`
 
 ### 2. Stop requiring `release/X.Y.Z`
 
@@ -392,19 +393,15 @@ It should continue to:
 
 ## Tradeoffs and Risks
 
-### 1. One stable per UTC day
+### 1. The stable patch slot is now part of the version contract
 
-With plain `YYYY.M.D`, you get one stable release per UTC day.
+With `YYYY.MDD.P`, same-day hotfixes are supported, but the stable patch slot is now part of the visible version format.
 
-That is probably fine, but it is a real product rule.
+That is the right tradeoff because:
 
-If you need multiple same-day stables later, you have three options:
-
-1. accept a less pretty stable format
-2. go back to a serial patch component
-3. keep daily stable cadence and use canaries for same-day fixes
-
-My recommendation is to accept one stable per UTC day unless reality proves otherwise.
+1. npm still gets semver-valid versions
+2. same-day hotfixes stay possible
+3. chronological ordering still works as long as the day is zero-padded inside `MDD`
 
 ### 2. Public package consumers lose semver intent signaling
 
@@ -469,8 +466,8 @@ That is acceptable if canaries stay clearly separate:
 
 Paperclip should adopt this model:
 
-- stable versions: `YYYY.M.D`
-- canary versions: `YYYY.M.D-canary.N`
+- stable versions: `YYYY.MDD.P`
+- canary versions: `YYYY.MDD.P-canary.N`
 - canaries auto-published on every push to `master`
 - stables manually promoted from a chosen tested commit or canary tag
 - no release branches in the default path
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 83de361a..71853b89 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@
     "smoke:openclaw-docker-ui": "./scripts/smoke/openclaw-docker-ui.sh",
     "smoke:openclaw-sse-standalone": "./scripts/smoke/openclaw-sse-standalone.sh",
     "test:e2e": "npx playwright test --config tests/e2e/playwright.config.ts",
-    "test:e2e:headed": "npx playwright test --config tests/e2e/playwright.config.ts --headed"
+    "test:e2e:headed": "npx playwright test --config tests/e2e/playwright.config.ts --headed",
+    "test:release-smoke": "npx playwright test --config tests/release-smoke/playwright.config.ts",
+    "test:release-smoke:headed": "npx playwright test --config tests/release-smoke/playwright.config.ts --headed"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "cross-env": "^10.1.0",
diff --git a/scripts/create-github-release.sh b/scripts/create-github-release.sh
index 6e64bf79..ca7ff8d1 100755
--- a/scripts/create-github-release.sh
+++ b/scripts/create-github-release.sh
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ Usage:
   ./scripts/create-github-release.sh <version> [--dry-run]
 
 Examples:
-  ./scripts/create-github-release.sh 2026.3.17
-  ./scripts/create-github-release.sh 2026.3.17 --dry-run
+  ./scripts/create-github-release.sh 2026.318.0
+  ./scripts/create-github-release.sh 2026.318.0 --dry-run
 
 Notes:
   - Run this after pushing the stable tag.
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ if [ -z "$version" ]; then
 fi
 
 if [[ ! "$version" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
-  echo "Error: version must be a stable calendar version like 2026.3.17." >&2
+  echo "Error: version must be a stable calendar version like 2026.318.0." >&2
   exit 1
 fi
 
diff --git a/scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh b/scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh
index 41c875be..97f6743f 100755
--- a/scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh
+++ b/scripts/docker-onboard-smoke.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ HOST_PORT="${HOST_PORT:-3131}"
 PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION="${PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION:-latest}"
 DATA_DIR="${DATA_DIR:-$REPO_ROOT/data/docker-onboard-smoke}"
 HOST_UID="${HOST_UID:-$(id -u)}"
+SMOKE_DETACH="${SMOKE_DETACH:-false}"
+SMOKE_METADATA_FILE="${SMOKE_METADATA_FILE:-}"
 PAPERCLIP_DEPLOYMENT_MODE="${PAPERCLIP_DEPLOYMENT_MODE:-authenticated}"
 PAPERCLIP_DEPLOYMENT_EXPOSURE="${PAPERCLIP_DEPLOYMENT_EXPOSURE:-private}"
 PAPERCLIP_PUBLIC_URL="${PAPERCLIP_PUBLIC_URL:-http://localhost:${HOST_PORT}}"
@@ -18,6 +20,7 @@ CONTAINER_NAME="${IMAGE_NAME//[^a-zA-Z0-9_.-]/-}"
 LOG_PID=""
 COOKIE_JAR=""
 TMP_DIR=""
+PRESERVE_CONTAINER_ON_EXIT="false"
 
 mkdir -p "$DATA_DIR"
 
