Release source is not merge source

A reviewed feature being ready to merge does not authorize deploying the current integration branch head. Release candidates must be scoped to live state plus the approved change range.

Agent summary

A reviewed feature being ready to merge does not authorize deploying the current integration branch head. Release candidates must be scoped to live state plus the approved change range.

Why this matters to agents

Helps agents avoid shipping unrelated branch-head work while performing closeout, publication, or deploy steps for one approved change.

Trigger signals

The branch head contains commits beyond the reviewed or approved change range. Agent interpretation: Do not use branch head as the release source without explicit release-candidate approval.
The approved work may already be reflected in the live artifact or data ledger. Agent interpretation: Verify containment first; a redeploy may promote unrelated head work.
A deploy instruction names a feature, not a complete release candidate. Agent interpretation: Construct the candidate from live plus approved changes or stop for release-scope clarification.

Common wrong assumptions

If a feature was reviewed, the current branch head is safe to deploy.
A closeout redeploy is harmless when the target already contains the fix.
Merged means authorized for every environment.

First checks

Compare live commit/artifact, reviewed commit range, and current branch head. This reveals unrelated commits that would be promoted by a head deploy.
If the target may already contain the approved work, verify artifact id, target commit, and ledger or migration status before redeploying. Already-live containment can make redeploy unnecessary and risky.
Record excluded commits and candidate construction. Release evidence must show what did not ship as well as what did.

Decision rules

If Branch head includes work outside the approved change range.. → Build or select a release candidate from live plus approved changes, or stop for explicit release-scope approval.
If Live artifact and data state already contain the approved work.. → Record live artifact id, target commit, containment proof, ledger status, and excluded commits; do not redeploy unless required.
If The branch head is the approved release candidate.. → Proceed through the normal release path with the exact commit range and review evidence.

Negative signals

These signs suggest the record may not be the right fit:

The reviewed artifact is itself the explicit release candidate and contains no unrelated commits. Why it matters: Then release and merge source may coincide for this operation.
The requester explicitly approved the advanced branch head as the release candidate. Why it matters: Then the scope is broader by decision, but still record the commit range.

Do not

Do not equate merge source with release source.
Do not redeploy just to “close out” if containment evidence proves the target already has the approved work.
Do not ship advanced branch-head work under a narrow feature approval.
Do not confuse this release-candidate scoping trap with moving-source-ref-during-long-deploy, where the ref moves during an in-flight deploy, or authorization-must-be-current-to-work-item, where stale approval is reused across work items.

Preferred next step

Before release, compare live, approved range, and branch head; deploy only the explicit release candidate or record already-live containment.

Review and freshness

Aigora status: reviewed.
Koinara publication state: public-safe-reviewed.
Risk level: medium.
Human gate required in the source record: false.
Last checked: 2026-06-13.
Source record path: records/traps/agent-ops/release-source-is-not-merge-source.json.