diff --git a/bot/src/github.ts b/bot/src/github.ts
index 75e1cf3..7ce8654 100644
--- a/bot/src/github.ts
+++ b/bot/src/github.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ export interface GitHubApi {
     head: string,
     token: string,
   ): Promise<Comparison>;
+  tagObject(
+    repository: string,
+    sha: string,
+    token: string,
+  ): Promise<string | undefined>;
   listComments(
     repository: string,
     issue: number,
@@ -235,6 +240,14 @@ export function githubApi(fetchFn: typeof fetch = fetch): GitHubApi {
       const path = `/repos/${repository}/issues/comments/${id}`;
       return expectOk(await call<IssueComment>("PATCH", path, token, { body }));
     },
+    async tagObject(repository, sha, token) {
+      const result = await call<{ object: { sha: string } }>(
+        "GET",
+        `/repos/${repository}/git/tags/${sha}`,
+        token,
+      );
+      return result.status === 404 ? undefined : expectOk(result).object.sha;
+    },
     async revoke(token) {
       expectOk(await call<undefined>("DELETE", "/installation/token", token));
     },
diff --git a/bot/src/index.ts b/bot/src/index.ts
index 4321b25..20ec177 100644
--- a/bot/src/index.ts
+++ b/bot/src/index.ts
@@ -194,10 +194,15 @@ async function decideRef(
 ): Promise<Decision> {
   const repository = await deps.github.repository(claims.repository, token);
   if (claims.ref.startsWith("refs/tags/")) {
+    // An annotated tag's sha names the tag object; judge the commit under it.
+    // Tag objects are immutable, so peeling keeps the sha claim authoritative.
+    const commit =
+      (await deps.github.tagObject(claims.repository, claims.sha, token)) ??
+      claims.sha;
     const comparison = await deps.github.compare(
       claims.repository,
       repository.default_branch,
-      claims.sha,
+      commit,
       token,
     );
     return decideTag(claims.ref, comparison.status);
diff --git a/bot/test/github.test.ts b/bot/test/github.test.ts
index c1472ea..2ecc21a 100644
--- a/bot/test/github.test.ts
+++ b/bot/test/github.test.ts
@@ -253,3 +253,18 @@ test("createComment and updateComment send the body", async () => {
     [{ body: "b" }, { body: "c" }],
   );
 });
+
+test("tagObject peels an annotated tag and is undefined for a commit", async () => {
+  const { api } = fakeGitHub({
+    "GET /repos/acme/mylib/git/tags/aaaa": {
+      status: 200,
+      body: { object: { sha: "bbbb", type: "commit" } },
+    },
+    "GET /repos/acme/mylib/git/tags/cccc": {
+      status: 404,
+      body: { message: "Not Found" },
+    },
+  });
+  assert.equal(await api.tagObject("acme/mylib", "aaaa", "ghs_x"), "bbbb");
+  assert.equal(await api.tagObject("acme/mylib", "cccc", "ghs_x"), undefined);
+});
diff --git a/bot/test/index.test.ts b/bot/test/index.test.ts
index b9d971f..683b43d 100644
--- a/bot/test/index.test.ts
+++ b/bot/test/index.test.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ function fakeGitHub(
     defaultBranch?: string;
     compareStatus?: string;
     comments?: IssueComment[];
+    tagObjects?: Record<string, string>;
   } = {},
 ): Fake {
   const fake: Fake = {
@@ -66,6 +67,9 @@ function fakeGitHub(
         fake.compared.push(head);
         return { status: opts.compareStatus ?? "diverged" };
       },
+      async tagObject(_repository, sha) {
+        return opts.tagObjects?.[sha];
+      },
       async listComments() {
         return fake.comments;
       },
@@ -289,6 +293,20 @@ test("a tag is judged by the commit that ran, not the tag name", async () => {
   assert.deepEqual(fake.compared, [claims().sha]);
 });
 
+test("an annotated tag's object sha is peeled to its commit before the compare", async () => {
+  const objectSha = "9999999999999999999999999999999999999999";
+  const fake = fakeGitHub({
+    compareStatus: "behind",
+    tagObjects: { [objectSha]: "abc123" },
+  });
+  const { status } = await request(
+    { ref: "refs/tags/v1.0.0", sha: objectSha },
+    fake,
+  );
+  assert.equal(status, 200);
+  assert.deepEqual(fake.compared, ["abc123"]);
+});
+
 test("a tag whose commit is off the default branch is refused and revoked", async () => {
   const fake = fakeGitHub({ compareStatus: "diverged" });
   const { status, body } = await request({ ref: "refs/tags/v1.0.0" }, fake);