@@ -25,7 +28,9 @@ cleanup() {
   if [[ -n "$LOG_PID" ]]; then
     kill "$LOG_PID" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
   fi
-  docker stop "$CONTAINER_NAME" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  if [[ "$PRESERVE_CONTAINER_ON_EXIT" != "true" ]]; then
+    docker stop "$CONTAINER_NAME" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  fi
   if [[ -n "$TMP_DIR" && -d "$TMP_DIR" ]]; then
     rm -rf "$TMP_DIR"
   fi
@@ -33,6 +38,12 @@ cleanup() {
 
 trap cleanup EXIT INT TERM
 
+container_is_running() {
+  local running
+  running="$(docker inspect -f '{{.State.Running}}' "$CONTAINER_NAME" 2>/dev/null || true)"
+  [[ "$running" == "true" ]]
+}
+
 wait_for_http() {
   local url="$1"
   local attempts="${2:-60}"
@@ -42,11 +53,36 @@ wait_for_http() {
     if curl -fsS "$url" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
       return 0
     fi
+    if ! container_is_running; then
+      echo "Smoke bootstrap failed: container $CONTAINER_NAME exited before $url became ready" >&2
+      docker logs "$CONTAINER_NAME" >&2 || true
+      return 1
+    fi
     sleep "$sleep_seconds"
   done
+  if ! container_is_running; then
+    echo "Smoke bootstrap failed: container $CONTAINER_NAME exited before readiness check completed" >&2
+    docker logs "$CONTAINER_NAME" >&2 || true
+  fi
   return 1
 }
 
+write_metadata_file() {
+  if [[ -z "$SMOKE_METADATA_FILE" ]]; then
+    return 0
+  fi
+  mkdir -p "$(dirname "$SMOKE_METADATA_FILE")"
+  {
+    printf 'SMOKE_BASE_URL=%q\n' "$PAPERCLIP_PUBLIC_URL"
+    printf 'SMOKE_ADMIN_EMAIL=%q\n' "$SMOKE_ADMIN_EMAIL"
+    printf 'SMOKE_ADMIN_PASSWORD=%q\n' "$SMOKE_ADMIN_PASSWORD"
+    printf 'SMOKE_CONTAINER_NAME=%q\n' "$CONTAINER_NAME"
+    printf 'SMOKE_DATA_DIR=%q\n' "$DATA_DIR"
+    printf 'SMOKE_IMAGE_NAME=%q\n' "$IMAGE_NAME"
+    printf 'SMOKE_PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION=%q\n' "$PAPERCLIPAI_VERSION"
+  } >"$SMOKE_METADATA_FILE"
+}
+
 generate_bootstrap_invite_url() {
   local bootstrap_output
   local bootstrap_status
@@ -214,9 +250,12 @@ echo "==> Running onboard smoke container"
 echo "    UI should be reachable at: http://localhost:$HOST_PORT"
 echo "    Public URL: $PAPERCLIP_PUBLIC_URL"
 echo "    Smoke auto-bootstrap: $SMOKE_AUTO_BOOTSTRAP"
+echo "    Detached mode: $SMOKE_DETACH"
 echo "    Data dir: $DATA_DIR"
 echo "    Deployment: $PAPERCLIP_DEPLOYMENT_MODE/$PAPERCLIP_DEPLOYMENT_EXPOSURE"
-echo "    Live output: onboard banner and server logs stream in this terminal (Ctrl+C to stop)"
+if [[ "$SMOKE_DETACH" != "true" ]]; then
+  echo "    Live output: onboard banner and server logs stream in this terminal (Ctrl+C to stop)"
+fi
 
 docker rm -f "$CONTAINER_NAME" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
 
