diff --git a/.github/workflows/governance-read-preflight.yml b/.github/workflows/governance-read-preflight.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..db1f40b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/governance-read-preflight.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+name: Governance Read-only Credential Preflight
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    paths:
+      - .github/workflows/governance-read-preflight.yml
+      - scripts/release/governance-read-preflight.cjs
+      - tests/release/governance-read-preflight.test.js
+  push:
+    branches: [main]
+    paths:
+      - .github/workflows/governance-read-preflight.yml
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  contract-tests:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          submodules: false
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: '24.19.0'
+      - run: node --test tests/release/governance-read-preflight.test.js
+
+  verify-private-read:
+    if: github.event_name != 'pull_request' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
+    needs: contract-tests
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 3
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          submodules: false
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: '24.19.0'
+      - name: Probe private governance read access without displaying credential
+        env:
+          CORTEX_GOVERNANCE_READ_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CORTEX_GOVERNANCE_READ_TOKEN }}
+          CORTEX_AUTO_RELEASE_ENABLED: ${{ vars.CORTEX_AUTO_RELEASE_ENABLED }}
+        run: node scripts/release/governance-read-preflight.cjs
diff --git a/scripts/release/governance-read-preflight.cjs b/scripts/release/governance-read-preflight.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a6638397
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/release/governance-read-preflight.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+"use strict";
+const records = [
+  ["decisions/D-release-1.15.0-eca99a7c.json","decision_id","D-release-1.15.0-eca99a7c"],
+  ["waitpoints/WP-release-1.15.0-eca99a7c.json","waitpoint_id","WP-release-1.15.0-eca99a7c"]
+];
+class PreflightError extends Error {
+  constructor(code){ super("GOVERNANCE_READ_PREFLIGHT_BLOCKED: "+code); this.code=code; }
+}
+async function probe(token, requester=fetch) {
+  if (!token || typeof token !== "string") throw new PreflightError("SECRET_MISSING");
+  for (const [file,field,expected] of records) {
+    let response;
+    try {
+      response = await requester("https://api.github.com/repos/Kucell/cortex-agent-agent/contents/"+file+"?ref=main",{
+        headers:{
+          Authorization:"Bearer "+token,
+          Accept:"application/vnd.github+json",
+          "X-GitHub-Api-Version":"2022-11-28"
+        },
+        redirect:"error",
+        signal:AbortSignal.timeout(10000)
+      });
+    } catch (_) { throw new PreflightError("PRIVATE_API_UNAVAILABLE"); }
+    if (!response || !response.ok) throw new PreflightError("PRIVATE_CONTENT_READ_DENIED");
+    let data;
+    try {
+      const payload=await response.json();
+      if (payload.type!=="file" || payload.encoding!=="base64" || typeof payload.content!=="string") throw Error();
+      data=JSON.parse(Buffer.from(payload.content,"base64").toString("utf8"));
+    } catch (_) { throw new PreflightError("PRIVATE_CONTENT_UNREADABLE"); }
+    if (!data || data[field]!==expected) throw new PreflightError("RECORD_ID_MISMATCH");
+  }
+  return {read_only_access_verified:true,record_count:records.length};
+}
+async function main() {
+  if (process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY!=="Kucell/cortex-agent" ||
+      process.env.GITHUB_REF!=="refs/heads/main") throw new PreflightError("MAIN_REQUIRED");
+  if (process.env.CORTEX_AUTO_RELEASE_ENABLED!=="false") throw new PreflightError("AUTO_PUBLISH_MUST_REMAIN_DISABLED");
+  const result=await probe(process.env.CORTEX_GOVERNANCE_READ_TOKEN);
+  console.log("Private governance read access verified for "+result.record_count+" records; auto publish remains disabled.");
+}
+if(require.main===module) main().catch(e=>{
+  console.error(e instanceof PreflightError?e.message:"GOVERNANCE_READ_PREFLIGHT_BLOCKED: UNKNOWN");
+  process.exitCode=1;
+});
+module.exports={probe,PreflightError};
diff --git a/tests/release/governance-read-preflight.test.js b/tests/release/governance-read-preflight.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5b549a32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/release/governance-read-preflight.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+"use strict";
+const test=require("node:test");
+const assert=require("node:assert/strict");
+const {probe}=require("../../scripts/release/governance-read-preflight.cjs");
+const docs=[
+  {decision_id:"D-release-1.15.0-eca99a7c"},
+  {waitpoint_id:"WP-release-1.15.0-eca99a7c"}
+];
+const response=(record)=>({ok:true,async json(){return {type:"file",encoding:"base64",content:Buffer.from(JSON.stringify(record)).toString("base64")}}});
+test("reads expected immutable historical records without leaking content",async()=>{
+  let index=0;
+  const result=await probe("FAKE_TOKEN",async(url,opts)=>{
+    assert.match(url,/https:\/\/api\.github\.com\/repos\/Kucell\/cortex-agent-agent\/contents\//);
+    assert.equal(opts.redirect,"error");
+    assert.equal(opts.headers.Authorization,"Bearer FAKE_TOKEN");
+    return response(docs[index++]);
+  });
+  assert.equal(index,2);
+  assert.deepEqual(result,{read_only_access_verified:true,record_count:2});
+  assert.doesNotMatch(JSON.stringify(result),/FAKE_TOKEN|D-release-/);
+});
+test("missing secret fails closed",async()=>{
+  await assert.rejects(()=>probe(""),/SECRET_MISSING/);
+});
+test("missing authorization fails closed",async()=>{
+  for(const status of [401,403,404]){
+    await assert.rejects(()=>probe("FAKE",async()=>({ok:false,status})),/PRIVATE_CONTENT_READ_DENIED/);
+  }
+});
+test("invalid or mismatched record fails closed",async()=>{
+  await assert.rejects(()=>probe("FAKE",async()=>response({decision_id:"WRONG"})),/RECORD_ID_MISMATCH/);
+  await assert.rejects(()=>probe("FAKE",async()=>({ok:true,async json(){return {type:"dir"}}})),/PRIVATE_CONTENT_UNREADABLE/);
+});
+test("network error cannot reveal token",async()=>{
+  let error;
+  try{await probe("SECRET_HIDDEN",async()=>{throw Error("SECRET_HIDDEN");});}catch(e){error=e;}
+  assert.equal(error.code,"PRIVATE_API_UNAVAILABLE");
+  assert.doesNotMatch(error.message,/SECRET_HIDDEN/);
+});