diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index c5c5cc5..0676a27 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@ name: ci
 
 on:
   push:
-    branches: [dev]
+    branches: [dev, main]
   pull_request:
-    branches: [dev]
+    branches: [dev, main]
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cdfab81..a1494af 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ test-scripts: ## Run focused safety tests for operator-facing shell harnesses
 	bash tests/scripts/m0_ocm_falsification_safety_test.sh
 	bash tests/scripts/release_tag_identity_guide_test.sh
 	bash tests/scripts/release_tag_policy_test.sh
+	bash tests/scripts/release_pr_gate_policy_test.sh
 
 perf: ## Enforce the warm-cache TUI p95 latency budget without race overhead
 	go test -count=1 -run '^TestWarmViewP95UnderOneHundredMilliseconds$$' ./internal/tui
diff --git a/docs/RELEASE.md b/docs/RELEASE.md
index 737a747..f98f9b2 100644
--- a/docs/RELEASE.md
+++ b/docs/RELEASE.md
@@ -110,9 +110,10 @@ slice is not a claim of the parent feature's future in-chart database, HA, or cl
 ## Maintainer release procedure
 
 1. Merge the feature PR into `dev`, ensure the full CI and release-snapshot jobs are green, then
-   merge a reviewed `dev` to `main` release PR. `dev` is the durable integration source: never use
-   `--delete-branch` for this release PR. Automatic branch deletion is reserved for merged feature
-   branches.
+   open a `dev` to `main` release PR. The same full CI and release-snapshot jobs must be green on
+   that release PR before merging it, and the exact `main` push run must pass afterward. `dev` is
+   the durable integration source: never use `--delete-branch` for this release PR. Automatic
+   branch deletion is reserved for merged feature branches.
 2. From an up-to-date `main`, run `make ci` and `make release-check`. The latter compares archive
    SHA-256 digests across two complete builds; SBOM creation timestamps and Sigstore signatures are
    intentionally not expected to be byte-for-byte reproducible.
diff --git a/sessions/2026-07-14-e9-release-pr-ci-gate.md b/sessions/2026-07-14-e9-release-pr-ci-gate.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7bb65a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sessions/2026-07-14-e9-release-pr-ci-gate.md
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# E9 release-PR CI gate — 2026-07-14
+
+Issue: #157
+Branch: `gnanirahulnutakki/ci/release-pr-gate`
+Base: `origin/dev` at `42d395135b034bcfb531b5657f3eb01b95ea7bb5`
+
+## [G] Goal
+
+Require the complete Sith CI workflow for `dev` to `main` release PRs and for the exact resulting
+`main` push, so a release boundary has independent build, reproducibility, security, and real
+two-cluster evidence.
+
+## [S] Scope and safety
+
+- The change expands only the existing CI branch trigger allowlist from `dev` to `dev, main`.
+- No job, pin, credential, artifact, release tag, or branch-protection policy is weakened or
+  removed.
+- The maintainer guide requires green release-PR CI and exact post-merge `main` CI before tagging.
+
+## [A] Evidence
+
+- The hermetic release-PR policy test confirms CI listens to both push and pull-request events for
+  `dev` and `main`, and that the guide requires release-PR CI.
+- Existing beta-tag policy test remains green.
+- Final-diff `make ci` passed formatting, vet, lint, reachable-vulnerability scan, full Go race
+  suite, all shell policy tests, performance, subprocess E2E, and build.
+- Final-diff `make release-check` passed two reproducible four-platform snapshots, archive/SBOM
+  verification, formula rendering, and digest comparison.
+- Manual red-team review confirmed that the only workflow delta is adding `main` to the existing
+  `push` and `pull_request` branch allowlists. Existing jobs, permissions, pinned actions/tools,
+  concurrency, and `dev` coverage are unchanged.
+- CodeRabbit accepted the uncommitted diff and reached analysis but returned no review in the
+  bounded attempt; it is not recorded as approval. Hosted PR CI, exact post-merge `dev` CI, and
+  proof that release PR #156 runs its own full CI after this lands remain pending.
+
+## [T] Test plan
+
+1. Run `make ci` and `make release-check` on the final diff.
+2. Review that no trigger or workflow permission broadening was introduced and that all existing
+   job gates remain unchanged.
+3. Land only after green PR CI and exact post-merge `dev` CI, then observe a new full CI run on
+   #156 before promoting `main`.
+
+## [C] Completion criteria
+
+#157 closes only after the resulting `dev` to `main` release PR has an independently green full CI
+run and a later exact `main` push CI record is available for the beta release commit.
diff --git a/tests/scripts/release_pr_gate_policy_test.sh b/tests/scripts/release_pr_gate_policy_test.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..56d91df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/scripts/release_pr_gate_policy_test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+repo_root="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../.." && pwd)"
+workflow="${repo_root}/.github/workflows/ci.yml"
+guide="${repo_root}/docs/RELEASE.md"
+
+if ! awk '
+  /^  push:/ { section = "push"; next }
+  /^  pull_request:/ { section = "pull_request"; next }
+  /^  [A-Za-z_]/ { section = "" }
+  section == "push" && /branches: \[dev, main\]/ { push_ok = 1 }
+  section == "pull_request" && /branches: \[dev, main\]/ { pull_request_ok = 1 }
+  END { exit !(push_ok && pull_request_ok) }
+' "${workflow}"; then
+  printf '[release-pr-gate] FAIL: ci must run on dev and main pushes and pull requests\n' >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+printf '[release-pr-gate] PASS: ci runs on dev and main pushes and pull requests\n'
+
+if ! grep -Fq 'release PR before merging it' "${guide}"; then
+  printf '[release-pr-gate] FAIL: release guide does not require release-PR CI\n' >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+printf '[release-pr-gate] PASS: release guide requires release-PR CI\n'