@@ -231,8 +270,10 @@ docker run -d --rm \
   -v "$DATA_DIR:/paperclip" \
   "$IMAGE_NAME" >/dev/null
 
-docker logs -f "$CONTAINER_NAME" &
-LOG_PID=$!
+if [[ "$SMOKE_DETACH" != "true" ]]; then
+  docker logs -f "$CONTAINER_NAME" &
+  LOG_PID=$!
+fi
 
 TMP_DIR="$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/paperclip-onboard-smoke.XXXXXX")"
 COOKIE_JAR="$TMP_DIR/cookies.txt"
@@ -246,4 +287,17 @@ if [[ "$SMOKE_AUTO_BOOTSTRAP" == "true" && "$PAPERCLIP_DEPLOYMENT_MODE" == "auth
   auto_bootstrap_authenticated_smoke
 fi
 
+write_metadata_file
+
+if [[ "$SMOKE_DETACH" == "true" ]]; then
+  PRESERVE_CONTAINER_ON_EXIT="true"
+  echo "==> Smoke container ready for automation"
+  echo "    Smoke base URL: $PAPERCLIP_PUBLIC_URL"
+  echo "    Smoke admin credentials: $SMOKE_ADMIN_EMAIL / $SMOKE_ADMIN_PASSWORD"
+  if [[ -n "$SMOKE_METADATA_FILE" ]]; then
+    echo "    Smoke metadata file: $SMOKE_METADATA_FILE"
+  fi
+  exit 0
+fi
+
 wait "$LOG_PID"
diff --git a/scripts/release-lib.sh b/scripts/release-lib.sh
index f3cb357d..bfde8040 100644
--- a/scripts/release-lib.sh
+++ b/scripts/release-lib.sh
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ get_current_stable_version() {
   fi
 }
 
-stable_version_for_date() {
+stable_version_slot_for_date() {
   node - "${1:-}" <<'NODE'
 const input = process.argv[2];
 
@@ -117,7 +117,10 @@ if (Number.isNaN(date.getTime())) {
   process.exit(1);
 }
 
-process.stdout.write(`${date.getUTCFullYear()}.${date.getUTCMonth() + 1}.${date.getUTCDate()}`);
+const month = String(date.getUTCMonth() + 1);
+const day = String(date.getUTCDate()).padStart(2, '0');
+
+process.stdout.write(`${date.getUTCFullYear()}.${month}${day}`);
 NODE
 }
 
@@ -131,6 +134,53 @@ process.stdout.write(`${y}-${m}-${d}`);
 NODE
 }
 
+next_stable_version() {
+  local release_date="$1"
+  shift
+
+  node - "$release_date" "$@" <<'NODE'
+const input = process.argv[2];
+const packageNames = process.argv.slice(3);
+const { execSync } = require("node:child_process");
+
+const date = input ? new Date(`${input}T00:00:00Z`) : new Date();
+if (Number.isNaN(date.getTime())) {
+  console.error(`invalid date: ${input}`);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+const stableSlot = `${date.getUTCFullYear()}.${date.getUTCMonth() + 1}${String(date.getUTCDate()).padStart(2, "0")}`;
+const pattern = new RegExp(`^${stableSlot.replace(/\./g, '\\.')}\.(\\d+)$`);
+let max = -1;
+
+for (const packageName of packageNames) {
+  let versions = [];
+
+  try {
+    const raw = execSync(`npm view ${JSON.stringify(packageName)} versions --json`, {
+      encoding: "utf8",
+      stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "ignore"],
+    }).trim();
+
+    if (raw) {
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(raw);
+      versions = Array.isArray(parsed) ? parsed : [parsed];
+    }
+  } catch {
+    versions = [];
+  }
+
+  for (const version of versions) {
+    const match = version.match(pattern);
+    if (!match) continue;
+    max = Math.max(max, Number(match[1]));
+  }
+}
+
+process.stdout.write(`${stableSlot}.${max + 1}`);
+NODE
+}
+
 next_canary_version() {
   local stable_version="$1"
   shift
@@ -159,7 +209,7 @@ for (const packageName of packageNames) {
   } catch {
     versions = [];
   }
-
+ 
   for (const version of versions) {
     const match = version.match(pattern);
     if (!match) continue;
diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
index 4ce16e8e..6a726896 100755
--- a/scripts/release.sh
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ channel=""
 release_date=""
 dry_run=false
 skip_verify=false
+print_version_only=false
 tag_name=""
 
