diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d0940c86a6..03c72b2184 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@
     "build": "node scripts/build/build-next-isolated.mjs",
     "build:secure": "OMNIROUTE_BUILD_PROFILE=minimal node scripts/build/build-next-isolated.mjs",
     "build:cli": "node --import tsx scripts/build/prepublish.ts",
+    "build:release": "rm -rf .build dist && OMNIROUTE_BUILD_SHA=$(git rev-parse --short HEAD) npm run build && npm run build:cli && node scripts/build/write-build-sha.mjs",
     "start": "node scripts/dev/run-next.mjs start",
     "lint": "eslint .",
     "electron:dev": "concurrently \"npm run dev\" \"wait-on http://localhost:20128 && cd electron && npm run dev\"",
diff --git a/scripts/build/pack-artifact-policy.ts b/scripts/build/pack-artifact-policy.ts
index c166d3482c..3a89534572 100644
--- a/scripts/build/pack-artifact-policy.ts
+++ b/scripts/build/pack-artifact-policy.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ export const APP_STAGING_REMOVAL_PATHS: string[] = [
 
 export const APP_STAGING_ALLOWED_EXACT_PATHS: string[] = [
   ".env.example",
+  "BUILD_SHA",
   "docs/reference/openapi.yaml",
   "open-sse/mcp-server/server.js",
   "package.json",
diff --git a/scripts/build/write-build-sha.mjs b/scripts/build/write-build-sha.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a740b472c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/build/write-build-sha.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+
+/**
+ * write-build-sha.mjs — HEAD sentinel guard for OmniRoute release builds.
+ *
+ * Writes OMNIROUTE_BUILD_SHA (or git rev-parse --short HEAD) into:
+ *   - dist/BUILD_SHA
+ *   - .build/next/standalone/BUILD_SHA  (present after `npm run build`)
+ *
+ * Exits 1 if the standalone directory does not exist, which guards against
+ * stale-cache shipping where a previous build artifact is accidentally published
+ * without a fresh `next build`.
+ *
+ * Usage: node scripts/build/write-build-sha.mjs
+ * Called by: npm run build:release (after npm run build)
+ */
+
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import { dirname } from "node:path";
+
+const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+const ROOT = path.resolve(__dirname, "..", "..");
+
+// Resolve the build SHA: prefer the env var (set by build:release script), fall
+// back to running git rev-parse.
+function resolveBuildSha() {
+  if (process.env.OMNIROUTE_BUILD_SHA) {
+    return process.env.OMNIROUTE_BUILD_SHA.trim();
+  }
+  try {
+    return execFileSync("git", ["rev-parse", "--short", "HEAD"], {
+      cwd: ROOT,
+      encoding: "utf8",
+    }).trim();
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error("[write-build-sha] Could not determine build SHA:", err.message);
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+}
+
+const sha = resolveBuildSha();
+const NEXT_DIST = process.env.NEXT_DIST_DIR || ".build/next";
+const standaloneDir = path.join(ROOT, NEXT_DIST, "standalone");
+const distDir = path.join(ROOT, "dist");
+
+// Guard: standalone must exist (ensures build:release runs after npm run build)
+if (!fs.existsSync(standaloneDir)) {
+  console.error(
+    `[write-build-sha] FATAL: standalone dir not found: ${standaloneDir}\n` +
+      `  Run \`npm run build\` before \`npm run build:release\`.`
+  );
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+// Write sentinel to the standalone dir (Docker/dev path)
+const standaloneSentinel = path.join(standaloneDir, "BUILD_SHA");
+fs.writeFileSync(standaloneSentinel, sha + "\n");
+console.log(`[write-build-sha] Written ${sha} -> ${path.relative(ROOT, standaloneSentinel)}`);
+
+// Write sentinel to dist/ (npm publish path) if it exists
+if (fs.existsSync(distDir)) {
+  const distSentinel = path.join(distDir, "BUILD_SHA");
+  fs.writeFileSync(distSentinel, sha + "\n");
+  console.log(`[write-build-sha] Written ${sha} -> ${path.relative(ROOT, distSentinel)}`);
+}
+
+console.log(`[write-build-sha] Build SHA: ${sha}`);