diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 48aeb27f7..21fb59b4b 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -248,8 +248,12 @@ Key files:
   `pnp.ids` input. Each bundled package carries
   `embedded-mpv-notices.json`, `THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.txt`, and the exact
   `licenses/**` files. CI may cache immutable source inputs, but regenerates
-  notices and `linux-frame-copy-runtime-sources.tar.xz` for the current
-  checkout on every run. Canonical maintenance docs:
+  notices and a VCS-metadata-free
+  `linux-frame-copy-runtime-sources.tar.xz` for the current checkout on every
+  run while retaining exact commit/submodule records. Automated Snap Store
+  publication is allowed only after a public `v*` GitHub release contains
+  both the Snap assets and exactly one matching source archive. Canonical
+  maintenance docs:
   `docs/architecture/embedded-mpv-native.md` and
   `tools/embedded-mpv/README.md`.
 
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 4368b7267..28560ba62 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -642,9 +642,12 @@ engine` (restart required) or
   `embedded-mpv-notices.json`, `THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.txt`, and `licenses/**`.
   CI caches the staged runtime plus immutable source inputs, never finished
   notices or the compliance tarball; it regenerates those notices and the
-  deterministic `linux-frame-copy-runtime-sources.tar.xz` for the current
-  checkout. On Windows, package validation requires the exact MPV DLL named by
-  the helper's PE import table beside the executable.
+  VCS-metadata-free `linux-frame-copy-runtime-sources.tar.xz` for the current
+  checkout while preserving exact commit/submodule records. Snap Store
+  publication runs only from a public `v*` GitHub release that already
+  contains the Snap assets and exactly one source archive. On Windows, package
+  validation requires the exact MPV DLL named by the helper's PE import table
+  beside the executable.
   Backend adapter:
   `apps/electron-backend/src/app/services/embedded-mpv-frame-copy.adapter.ts`;
   shared-controls adapter:
diff --git a/docs/architecture/embedded-mpv-native.md b/docs/architecture/embedded-mpv-native.md
index d409791bb..fb49efb18 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/embedded-mpv-native.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/embedded-mpv-native.md
@@ -675,9 +675,11 @@ the finished source-compliance archive. Runtime cache entries are saved only
 from trusted repository refs. The Linux cache key covers the builder/stager,
 notice generator, pinned sources, and toolchain. On every run, including a
 cache hit, CI validates the cached hashes and clean checkout, regenerates the
-notices for the current runtime manifest, and creates the deterministic
+notices for the current runtime manifest, converts libplacebo into a
+VCS-metadata-free working-tree snapshot while retaining the validated
+commit/submodule record, and creates
 `linux-frame-copy-runtime-sources.tar.xz` for the current repository revision
-and binary diff.
+and binary diff with normalized tar metadata.
 
 Windows CI uses a checksum-pinned `win32-x64` runtime archive configured
 through `IPTVNATOR_WINDOWS_EMBEDDED_MPV_RUNTIME_URL` and
@@ -768,10 +770,16 @@ verified, and the x64 helper probe runs in the intended runtime environment.
 Bundled package layouts must include the generated notices and exact license
 tree. The separately uploaded
 `linux-frame-copy-runtime-sources.tar.xz` contains the exact archive set,
-clean recursive libplacebo checkout, notice/license inputs, runtime metadata,
-current revision/diff, and build tooling. Its tar metadata is normalized for
-deterministic output. ARM artifacts are independently verified as marker-only
-and never run the x64 helper.
+the VCS-metadata-free libplacebo working tree plus exact commit/submodule
+records, notice/license inputs, runtime metadata, current revision/diff, and
+build tooling. Its tar metadata is normalized. ARM artifacts are independently
+verified as marker-only and never run the x64 helper.
+
+The build workflow creates a draft GitHub release but never publishes Snap in
+parallel with that draft. The separate Snap workflow runs only for a public
+`release.published` event whose tag starts with `v`; before any Store upload it
+requires at least one exact `.snap` asset and exactly one non-empty
+`linux-frame-copy-runtime-sources.tar.xz` in that public release.
 
 During temporary artifact tests, CI may also set `IPTVNATOR_REQUIRE_EMBEDDED_MPV=1` for PR and `master` push jobs where a runtime is known to exist. After the artifacts are manually validated, remove temporary conditions so ordinary development builds leave `IPTVNATOR_REQUIRE_EMBEDDED_MPV` unset or `0`. This keeps the native feature in-tree without making every non-release build depend on runtime artifacts.
 
diff --git a/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-17-linux-embedded-mpv-frame-copy-packaging-design.md b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-17-linux-embedded-mpv-frame-copy-packaging-design.md
index 115176c01..370ddcd12 100644
--- a/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-17-linux-embedded-mpv-frame-copy-packaging-design.md
+++ b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-17-linux-embedded-mpv-frame-copy-packaging-design.md
@@ -213,4 +213,8 @@ status.
 
 Release artifacts must publish the generated runtime manifest and exact source
 archives/metadata required by the recorded LGPL source-distribution statement.
-No publication, push, pull request, or merge is part of this task.
+The libplacebo payload is a VCS-metadata-free working-tree snapshot with exact
+commit/submodule records, so clone-local `.git` state cannot perturb the
+compliance tar. Automated Snap publication must wait for a public `v*` release
+that already contains both the Snap assets and the exact source archive. No
+publication, push, pull request, or merge is part of this task.
diff --git a/tools/embedded-mpv/README.md b/tools/embedded-mpv/README.md
index 2fd4ff8c2..46b6c89c9 100644
--- a/tools/embedded-mpv/README.md
+++ b/tools/embedded-mpv/README.md
@@ -193,13 +193,23 @@ finished notices or the compliance tarball. After either a build or cache hit,
 CI revalidates those inputs, regenerates `vendor/embedded-mpv/linux-x64/notices`
 for the current runtime manifest, and creates
 `linux-frame-copy-runtime-sources.tar.xz` for the current repository
-revision/diff.
+revision/diff. Before archiving, the clean cached libplacebo checkout is
+converted into a non-dereferenced working-tree snapshot with every `.git`
+entry removed; the validated main/submodule commits remain in the source
+index.
 
-That deterministic source-compliance archive contains the exact unique archive
-hash set, clean libplacebo checkout and recursive submodules, license inputs,
-generated notices, runtime/source index metadata, and the builder, stager,
-manifest, and notice-generator code. The notice generator rejects missing,
-undeclared, symlinked, size-mismatched, or hash-mismatched license files.
+That source-compliance archive uses normalized tar metadata and contains the
+exact unique archive hash set, VCS-free libplacebo sources and recursive
+submodules, license inputs, generated notices, runtime/source index metadata,
+and the builder, stager, manifest, notice-generator, and source-snapshot code.
+The notice generator rejects missing, undeclared, symlinked, size-mismatched,
+or hash-mismatched license files.
+
+Snap publication is a separate `release.published` workflow for public `v*`
+GitHub releases. It verifies that the public release already contains at least
+one Snap and exactly one non-empty
+`linux-frame-copy-runtime-sources.tar.xz` before uploading any Snap to the
+Store's edge channel.
 
 Windows CI stages a checksum-pinned x64 LGPL archive. The DLL basename encoded
 in its import library is preserved and must be present beside