 cleanup_on_exit=false
@@ -17,20 +18,23 @@ cleanup_on_exit=false
 usage() {
   cat <<'EOF'
 Usage:
-  ./scripts/release.sh <canary|stable> [--date YYYY-MM-DD] [--dry-run] [--skip-verify]
+  ./scripts/release.sh <canary|stable> [--date YYYY-MM-DD] [--dry-run] [--skip-verify] [--print-version]
 
 Examples:
   ./scripts/release.sh canary
   ./scripts/release.sh canary --date 2026-03-17 --dry-run
   ./scripts/release.sh stable
   ./scripts/release.sh stable --date 2026-03-17 --dry-run
+  ./scripts/release.sh stable --date 2026-03-18 --print-version
 
 Notes:
-  - Canary releases publish YYYY.M.D-canary.N under the npm dist-tag "canary"
-    and create the git tag canary/vYYYY.M.D-canary.N.
-  - Stable releases publish YYYY.M.D under the npm dist-tag "latest" and create
-    the git tag vYYYY.M.D.
-  - Stable release notes must already exist at releases/vYYYY.M.D.md.
+  - Stable versions use YYYY.MDD.P, where M is the UTC month, DD is the
+    zero-padded UTC day, and P is the same-day stable patch slot.
+  - Canary releases publish YYYY.MDD.P-canary.N under the npm dist-tag
+    "canary" and create the git tag canary/vYYYY.MDD.P-canary.N.
+  - Stable releases publish YYYY.MDD.P under the npm dist-tag "latest" and
+    create the git tag vYYYY.MDD.P.
+  - Stable release notes must already exist at releases/vYYYY.MDD.P.md.
   - The script rewrites versions temporarily and restores the working tree on
     exit. Tags always point at the original source commit, not a generated
     release commit.
@@ -94,6 +98,7 @@ while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
       ;;
     --dry-run) dry_run=true ;;
     --skip-verify) skip_verify=true ;;
+    --print-version) print_version_only=true ;;
     -h|--help)
       usage
       exit 0
@@ -118,15 +123,20 @@ CURRENT_SHA="$(git -C "$REPO_ROOT" rev-parse HEAD)"
 LAST_STABLE_TAG="$(get_last_stable_tag)"
 CURRENT_STABLE_VERSION="$(get_current_stable_version)"
 RELEASE_DATE="${release_date:-$(utc_date_iso)}"
-TARGET_STABLE_VERSION="$(stable_version_for_date "$RELEASE_DATE")"
-TARGET_PUBLISH_VERSION="$TARGET_STABLE_VERSION"
-DIST_TAG="latest"
 
 PUBLIC_PACKAGE_INFO="$(list_public_package_info)"
-mapfile -t PUBLIC_PACKAGE_NAMES < <(printf '%s\n' "$PUBLIC_PACKAGE_INFO" | cut -f2)
+PUBLIC_PACKAGE_NAMES=()
+while IFS= read -r package_name; do
+  [ -n "$package_name" ] || continue
+  PUBLIC_PACKAGE_NAMES+=("$package_name")
+done < <(printf '%s\n' "$PUBLIC_PACKAGE_INFO" | cut -f2)
 
 [ -n "$PUBLIC_PACKAGE_INFO" ] || release_fail "no public packages were found in the workspace."
 
