diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index 58622d41..3988729e 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -523,23 +523,39 @@ jobs:
             -PMINSTREL_VERSION_NAME=${{ steps.ver.outputs.name }} \
             -PMINSTREL_VERSION_CODE=${{ steps.ver.outputs.code }}
 
-      # The APK every phone updates from must carry the release key: Android
-      # updates an app in place only when the signer matches. Gradle signs
-      # with the release key or leaves the APK unsigned, so this catches a
-      # wrong key, an unsigned build and a debug signer before anything
-      # publishes (family idea #5103, practice 3). apksigner, not keytool:
-      # keytool prints nothing for a v2-only APK.
+      # The APK every phone updates from must carry THE release key: Android
+      # updates an app in place only when the signer matches, so an APK
+      # signed by any other key (debug, a regenerated keystore, a swapped
+      # secret) reaches no installed phone. The certificate's digest is
+      # pinned below; it is public, not a secret. Gradle signs with the
+      # release key or leaves the APK unsigned, and an unsigned build fails
+      # here too, as there is no app-release.apk to verify (family idea
+      # #5103, practice 3). apksigner, not keytool: keytool prints nothing
+      # for a v2-only APK.
+      #
+      # Rotating the key on purpose means every install must be removed and
+      # reinstalled; change the digest here in the same commit.
       - name: The APK carries the release key
         shell: bash
+        env:
+          # CN=Minstrel, O=FabledSword. Read from run 8446 (#5116).
+          RELEASE_CERT_SHA256: 43d183307bc46b821789d90444a960b137f78f2166ff431efb2406d0fceaf612
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           sdk="${ANDROID_HOME:-${ANDROID_SDK_ROOT:-}}"
           signer="$(ls "$sdk"/build-tools/*/apksigner 2>/dev/null | sort -V | tail -1 || true)"
           test -n "$signer" || { echo "::error::no apksigner under '$sdk/build-tools'"; exit 1; }
           certs="$("$signer" verify --print-certs app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release.apk)"
-          printf '%s\n' "$certs" | grep -E 'Signer #1 certificate (DN|SHA-256 digest)'
-          if printf '%s' "$certs" | grep -q 'CN=Android Debug'; then
-            echo "::error::the release APK is signed with a debug key"
+          printf '%s\n' "$certs" | grep -E '^Signer #[0-9]+ certificate (DN|SHA-256 digest)'
+          # One signer, and it is ours. A second signer would be a lineage or
+          # a mistake; either way not something to ship unexamined.
+          digests="$(printf '%s\n' "$certs" | sed -n 's/^Signer #[0-9]* certificate SHA-256 digest: //p')"
+          if [ "$digests" != "$RELEASE_CERT_SHA256" ]; then
+            if printf '%s' "$certs" | grep -q 'CN=Android Debug'; then
+              echo "::error::the release APK is signed with a debug key"
+            else
+              echo "::error::the release APK is not signed by the release key: got '${digests//$'\n'/ }', want ${RELEASE_CERT_SHA256}"
+            fi
             exit 1
           fi