diff --git a/.changeset/README.md b/.changeset/README.md
index e8a9155..0c591c3 100644
--- a/.changeset/README.md
+++ b/.changeset/README.md
@@ -6,4 +6,6 @@ Add a changeset with:
 vp exec changeset
 ```
 
-Merging the resulting release PR on `main` is what triggers the publish workflow.
+Merging the resulting release PR on `main` makes the publish workflow stage the
+new version on npm. It goes public once a maintainer approves it with
+`npm stage approve <stage-id>` (2FA), using the stage ID from the workflow log.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 784b3f6..2b55fa1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -76,5 +76,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Validate release
         run: pnpm run release:check
 
-      - name: Publish to npm
-        run: pnpm run release
+      - name: Stage on npm
+        run: |
+          version="$(node -p "require('./package.json').version")"
+          if [ -n "$(npm view "obsidian-e2e@$version" version 2>/dev/null)" ]; then
+            echo "obsidian-e2e@$version is already published"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          pnpm run release
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 054a724..96b0fa8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -896,12 +896,15 @@ At a high level:
   `.obsidian-e2e-artifacts` so maintainers can inspect the same failure
   snapshots produced locally.
 - Releases go through Changesets PRs. Merge the version PR that
-  Changesets opens, then let the release workflow publish to npm.
+  Changesets opens, and the release workflow stages the version on npm. It
+  goes public once a maintainer approves it with `npm stage approve
+  <stage-id>` (2FA).
 
 Maintainer setup notes:
 
 - Configure npm trusted publishing for this package and repository so the
-  GitHub release workflow can publish without a long-lived npm token.
+  GitHub release workflow can stage releases without a long-lived npm token.
+  Allow only `npm stage publish` on the trusted publisher, not `npm publish`.
 - Grant the publish job `id-token: write` so GitHub can mint the OIDC token npm
   expects, and keep the release workflow permissions aligned with the write
   actions it needs, such as `contents: write` and `pull-requests: write` for
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5b553bb..20eab09 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     "url": "git+https://github.com/chhoumann/obsidian-e2e.git"
   },
   "bin": {
-    "obsidian-e2e": "./dist/runner/bin.mjs"
+    "obsidian-e2e": "dist/runner/bin.mjs"
   },
   "files": [
     "dist"
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
     "check": "vp check",
     "changeset": "changeset",
     "dev": "vp pack --watch",
-    "release": "changeset publish",
+    "release": "npm stage publish --provenance",
     "release:check": "vp check && vp test && vp pack",
     "test": "vp test",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",