+TARGET_STABLE_VERSION="$(next_stable_version "$RELEASE_DATE" "${PUBLIC_PACKAGE_NAMES[@]}")"
+TARGET_PUBLISH_VERSION="$TARGET_STABLE_VERSION"
+DIST_TAG="latest"
+
 if [ "$channel" = "canary" ]; then
   require_on_master_branch
   TARGET_PUBLISH_VERSION="$(next_canary_version "$TARGET_STABLE_VERSION" "${PUBLIC_PACKAGE_NAMES[@]}")"
@@ -136,6 +146,11 @@ else
   tag_name="$(stable_tag_name "$TARGET_STABLE_VERSION")"
 fi
 
+if [ "$print_version_only" = true ]; then
+  printf '%s\n' "$TARGET_PUBLISH_VERSION"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
 NOTES_FILE="$(release_notes_file "$TARGET_STABLE_VERSION")"
 
 require_clean_worktree
diff --git a/scripts/rollback-latest.sh b/scripts/rollback-latest.sh
index 7623f530..b249ccab 100755
--- a/scripts/rollback-latest.sh
+++ b/scripts/rollback-latest.sh
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ Usage:
   ./scripts/rollback-latest.sh <stable-version> [--dry-run]
 
 Examples:
-  ./scripts/rollback-latest.sh 2026.3.17
-  ./scripts/rollback-latest.sh 2026.3.17 --dry-run
+  ./scripts/rollback-latest.sh 2026.318.0
+  ./scripts/rollback-latest.sh 2026.318.0 --dry-run
 
 Notes:
   - This repoints the npm dist-tag "latest" for every public package.
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ if [ -z "$version" ]; then
 fi
 
 if [[ ! "$version" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
-  echo "Error: version must be a stable calendar version like 2026.3.17." >&2
+  echo "Error: version must be a stable calendar version like 2026.318.0." >&2
   exit 1
 fi
 
