diff --git a/RELEASES-RATIONALE.md b/RELEASES-RATIONALE.md
index 6bee33c..88fc9f9 100644
--- a/RELEASES-RATIONALE.md
+++ b/RELEASES-RATIONALE.md
@@ -152,13 +152,14 @@ baseline — confusing during review, and load-bearing in two places: (a) `bin/c
 `UPGRADE_AVAILABLE` on a current main; (b) the `chore(spec)` re-vendor commit message references the current bundle
 version.
 
-The backport lands directly on `dev` (one signed commit, no PR). This is a deliberate exception to the PR-only norm on
-`dev` documented in [`RELEASES.md`](./RELEASES.md) — the change is mechanical (no design content) and the script's
-idempotency makes it safe to re-run. The exception holds only for this script's output; everything else still lands on
-`dev` via PR.
-
-The script is idempotent: it exits 0 with no commit when `VERSION` and `CHANGELOG.md` already match `main`. Safe to
-re-run, safe to invoke from automation that doesn't track whether the last release was already backported.
+The backport opens a PR against `dev` (`chore/sync-dev-after-vX.Y.Z`); it does **not** commit directly to `dev`. The
+PR-only norm on `dev` documented in [`RELEASES.md`](./RELEASES.md) applies here as it applies to everything else. The
+diff is mechanical (just `VERSION` + `CHANGELOG.md` copied from main), so reviewers can spot-check and squash-merge as
+usual; the script's idempotency also makes the work safe to re-run if a maintainer pulls before merging the sync PR.
+
+The script is idempotent: it exits 0 without creating a branch or PR when `VERSION` and `CHANGELOG.md` already match
+`main`. Safe to re-run, safe to invoke from automation that doesn't track whether the last release was already
+backported.
 
 Mirror of `~/dev/agentnative-cli/scripts/sync-dev-after-release.sh`. The cli variant additionally regenerates
 `Cargo.lock` via `cargo build --release` after surgically updating `Cargo.toml`'s `[package].version`; the skill bundle
diff --git a/RELEASES.md b/RELEASES.md
index bc320ee..89b9e94 100644
--- a/RELEASES.md
+++ b/RELEASES.md
@@ -162,11 +162,12 @@ Once the release tag is published, backport the release-bookkeeping files from `
 git push origin dev
 ```
 
-The script overwrites `VERSION` with the released number and copies `CHANGELOG.md` verbatim from `origin/main`, then
-commits the result directly to `dev` as one signed commit (no PR). Without this step `dev`'s `VERSION` and
+The script overwrites `VERSION` with the released number, copies `CHANGELOG.md` verbatim from `origin/main`, cuts a
+`chore/sync-dev-after-vX.Y.Z` branch off `dev`, and opens a PR (the PR-only convention on `dev` applies here too — see
+`RELEASES-RATIONALE.md` § Why backport main → dev after publish for why). Without this step `dev`'s `VERSION` and
 `CHANGELOG.md` stay frozen at the pre-release state, and future feature branches inherit the wrong baseline.
 
-The backport is idempotent: re-running on a `dev` already in sync exits 0 with no commit.
+The backport is idempotent: re-running on a `dev` already in sync exits 0 without creating a branch or PR.
 
 → Rationale:
 [`RELEASES-RATIONALE.md` § Why backport `main` → `dev` after publish](./RELEASES-RATIONALE.md#why-backport-main--dev-after-publish).