diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index a9bd430..6d0358d 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "0.25.4"
+  ".": "0.25.5"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4e5e786..544acfb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 
 This changelog is maintained by release-please Release PRs.
 
+## [0.25.5](https://github.com/Drswith/quantex-cli/compare/v0.25.4...v0.25.5) (2026-07-01)
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* **lifecycle:** fail closed on inconclusive npm ghost probes ([8bd2d1b](https://github.com/Drswith/quantex-cli/commit/8bd2d1b817540b0d0385f44ad2f06d9db7e1a1c4))
+
 ## [0.25.4](https://github.com/Drswith/quantex-cli/compare/v0.25.3...v0.25.4) (2026-06-30)
 
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 9011b8d..61544b6 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "quantex-cli",
-  "version": "0.25.4",
+  "version": "0.25.5",
   "description": "Agent-friendly lifecycle CLI for AI coding assistant CLIs: install, inspect, update, uninstall, run, and automate Codex, Claude Code, Gemini, Cursor, OpenCode, and more",
   "keywords": [
     "agent-cli",
diff --git a/src/generated/build-meta.ts b/src/generated/build-meta.ts
index 06db3e8..bad4905 100644
--- a/src/generated/build-meta.ts
+++ b/src/generated/build-meta.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 export const BUILD_PACKAGE_NAME = 'quantex-cli'
 export const BUILD_REPOSITORY_URL = 'https://github.com/Drswith/quantex-cli'
-export const BUILD_VERSION = '0.25.4' // x-release-please-version
+export const BUILD_VERSION = '0.25.5' // x-release-please-version