diff --git a/evidence/2026-09-22-plugin-0.4.0-release.md b/evidence/2026-09-22-plugin-0.4.0-release.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..14e7b3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/evidence/2026-09-22-plugin-0.4.0-release.md
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# Plugin 0.4.0 publication
+
+Observed September 22, 2026 in America/Chicago; provider timestamps fall on September 23 UTC.
+
+Protected tag `claude-v0.4.0` selected Skills `5f544bff149173a249899d2b5dfd403057cc5a30` and published
+`@firstdraft.com/claude-code@0.4.0` directly to `latest` through
+[GitHub trusted publishing](https://github.com/firstdraft/skills/actions/runs/35808094004). The package bundles CLI
+`0.4.0` from `a555f8d39862109b8c28b392c0439470e88f4ba8`; the workflow matched all 27 CLI files to its published package.
+
+The registry plugin's SHA-256 is `7f796017074ecbfd5a5459f7686a615f53dbb3c95525ca2594601128e706748d`, matching the
+selected compatibility declaration and locally packed candidate. Public installation and npm signature/attestation
+verification passed. Both packages' `latest` tags selected `0.4.0`; their `next` tags remained `0.3.0`.
+
+Catalog `9c1774c7094f20d76248dfec86a09857be29256f` selected the published plugin after publication. Its
+[selection-only CI](https://github.com/firstdraft/skills/actions/runs/35808399252) passed. This does not establish
+refresh of an existing agent installation or a new authenticated agent session.
+
+The packed candidate's CLI compiled the existing reviewed Reading List Plan against deployed service `2bfdf6bf`.
+Zero-flag Compilation wrote 360 files into the local folder and preserved the planning state under
+`.firstdraft/design/`. Generated setup, Rails boot, a browser write, and a local source edit followed by refresh
+passed. The analysis warning and two known gaps remained disclosed. The smoke used no Codespace, GitHub Publication,
+native build, tunnel, or Revyl device. Its task-only service token was revoked and local processes were stopped.
+
+[Drawing Board PR #49](https://github.com/firstdraft/drawing-board/pull/49) merged the released tooling pins after
+publication. Its container check and prebuild establish fallback availability, not a fresh Codespace journey.
+Earlier source and journey records remain observations of their own revisions and package bytes.
diff --git a/evidence/README.md b/evidence/README.md
index d2d1963..53b35ce 100644
--- a/evidence/README.md
+++ b/evidence/README.md
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ The source/public split observed at the start of this documentation change is ca
 
 | Record | Observed boundary |
 |---|---|
+| [`2026-09-22-plugin-0.4.0-release.md`](2026-09-22-plugin-0.4.0-release.md) | GitHub publication directly to latest, exact registry bytes and provenance, catalog selection, and one local compile-and-boot smoke |
 | [`2026-09-22-npm-promotion-retirement.md`](2026-09-22-npm-promotion-retirement.md) | Revoked the promotion token, removed its GitHub secret and environment, disabled the legacy workflow, and restored the CLI's restrictive publishing policy while preserving GitHub trusted publishing |
 | [`2026-09-15-shared-plugin-0.2.4-default-promotion.md`](2026-09-15-shared-plugin-0.2.4-default-promotion.md) | Protected-tag promotion, one plugin write with bounded stale-read reconciliation, and independent final tags/archive hashes; [machine receipt](2026-09-15-shared-plugin-0.2.4-default-promotion.json) |
 | [`2026-09-15-shared-plugin-0.2.4-publication.md`](2026-09-15-shared-plugin-0.2.4-publication.md) | Protected publication, delayed registry visibility, verified provenance, exact registry-package adapters, and observed staging readiness before catalog/default promotion; [machine receipt](2026-09-15-shared-plugin-0.2.4-publication.json) |
diff --git a/test/plugin-release-order.test.mjs b/test/plugin-release-order.test.mjs
index 9174ce0..d39f512 100644
--- a/test/plugin-release-order.test.mjs
+++ b/test/plugin-release-order.test.mjs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import { mkdir, mkdtemp, readFile, rm, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
-import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
 import test from "node:test";
@@ -149,11 +148,22 @@ test("prospective release order rejects incoherent current identities", () => {
   );
 });
 
-test("unpublished candidate reconciliation reads npm, fetched tags, and the catalog", async () => {
+test("unpublished candidate reconciliation reads npm, fetched tags, and the catalog", async (t) => {
+  const root = await mkdtemp(path.join(tmpdir(), "firstdraft-unpublished-candidate-"));
+  t.after(() => rm(root, { force: true, recursive: true }));
+  await mkdir(path.join(root, "release"));
+  await mkdir(path.join(root, ".claude-plugin"));
+  await writeFile(path.join(root, "release", "compatibility.json"), JSON.stringify({
+    version: "0.4.0",
+    plugin_source: { package: "@firstdraft.com/claude-code" },
+  }));
+  await writeFile(path.join(root, ".claude-plugin", "marketplace.json"), JSON.stringify({
+    plugins: [{ version: "0.2.5", source: { package: "@firstdraft.com/claude-code" } }],
+  }));
   const invocations = [];
   const result = await checkPluginReleaseOrder({
     requireCurrentTag: false,
-    root: fileURLToPath(new URL("../", import.meta.url)),
+    root,
     spawn(command, arguments_, options) {
       invocations.push([command, arguments_, options]);
       if (command === "git") {