diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-gate.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-gate.yml
index a3d9e1071..468fc2ec1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-gate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-gate.yml
@@ -514,6 +514,7 @@ jobs:
         run: pip install detect-secrets==1.5.0
       - name: Scan for new secrets against baseline
         run: |
+          set +e
           # shellcheck disable=SC2046
           detect-secrets-hook \
             --baseline .secrets.baseline \
@@ -521,6 +522,13 @@ jobs:
             --exclude-files '.*package-lock\.json$' \
             --exclude-files '\.secrets\.baseline$' \
             $(git ls-files)
+          hook_status=$?
+          set -e
+          case "$hook_status" in
+            0) exit 0 ;;
+            3) python3 scripts/check_secrets_baseline_drift.py ;;
+            *) exit "$hook_status" ;;
+          esac
 
   # The aggregate required context. It combines the per-area, workflow
   # contract, and secret-scan jobs on every PR. `needs` plus explicit result
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-secrets-non-main.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-secrets-non-main.yml
index e9c27e811..6a16d1049 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-secrets-non-main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-secrets-non-main.yml
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ jobs:
         run: pip install detect-secrets==1.5.0
       - name: Scan for new secrets against baseline
         run: |
+          set +e
           # shellcheck disable=SC2046
           detect-secrets-hook \
             --baseline .secrets.baseline \
@@ -57,3 +58,10 @@ jobs:
             --exclude-files '.*package-lock\.json$' \
             --exclude-files '\.secrets\.baseline$' \
             $(git ls-files)
+          hook_status=$?
+          set -e
+          case "$hook_status" in
+            0) exit 0 ;;
+            3) python3 scripts/check_secrets_baseline_drift.py ;;
+            *) exit "$hook_status" ;;
+          esac
diff --git a/.github/workflows/security.yml b/.github/workflows/security.yml
index 28c74e351..1a1ef02a4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/security.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/security.yml
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ jobs:
         # exits non-zero when it finds a potential secret that isn't already
         # captured in `.secrets.baseline`.
         run: |
+          set +e
           # shellcheck disable=SC2046
           detect-secrets-hook \
             --baseline .secrets.baseline \
@@ -248,6 +249,13 @@ jobs:
             --exclude-files '.*package-lock\.json$' \
             --exclude-files '\.secrets\.baseline$' \
             $(git ls-files)
+          hook_status=$?
+          set -e
+          case "$hook_status" in
+            0) exit 0 ;;
+            3) python3 scripts/check_secrets_baseline_drift.py ;;
+            *) exit "$hook_status" ;;
+          esac
 
       - name: Baseline report (informational)
         # Prints the current baseline contents as a JSON report so reviewers
diff --git a/scripts/check_secrets_baseline_drift.py b/scripts/check_secrets_baseline_drift.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..87a074e5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check_secrets_baseline_drift.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Accept detect-secrets exit 3 only for baseline line-number drift."""
+
+import json
+import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def without_scan_metadata(baseline: dict) -> dict:
+    """Keep every finding and scanner setting; ignore only scan bookkeeping."""
+    normalized = {key: value for key, value in baseline.items() if key != "generated_at"}
+    normalized["results"] = {
+        path: [{key: value for key, value in finding.items() if key != "line_number"} for finding in findings]
+        for path, findings in baseline["results"].items()
+    }
+    return normalized
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    committed = json.loads(
+        subprocess.run(
+            ["git", "show", "HEAD:.secrets.baseline"],
+            check=True,
+            capture_output=True,
+        ).stdout
+    )
+    updated = json.loads(Path(".secrets.baseline").read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+    if without_scan_metadata(committed) == without_scan_metadata(updated):
+        print("::notice::detect-secrets baseline line numbers drifted; findings are unchanged")
+        return 0
+    print("::error::detect-secrets baseline changed beyond line numbers or generated_at")
+    return 1
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())
diff --git a/tests/scripts/test_secrets_baseline_drift.py b/tests/scripts/test_secrets_baseline_drift.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..01d161c9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/scripts/test_secrets_baseline_drift.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+"""The exit-3 exception must never hide a changed secret finding."""
+
+import runpy
+from pathlib import Path
+
+without_scan_metadata = runpy.run_path(
+    str(Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / "scripts/check_secrets_baseline_drift.py")
+)["without_scan_metadata"]
+
+
+def test_line_number_and_generated_at_drift_only():
+    original = {
+        "version": "1.5.0",
+        "plugins_used": [{"name": "KeywordDetector"}],
+        "results": {
+            "sample.py": [
+                {
+                    "type": "Secret Keyword",
+                    "hashed_secret": "synthetic",  # pragma: allowlist secret
+                    "line_number": 1,
+                }
+            ]
+        },
+        "generated_at": "before",
+    }
+    drifted = {
+        **original,
+        "generated_at": "after",
+        "results": {"sample.py": [{**original["results"]["sample.py"][0], "line_number": 2}]},
+    }
+    assert without_scan_metadata(original) == without_scan_metadata(drifted)
+
+
+def test_changed_finding_and_scanner_settings_fail_comparison():
+    original = {
+        "results": {
+            "sample.py": [
+                {
+                    "hashed_secret": "synthetic",  # pragma: allowlist secret
+                    "line_number": 1,
+                }
+            ]
+        },
+        "plugins_used": [{"name": "KeywordDetector"}],
+    }
+    changed_finding = {
+        **original,
+        "results": {
+            "sample.py": [
+                {
+                    "hashed_secret": "different",  # pragma: allowlist secret
+                    "line_number": 2,
+                }
+            ]
+        },
+    }
+    added_finding = {
+        **original,
+        "results": {
+            "sample.py": original["results"]["sample.py"]
+            + [
+                {
+                    "hashed_secret": "added",  # pragma: allowlist secret
+                    "line_number": 3,
+                }
+            ]
+        },
+    }
+    changed_scanner = {**original, "plugins_used": []}
+    for changed in (changed_finding, added_finding, changed_scanner):
+        assert without_scan_metadata(original) != without_scan_metadata(changed)