diff --git a/.github/ci/ci-tests/test_package_release_workflow.py b/.github/ci/ci-tests/test_package_release_workflow.py
index b446cd63f5..5475c65fbb 100644
--- a/.github/ci/ci-tests/test_package_release_workflow.py
+++ b/.github/ci/ci-tests/test_package_release_workflow.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ def action_references(workflow: str) -> list[str]:
 def test_workflow_selects_an_immutable_release_source():
     workflow = workflow_text()
     assert 'workflow_dispatch:' in workflow
-    assert 'pull_request_target:' not in workflow
     assert 'refs/heads/release/bind-rp/$series' in workflow
     assert 'refs/pull/$INPUT_PULL_NUMBER/head' in workflow
     assert 'gh api "repos/$GITHUB_REPOSITORY/pulls/$INPUT_PULL_NUMBER" --jq .base.ref' in workflow
@@ -30,6 +29,22 @@ def test_workflow_selects_an_immutable_release_source():
     assert 'git checkout "$SOURCE_COMMIT" -- .resolver-plugins/upstream.json Mk dns/bind' in workflow
 
 
+def test_merged_release_source_pr_publishes_its_exact_merge_commit():
+    workflow = workflow_text()
+    trigger = workflow.split('  pull_request_target:', 1)[1].split('  workflow_dispatch:', 1)[0]
+    select = workflow.split('  select:', 1)[1].split('  profile:', 1)[0]
+
+    assert "pull_request_target:\n    types: [closed]\n    branches:\n      - 'release/bind-rp/**'" in workflow
+    for path in ("'.resolver-plugins/**'", "'dns/bind/**'", "'Mk/**'"):
+        assert path in trigger
+    assert "if: github.event_name != 'pull_request_target' || github.event.pull_request.merged == true" in select
+    assert '[[ "$PR_MERGED" == true ]]' in select
+    assert '[[ "$PR_BASE_REF" =~ ^release/bind-rp/([0-9]+\\.[0-9]+)$ ]]' in select
+    assert 'source_ref="$PR_MERGE_COMMIT"' in select
+    assert 'control_ref="$GITHUB_WORKFLOW_SHA"' in select
+    assert 'github.event.pull_request.head.sha' not in workflow
+
+
 def test_package_affecting_master_pushes_publish_the_newest_release_series():
     workflow = workflow_text()
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/package-release.yml b/.github/workflows/package-release.yml
index 3d0424dec5..b4262b2f6b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/package-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/package-release.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ on:
       - 'docs/package-repository/resolver-plugins.pub'
       - 'dns/bind/**'
       - 'Mk/**'
+  pull_request_target:
+    types: [closed]
+    branches:
+      - 'release/bind-rp/**'
+    paths:
+      - '.resolver-plugins/**'
+      - 'dns/bind/**'
+      - 'Mk/**'
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       mode:
@@ -56,6 +64,7 @@ jobs:
         run: python -m pytest -q .github/ci/ci-tests
 
   select:
+    if: github.event_name != 'pull_request_target' || github.event.pull_request.merged == true
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     outputs:
       mode: ${{ steps.select.outputs.mode }}
@@ -70,7 +79,11 @@ jobs:
         env:
           GITHUB_REF: ${{ github.ref }}
           GITHUB_SHA: ${{ github.sha }}
+          GITHUB_WORKFLOW_SHA: ${{ github.workflow_sha }}
           EVENT_NAME: ${{ github.event_name }}
+          PR_BASE_REF: ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.ref }}
+          PR_MERGE_COMMIT: ${{ github.event.pull_request.merge_commit_sha }}
+          PR_MERGED: ${{ github.event.pull_request.merged }}
           INPUT_MODE: ${{ inputs.mode }}
           INPUT_SERIES: ${{ inputs.series }}
           INPUT_PULL_NUMBER: ${{ inputs.pull_number }}
@@ -84,6 +97,11 @@ jobs:
               sed -nE 's#^refs/heads/release/bind-rp/([0-9]+\.[0-9]+)$#\1#p' |
               sort -V |
               tail -n 1)
+          elif [[ "$EVENT_NAME" == pull_request_target ]]; then
+            [[ "$PR_MERGED" == true ]]
+            [[ "$PR_BASE_REF" =~ ^release/bind-rp/([0-9]+\.[0-9]+)$ ]]
+            mode=production
+            series="${BASH_REMATCH[1]}"
           else
             mode="$INPUT_MODE"
             series="$INPUT_SERIES"
@@ -105,11 +123,18 @@ jobs:
             prerelease_tag="pr-$INPUT_PULL_NUMBER-$series"
             control_ref=$GITHUB_SHA
           else
-            [[ "$GITHUB_REF" == refs/heads/master ]]
             pull_number=""
-            source_ref="refs/heads/release/bind-rp/$series"
             prerelease_tag=""
-            control_ref=$GITHUB_SHA
+            if [[ "$EVENT_NAME" == pull_request_target ]]; then
+              [[ "$PR_MERGE_COMMIT" =~ ^[0-9a-f]{40}$ ]]
+              [[ "$GITHUB_WORKFLOW_SHA" =~ ^[0-9a-f]{40}$ ]]
+              source_ref="$PR_MERGE_COMMIT"
+              control_ref="$GITHUB_WORKFLOW_SHA"
+            else
+              [[ "$GITHUB_REF" == refs/heads/master ]]
+              source_ref="refs/heads/release/bind-rp/$series"
+              control_ref=$GITHUB_SHA
+            fi
           fi
           {
             printf 'mode=%s\n' "$mode"
diff --git a/docs/building.md b/docs/building.md
index 62b663b37c..b9618dd1a9 100644
--- a/docs/building.md
+++ b/docs/building.md
@@ -41,9 +41,12 @@ scripts. In particular, the release `Mk` files prevent a development-branch
 marker from adding an unintended `-devel` package suffix.
 
 Package-affecting pushes to `master` automatically run production for the
-newest numeric `release/bind-rp/<series>` branch. Manual dispatch remains
-available for an explicit series or development build. Release-source branches
-provide immutable inputs and do not execute publication helpers themselves.
+newest numeric `release/bind-rp/<series>` branch. Merging a package-affecting
+pull request into a release-source branch automatically runs production for
+that series, pinned to the merge commit. The workflow and publication helpers
+still come from the trusted `master` control plane. Closing a pull request
+without merging does not build a release. Manual dispatch remains available
+for an explicit series or development build.
 
 Reproduce that split in a disposable worktree when building locally. Start
 from `master`, fetch the selected release branch, and overlay only its release