diff --git a/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
index b945017cc1..c34dd6e014 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
@@ -23,11 +23,12 @@ on:
           - next
           - historic
       publish_mode:
-        description: "staged = npm stage publish (owner approves with 2FA after the staged boot-verify); direct = legacy immediate publish (emergency fallback only)"
+        description: "auto = publish through npm Trusted Publishing (OIDC, no token, no 2FA prompt — the default); staged = npm stage publish (owner approves with 2FA); direct = legacy token publish (emergency fallback only)"
         required: false
-        default: "staged"
+        default: "auto"
         type: choice
         options:
+          - auto
           - staged
           - direct
   workflow_call:
@@ -407,8 +408,34 @@ jobs:
           fi
           npm --version
 
+      # Trusted Publishing (OIDC): npm mints a short-lived credential for THIS run from
+      # GitHub's id-token — no NPM_TOKEN secret, no 2FA prompt, provenance included, and
+      # it is the bypass npm sanctions now that tokens which skip 2FA are being retired
+      # (gh.io/npm-gat-bypass2fa-deprecation). Requires the package's Trusted Publisher to
+      # be configured on npmjs.com (owner: diegosouzapw/OmniRoute, workflow
+      # npm-publish.yml) and a github-hosted runner — which is why this job exists.
+      # Without that configuration `npm publish` fails with ENEEDAUTH: re-dispatch with
+      # publish_mode=staged or direct. Automatic publishing was the flow up to v3.8.48;
+      # v3.8.49 moved to staged (WS1.3) to keep a leaked token from publishing alone —
+      # OIDC gives the same guarantee without the manual approve.
+      - name: Publish to npm (Trusted Publishing / OIDC — automatic)
+        if: github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' || inputs.publish_mode == 'auto'
+        env:
+          VERSION: ${{ needs.publish.outputs.version }}
+          TAG: ${{ needs.publish.outputs.tag }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          TARBALL="omniroute-${VERSION}.tgz"
+          test -f "$TARBALL" || { echo "tarball $TARBALL did not arrive from the publish job" >&2; ls -la; exit 1; }
+          # Deliberately NO NODE_AUTH_TOKEN in this step: npm >= 11.5 detects the GitHub
+          # OIDC token itself. Always pass --tag explicitly (defense in depth: an older
+          # VERSION can never claim `@latest`).
+          npm publish "$TARBALL" --provenance --access public --tag "$TAG" --ignore-scripts
+          echo "✅ Published omniroute@$VERSION (dist-tag=$TAG) via Trusted Publishing"
+
       - name: Publish to npm (staged — owner approves with 2FA)
-        if: github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' || inputs.publish_mode != 'direct'
+        # Only on an explicit request now: Trusted Publishing below is the default.
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.publish_mode == 'staged'
         env:
           VERSION: ${{ needs.publish.outputs.version }}
           TAG: ${{ needs.publish.outputs.tag }}
diff --git a/changelog.d/features/npm-trusted-publishing-oidc.md b/changelog.d/features/npm-trusted-publishing-oidc.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8452c0c0b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/features/npm-trusted-publishing-oidc.md
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+- The npm publish is automatic again, through npm Trusted Publishing (OIDC): the hosted
+  `stage-npm` job publishes with a short-lived credential minted from GitHub's id-token —
+  no `NPM_TOKEN`, no 2FA prompt, provenance attached. `publish_mode=staged` (owner
+  approves with 2FA) and `direct` (token) remain available on `workflow_dispatch`.
diff --git a/docs/ops/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md b/docs/ops/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md
index dfa96d53ee..53fa6bb733 100644
--- a/docs/ops/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md
+++ b/docs/ops/RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 ---
 title: "Release Checklist"
-version: 3.8.40
-lastUpdated: 2026-06-28
+version: 3.8.51
+lastUpdated: 2026-08-28
 ---
 
 # Release Checklist
 
-> **Last updated:** 2026-06-28 — v3.8.40
+> **Last updated:** 2026-08-28 — v3.8.51
 > Streamlined release flow that leverages Claude Code skills for automation.
 >
 > **Keep the queue/branch green between releases:** see [RELEASE_GREEN.md](./RELEASE_GREEN.md)
@@ -37,7 +37,21 @@ npm run test:e2e           # optional but recommended
 /capture-release-evidences-cc
 ```
 
-## npm Staged Publishing (default since v3.8.49 — WS1.3/D2)
+## npm Trusted Publishing (default since v3.8.51) — staged on request, direct as fallback
+
+`npm-publish.yml` publishes through **npm Trusted Publishing (OIDC)** by default: the
+`stage-npm` job (github-hosted) exchanges GitHub's id-token for a short-lived npm
+credential for that run — no long-lived npm token in the repository secrets, no 2FA prompt, provenance attached.
+That is the bypass npm sanctions now that tokens which skip 2FA are being retired;
+it restores the fully automatic flow the project had up to v3.8.48 while keeping the
+WS1.3 guarantee (a leaked token cannot publish alone — there is no token).
+
+**One-time setup (owner):** npmjs.com → package `omniroute` → Settings → *Trusted
+Publisher* → GitHub: owner `diegosouzapw`, repo `OmniRoute`, workflow `npm-publish.yml`
+(environment: none). Until that exists, the automatic step fails with `ENEEDAUTH`:
+re-dispatch with `publish_mode=staged` (below) or `direct`.
+
+### Staged publishing (on request — `publish_mode=staged`)
 
 The npm-publish workflow no longer publishes directly: it boots the packed tarball
 (`check:pack-boot`) and then runs `npm stage publish` — the exact bytes are parked on