diff --git a/.codex/scripts/prerelease-notes.sh b/.codex/scripts/prerelease-notes.sh
index 0de5ddf..1acc09d 100644
--- a/.codex/scripts/prerelease-notes.sh
+++ b/.codex/scripts/prerelease-notes.sh
@@ -90,6 +90,10 @@ if [ ! -f "$CHANGELOG_PATH" ]; then
     fail "Unable to locate changelog at '$CHANGELOG_PATH'."
 fi
 
+if ! grep -Eq '^##[[:space:]]*Unreleased[[:space:]]*$' "$CHANGELOG_PATH"; then
+    fail "CHANGELOG.md must contain a ## Unreleased section before creating or publishing a prerelease."
+fi
+
 unreleased_body=$(
     awk '
         /^##[[:space:]]*Unreleased[[:space:]]*$/ { in_unreleased = 1; next }
@@ -143,21 +147,18 @@ cat > "$OUTPUT_PATH" <<EOF
 > [!NOTE]
 > This GitHub pre-release is the source artifact for the matching Thunderstore publish. Thunderstore receives package version \`${VERSION}\` from tag \`${TAG}\`.
 
-<details open>
-<summary>Good to know before Thunderstore</summary>
+### 📦 Thunderstore handoff
 
-| Item | Detail |
+| Signal | Detail |
 | --- | --- |
-| Changelog turnover | \`## Unreleased\` is empty; notes below come from \`${VERSION}\`. |
-| Source branch | \`${BRANCH}\` |
-| Source commit | \`${short_commit}\` |
-| Workflow run | ${run_detail} |
-| GitHub tag | \`${TAG}\` |
-| Thunderstore version | \`${VERSION}\` |
-
-</details>
-
-### Changes
+| 📝 Changelog | \`## Unreleased\` is empty; notes below come from \`${VERSION}\`. |
+| 🌿 Branch | \`${BRANCH}\` |
+| 🔖 Commit | \`${short_commit}\` |
+| ▶️ Run | ${run_detail} |
+| 🏷️ Tag | \`${TAG}\` |
+| 📦 Package | \`${VERSION}\` |
+
+### ✨ Changes
 
 ${version_body}
 EOF
diff --git a/.codex/scripts/prerelease-notes.tests.ps1 b/.codex/scripts/prerelease-notes.tests.ps1
index 1e31df3..9d75f88 100644
--- a/.codex/scripts/prerelease-notes.tests.ps1
+++ b/.codex/scripts/prerelease-notes.tests.ps1
@@ -68,10 +68,19 @@ function Test-PrereleaseNotesIncludesChangelogAndDetailsCard {
         }
 
         $Notes = Get-Content -Raw -Path $OutputPath
-        Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern '<details open>' -Message "Release notes did not include the details card."
-        Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern 'Good to know before Thunderstore' -Message "Release notes did not include the card summary."
+        if ($Notes -match '<details') {
+            throw "Release notes should keep the Thunderstore handoff card visible without a dropdown."
+        }
+
+        Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern '### 📦 Thunderstore handoff' -Message "Release notes did not include the handoff card heading."
+        Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern '📝 Changelog' -Message "Release notes did not include the changelog cue."
+        Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern '🌿 Branch' -Message "Release notes did not include the branch cue."
+        Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern '🔖 Commit' -Message "Release notes did not include the commit cue."
+        Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern '▶️ Run' -Message "Release notes did not include the workflow run cue."
+        Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern '🏷️ Tag' -Message "Release notes did not include the tag cue."
+        Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern '📦 Package' -Message "Release notes did not include the package cue."
         Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern '## Unreleased.*empty' -Message "Release notes did not describe changelog turnover."
-        Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern 'Thunderstore version.*1\.2\.3' -Message "Release notes did not include the Thunderstore package version."
+        Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern 'Package.*1\.2\.3' -Message "Release notes did not include the Thunderstore package version."
         Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern 'fixed the client widget timing' -Message "Release notes did not include current version changelog notes."
         Assert-Match -Text $Notes -Pattern '1234567890ab' -Message "Release notes did not include the short commit."
     }
@@ -107,6 +116,30 @@ function Test-PrereleaseNotesRejectsUnreleasedContent {
     }
 }
 
