diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8779f579..3c9182d0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -186,6 +186,10 @@ build-macos: gen-build-info ## flutter build macos (desktop bundle).
 build-windows: gen-build-info ## flutter build windows (desktop bundle).
 	flutter build windows
 
+.PHONY: release
+release: ## Finalize a release: verify version/changelog/tree, run the gate, tag vX.Y.Z. Run after the `release vX.Y.Z` commit.
+	ci/release.sh
+
 # -- install / uninstall -----------------------------------------------------
 
 # Install prefix. Bundle lands at $(INSTALL_PREFIX)/clide/ with a
diff --git a/ci/release.sh b/ci/release.sh
index 83bd4b37..20468e04 100755
--- a/ci/release.sh
+++ b/ci/release.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,58 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-# CI entry: release pipeline. Stub — wire goreleaser + flutter build
-# artifacts later.
+# Release finalizer for the single-process Flutter app (T-393).
+#
+# Run AFTER the `release vX.Y.Z` commit is in place (version bump + changelog
+# move — see .claude/skills/git-commit/SKILL.md "Cutting a release"). It:
+#   1. reads the version from pubspec.yaml,
+#   2. asserts CHANGELOG.md has a dated section for it (not still Unreleased),
+#   3. asserts the working tree is clean,
+#   4. runs the full gate (make push-check),
+#   5. creates the annotated vX.Y.Z tag if missing — closing the loop that
+#      previously left every release since v2.1.0 untagged.
+#
+# No goreleaser, no sidecar (both dissolved, D-56). Artifact builds are
+# `make build-linux` / `make build-macos`. This never pushes — it prints the
+# push command for you to run.
+#
+# Invoke via `make release`, not directly.
 set -euo pipefail
 
-cd "$(dirname "$0")/.."
+cd "$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)"
 
-echo "TODO: goreleaser release (sidecar) + flutter build (app) + publish"
-exit 64
+version="$(grep -E '^version:' pubspec.yaml | awk '{print $2}')"
+if [[ -z "$version" ]]; then
+  echo "release: could not read 'version:' from pubspec.yaml" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+tag="v$version"
+
+# 1. The release commit must already have moved Unreleased → [version] — DATE.
+if ! grep -qE "^## \[${version//./\\.}\] — [0-9]{4}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{2}" CHANGELOG.md; then
+  echo "release: CHANGELOG.md has no dated section for [$version]." >&2
+  echo "         Cut the release commit first (move Unreleased → '## [$version] — YYYY-MM-DD')." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# 2. Clean tree — the release commit is in, nothing dangling.
+if [[ -n "$(git status --porcelain)" ]]; then
+  echo "release: working tree not clean — commit the release first." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# 3. Full gate.
+echo "release: running the full gate (make push-check)…"
+make push-check
+
+# 4. Tag (idempotent), annotated, on the current release commit.
+if git rev-parse -q --verify "refs/tags/$tag" >/dev/null; then
+  echo "release: tag $tag already exists — leaving it."
+else
+  git tag -a "$tag" -m "clide $tag"
+  echo "release: created tag $tag at $(git rev-parse --short HEAD)."
+fi
+
+echo
+echo "release: $tag verified and tagged. Next:"
+echo "  git push origin main --follow-tags   # publish the commit + tag"
+echo "  make build-linux                     # desktop bundle (Linux)"
+echo "  make build-macos                     # desktop bundle (macOS, on a Mac)"