diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index c0ef0d9c..b28941d6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -265,6 +265,20 @@ jobs:
       python_only: true
     permissions:
       contents: read
+      # `issues: write` is required even though NOTHING here writes an issue.
+      # `parity.yml`'s `notify-planner-drift` job declares
+      # `permissions: {issues: write}`, and a called workflow may never exceed
+      # the grant its caller gives it. GitHub checks that STATICALLY, before
+      # any job runs and regardless of the `if:` that keeps that job to
+      # `repository_dispatch` -- so a caller granting only `contents: read`
+      # fails the ENTIRE run with `startup_failure` and zero jobs, which is
+      # what v0.6.0-rc1's first tag push did (run 31830969596).
+      #
+      # Grant it here rather than dropping it from `notify-planner-drift`:
+      # that job genuinely needs it on its own `repository_dispatch` trigger,
+      # where it files/refreshes the planner-drift tracker. A tag build simply
+      # never reaches it.
+      issues: write
 
   # One PyInstaller freeze of `python/` per runner. There is no cross-build step
   # and there cannot be one: PyInstaller freezes the interpreter it is running
diff --git a/changelog.d/752.fixed.md b/changelog.d/752.fixed.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6f28a2d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/752.fixed.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+- **A `v*` tag no longer fails the whole release run with `startup_failure`
+  before any job starts.** `release.yml`'s `python-gates` called
+  `parity.yml` granting only `permissions: {contents: read}`, but
+  `parity.yml`'s `notify-planner-drift` job statically declares
+  `permissions: {issues: write}`. A called workflow may never exceed its
+  caller's grant, and GitHub evaluates that BEFORE any job runs -- regardless
+  of the `if:` that keeps `notify-planner-drift` to `repository_dispatch`, so
+  a tag build that never reaches the job still failed on it. The v0.6.0-rc1
+  tag reproduced it exactly: run `31830969596`, `startup_failure`, zero jobs,
+  no release object and no assets. `python-gates` now grants `issues: write`
+  alongside `contents: read`; a sweep of every local caller/callee pair
+  reports zero remaining conflicts.