+function Test-PrereleaseNotesRejectsMissingUnreleasedHeader {
+    $FixtureRoot = New-Fixture
+    try {
+        $ChangelogPath = Join-Path $FixtureRoot "CHANGELOG.md"
+        Set-Content -Path $ChangelogPath -Value @'
+`1.2.3`
+- fixed the client widget timing
+'@
+
+        $Output = Invoke-PrereleaseNotes -Arguments @(
+            "--changelog", $ChangelogPath,
+            "--version", "1.2.3",
+            "--check-only")
+        if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) {
+            throw "prerelease-notes.sh unexpectedly accepted a missing Unreleased header."
+        }
+
+        Assert-Match -Text $Output -Pattern 'must contain a ## Unreleased section' -Message "Missing Unreleased rejection message was not specific."
+    }
+    finally {
+        Remove-Item -Recurse -Force -LiteralPath $FixtureRoot
+    }
+}
+
 function Test-PrereleaseNotesRejectsMissingVersionEntry {
     $FixtureRoot = New-Fixture
     try {
@@ -137,12 +170,18 @@ function Test-ReleaseWorkflowChecksOnlyDownloadedReleaseChangelog {
     $WorkflowPath = Join-Path (Split-Path -Parent (Split-Path -Parent $ScriptRoot)) ".github/workflows/release.yml"
     $WorkflowText = Get-Content -Raw -Path $WorkflowPath
 
+    $PreserveMarker = "      - name: Preserve release helper scripts"
     $DownloadMarker = "      - name: Download Release"
     $DownloadedChangelogMarker = "      - name: Validate downloaded release changelog"
 
+    $PreserveIndex = $WorkflowText.IndexOf($PreserveMarker, [StringComparison]::Ordinal)
     $DownloadIndex = $WorkflowText.IndexOf($DownloadMarker, [StringComparison]::Ordinal)
     $DownloadedChangelogIndex = $WorkflowText.IndexOf($DownloadedChangelogMarker, [StringComparison]::Ordinal)
 
+    if ($PreserveIndex -lt 0) {
+        throw "release.yml is missing the Preserve release helper scripts step."
+    }
+
     if ($DownloadIndex -lt 0) {
         throw "release.yml is missing the Download Release step."
     }
@@ -151,6 +190,10 @@ function Test-ReleaseWorkflowChecksOnlyDownloadedReleaseChangelog {
         throw "release.yml is missing downloaded release changelog validation."
     }
 
+    if ($DownloadIndex -lt $PreserveIndex) {
+        throw "Release helper scripts must be preserved before downloading the selected release."
+    }
+
     if ($DownloadedChangelogIndex -lt $DownloadIndex) {
         throw "Downloaded release changelog validation must run after the release download."
     }
@@ -159,10 +202,15 @@ function Test-ReleaseWorkflowChecksOnlyDownloadedReleaseChangelog {
     if ($BeforeDownload -match 'prerelease-notes\.sh[\s\S]*--check-only') {
         throw "release.yml must not run prerelease-notes.sh --check-only against the checkout before downloading the selected release tag."
     }
+
+    if ($WorkflowText -notmatch '\$RUNNER_TEMP/prerelease-notes\.sh') {
+        throw "release.yml should run changelog validation from the preserved helper script."
+    }
 }
 
 Test-PrereleaseNotesIncludesChangelogAndDetailsCard
 Test-PrereleaseNotesRejectsUnreleasedContent
+Test-PrereleaseNotesRejectsMissingUnreleasedHeader
 Test-PrereleaseNotesRejectsMissingVersionEntry
 Test-ReleaseWorkflowChecksOnlyDownloadedReleaseChangelog
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 552d221..c407c51 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -74,6 +74,12 @@ jobs:
           echo "ALLOWED_TAG_PATTERN=$allowed_tag_pattern" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
           echo "ALLOWED_PACKAGE_VERSION_PATTERN=$allowed_package_version_pattern" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
+      - name: Preserve release helper scripts
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          cp .codex/scripts/prerelease-notes.sh "$RUNNER_TEMP/prerelease-notes.sh"
+          chmod +x "$RUNNER_TEMP/prerelease-notes.sh"
+
       - name: Download Release
         run: gh release download "$RELEASE_TAG" -D ./dist
         env:
@@ -83,7 +89,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Validate downloaded release changelog
         shell: bash
         run: |
-          bash .codex/scripts/prerelease-notes.sh \
+          bash "$RUNNER_TEMP/prerelease-notes.sh" \
             --changelog ./dist/CHANGELOG.md \
             --version "$PACKAGE_VERSION" \
             --tag "$RELEASE_TAG" \