diff --git a/bazel/certs/README.md b/bazel/certs/README.md
index a2bc623c1f..0d7bb804d9 100644
--- a/bazel/certs/README.md
+++ b/bazel/certs/README.md
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ By default, `generated_certs` derives the year hermetically from the
 `bazel-out/volatile-status.txt` for stamped builds (`stamp = 1`, set
 automatically by the macro). No consumer configuration is required.
 
+Year selection runs in a separate stamped action. Certificate generation
+consumes only the selected year, so unrelated workspace status changes do
+not invalidate cached fixtures or their dependent compilation actions.
+
 Workspaces that want to pin the year from their own
 `workspace_status_command` may use `year_status_key` as an optional override
 by emitting a line of the form:
diff --git a/bazel/certs/certs.bzl b/bazel/certs/certs.bzl
index cc068a408b..b2ff1dab42 100644
--- a/bazel/certs/certs.bzl
+++ b/bazel/certs/certs.bzl
@@ -69,10 +69,10 @@ def generated_certs(
     """
     gen_label = str(Label(str(gen)))
 
+    year_srcs = []
     if year != None:
         year_cmd = "YEAR=\"" + str(year) + "\";"
         year_arg = "\"" + str(year) + "\""
-        stamp = 0
     else:
         year_cmd = " ".join([
             "YEAR=$$(sed -n -E 's/^" + year_status_key + " ([0-9]{4})$$/\\1/p' bazel-out/stable-status.txt 2>/dev/null);",
@@ -82,12 +82,28 @@ def generated_certs(
             "fi;",
             "if [ -z \"$$YEAR\" ]; then YEAR=$$(date -u +%Y); fi;",
         ])
-        year_arg = "\"$$YEAR\""
-        stamp = 1
+
+        # Only the selected year affects certificates. Keep unrelated status
+        # changes (including BUILD_TIMESTAMP) out of certificate action inputs.
+        year_file = name + "_epoch_year.txt"
+        native.genrule(
+            name = name + "_epoch_year",
+            outs = [year_file],
+            cmd = year_cmd + " printf '%s\\n' \"$$YEAR\" > $@",
+            # Undocumented attr to depend on the workspace status files; see
+            # https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel/issues/4942
+            stamp = 1,
+            testonly = testonly,
+            tags = tags,
+            visibility = visibility,
+        )
+        year_srcs = [year_file]
+        year_cmd = ""
+        year_arg = "\"$$(cat $(location " + year_file + "))\""
 
     native.genrule(
         name = name + "_gen",
-        srcs = [spec] + srcs,
+        srcs = [spec] + srcs + year_srcs,
         outs = outs,
         cmd = " ".join([
             year_cmd,
@@ -105,9 +121,7 @@ def generated_certs(
             "  exit 1;",
             "fi;",
         ]),
-        # Undocumented attr to depend on the workspace status files; see
-        # https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel/issues/4942
-        stamp = stamp,
+        stamp = 0,
         testonly = testonly,
         tags = tags,
         tools = [gen_label],
diff --git a/bazel/certs/test/BUILD b/bazel/certs/test/BUILD
index 202b6f229a..da89f4ca28 100644
--- a/bazel/certs/test/BUILD
+++ b/bazel/certs/test/BUILD
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 load("@rules_shell//shell:sh_test.bzl", "sh_test")
 load("//certs:certs.bzl", "generated_certs")
-load(":certs_analysis_test.bzl", "command_test", "files_test")
+load(":certs_analysis_test.bzl", "command_test", "files_test", "inputs_test")
 
 generated_certs(
     name = "generated",
@@ -125,22 +125,51 @@ command_test(
 
 command_test(
     name = "stamped_command_test",
-    target_under_test = ":stamped_gen",
+    target_under_test = ":stamped_epoch_year",
     expected = "STABLE_CERT_EPOCH_YEAR",
 )
 
 command_test(
     name = "build_timestamp_command_test",
-    target_under_test = ":stamped_gen",
+    target_under_test = ":stamped_epoch_year",
     expected = "BUILD_TIMESTAMP",
 )
 
 command_test(
     name = "custom_status_command_test",
-    target_under_test = ":custom_status_gen",
+    target_under_test = ":custom_status_epoch_year",
     expected = "CUSTOM_CERT_YEAR",
 )
 
+inputs_test(
+    name = "year_status_inputs_test",
+    expected = [
+        "stable-status.txt",
+        "volatile-status.txt",
+    ],
+    target_under_test = ":stamped_epoch_year",
+)
+
+inputs_test(
+    name = "certificate_inputs_test",
+    expected = ["stamped_epoch_year.txt"],
+    forbidden = [
+        "stable-status.txt",
+        "volatile-status.txt",
+    ],
+    target_under_test = ":stamped_gen",
+)
+
+inputs_test(
+    name = "pinned_inputs_test",
+    forbidden = [
+        "stable-status.txt",
+        "volatile-status.txt",
+        "generated_epoch_year.txt",
+    ],
+    target_under_test = ":generated_gen",
+)
+
 files_test(
     name = "runtime_filegroup_test",
     target_under_test = ":generated",
diff --git a/bazel/certs/test/certs_analysis_test.bzl b/bazel/certs/test/certs_analysis_test.bzl
index 3cbf6d2ae8..e761fa65b8 100644
--- a/bazel/certs/test/certs_analysis_test.bzl
+++ b/bazel/certs/test/certs_analysis_test.bzl
@@ -20,6 +20,25 @@ command_test = analysistest.make(
     attrs = {"expected": attr.string(mandatory = True)},
 )
 
+def _inputs_test_impl(ctx):
+    env = analysistest.begin(ctx)
+    actions = [action for action in analysistest.target_actions(env) if action.mnemonic == "Genrule"]
+    asserts.equals(env, 1, len(actions))
+    inputs = [f.basename for f in actions[0].inputs.to_list()]
+    for name in ctx.attr.expected:
+        asserts.true(env, name in inputs, "missing input: " + name)
+    for name in ctx.attr.forbidden:
+        asserts.false(env, name in inputs, "unexpected input: " + name)
+    return analysistest.end(env)
+
+inputs_test = analysistest.make(
+    _inputs_test_impl,
+    attrs = {
+        "expected": attr.string_list(),
+        "forbidden": attr.string_list(),
+    },
+)
+
 def _files_test_impl(ctx):
     env = analysistest.begin(ctx)
     files = sorted([