diff --git a/tests/release-smoke/docker-auth-onboarding.spec.ts b/tests/release-smoke/docker-auth-onboarding.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..068c4234
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/release-smoke/docker-auth-onboarding.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+import { expect, test, type Page } from "@playwright/test";
+
+const ADMIN_EMAIL =
+  process.env.PAPERCLIP_RELEASE_SMOKE_EMAIL ??
+  process.env.SMOKE_ADMIN_EMAIL ??
+  "smoke-admin@paperclip.local";
+const ADMIN_PASSWORD =
+  process.env.PAPERCLIP_RELEASE_SMOKE_PASSWORD ??
+  process.env.SMOKE_ADMIN_PASSWORD ??
+  "paperclip-smoke-password";
+
+const COMPANY_NAME = `Release-Smoke-${Date.now()}`;
+const AGENT_NAME = "CEO";
+const TASK_TITLE = "Release smoke task";
+
+async function signIn(page: Page) {
+  await page.goto("/");
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/auth/);
+
+  await page.locator('input[type="email"]').fill(ADMIN_EMAIL);
+  await page.locator('input[type="password"]').fill(ADMIN_PASSWORD);
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Sign In" }).click();
+
+  await expect(page).not.toHaveURL(/\/auth/, { timeout: 20_000 });
+}
+
+async function openOnboarding(page: Page) {
+  const wizardHeading = page.locator("h3", { hasText: "Name your company" });
+  const startButton = page.getByRole("button", { name: "Start Onboarding" });
+
+  await expect(wizardHeading.or(startButton)).toBeVisible({ timeout: 20_000 });
+
+  if (await startButton.isVisible()) {
+    await startButton.click();
+  }
+
+  await expect(wizardHeading).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10_000 });
+}
+
+test.describe("Docker authenticated onboarding smoke", () => {
+  test("logs in, completes onboarding, and triggers the first CEO run", async ({
+    page,
+  }) => {
+    await signIn(page);
+    await openOnboarding(page);
+
+    await page.locator('input[placeholder="Acme Corp"]').fill(COMPANY_NAME);
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Next" }).click();
+
+    await expect(
+      page.locator("h3", { hasText: "Create your first agent" })
+    ).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10_000 });
+
+    await expect(page.locator('input[placeholder="CEO"]')).toHaveValue(AGENT_NAME);
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Process" }).click();
+    await page.locator('input[placeholder="e.g. node, python"]').fill("echo");
+    await page
+      .locator('input[placeholder="e.g. script.js, --flag"]')
+      .fill("release smoke");
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Next" }).click();
+
+    await expect(
+      page.locator("h3", { hasText: "Give it something to do" })
+    ).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10_000 });
+    await page
+      .locator('input[placeholder="e.g. Research competitor pricing"]')
+      .fill(TASK_TITLE);
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Next" }).click();
+
+    await expect(
+      page.locator("h3", { hasText: "Ready to launch" })
+    ).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10_000 });
+    await expect(page.getByText(COMPANY_NAME)).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByText(AGENT_NAME)).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByText(TASK_TITLE)).toBeVisible();
+
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Create & Open Issue" }).click();
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/issues\//, { timeout: 10_000 });
+
+    const baseUrl = new URL(page.url()).origin;
+
+    const companiesRes = await page.request.get(`${baseUrl}/api/companies`);
+    expect(companiesRes.ok()).toBe(true);
+    const companies = (await companiesRes.json()) as Array<{ id: string; name: string }>;
+    const company = companies.find((entry) => entry.name === COMPANY_NAME);
+    expect(company).toBeTruthy();
+
+    const agentsRes = await page.request.get(
+      `${baseUrl}/api/companies/${company!.id}/agents`
+    );
+    expect(agentsRes.ok()).toBe(true);
+    const agents = (await agentsRes.json()) as Array<{
+      id: string;
+      name: string;
+      role: string;
+      adapterType: string;
+    }>;
+    const ceoAgent = agents.find((entry) => entry.name === AGENT_NAME);
+    expect(ceoAgent).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(ceoAgent!.role).toBe("ceo");
+    expect(ceoAgent!.adapterType).toBe("process");
+
+    const issuesRes = await page.request.get(
+      `${baseUrl}/api/companies/${company!.id}/issues`
+    );
+    expect(issuesRes.ok()).toBe(true);
+    const issues = (await issuesRes.json()) as Array<{
+      id: string;
+      title: string;
+      assigneeAgentId: string | null;
+    }>;
+    const issue = issues.find((entry) => entry.title === TASK_TITLE);
+    expect(issue).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(issue!.assigneeAgentId).toBe(ceoAgent!.id);
+
+    await expect.poll(
+      async () => {
+        const runsRes = await page.request.get(
+          `${baseUrl}/api/companies/${company!.id}/heartbeat-runs?agentId=${ceoAgent!.id}`
+        );
+        expect(runsRes.ok()).toBe(true);
+        const runs = (await runsRes.json()) as Array<{
+          agentId: string;
+          invocationSource: string;
+          status: string;
+        }>;
+        const latestRun = runs.find((entry) => entry.agentId === ceoAgent!.id);
+        return latestRun
+          ? {
+              invocationSource: latestRun.invocationSource,
+              status: latestRun.status,
+            }
+          : null;
+      },
+      {
+        timeout: 30_000,
+        intervals: [1_000, 2_000, 5_000],
+      }
+    ).toEqual(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        invocationSource: "assignment",
+        status: expect.stringMatching(/^(queued|running|succeeded)$/),
+      })
+    );
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tests/release-smoke/playwright.config.ts b/tests/release-smoke/playwright.config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..76e278f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/release-smoke/playwright.config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { defineConfig } from "@playwright/test";
+
+const BASE_URL =
+  process.env.PAPERCLIP_RELEASE_SMOKE_BASE_URL ?? "http://127.0.0.1:3232";
+
+export default defineConfig({
+  testDir: ".",
+  testMatch: "**/*.spec.ts",
+  timeout: 90_000,
+  expect: {
+    timeout: 15_000,
+  },
+  retries: process.env.CI ? 1 : 0,
+  use: {
+    baseURL: BASE_URL,
+    headless: true,
+    screenshot: "only-on-failure",
+    trace: "retain-on-failure",
+  },
+  projects: [
+    {
+      name: "chromium",
+      use: { browserName: "chromium" },
+    },
+  ],
+  outputDir: "./test-results",
+  reporter: [["list"], ["html", { open: "never", outputFolder: "./playwright-report" }]],
+});