diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index cbb3d03f0..79e07fb89 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -24,15 +24,11 @@ on:
         options:
           - all
           - snap
-      # Rebuild an already-published release: tag plus the commit it points at.
+      # Rebuild an already-published release from the commit its tag points at.
       tag:
         description: Existing release tag to rebuild (optional)
         default: ''
         type: string
-      commit:
-        description: Commit the tag points at (required with tag)
-        default: ''
-        type: string
 
 env:
   RELEASE_TAG: ${{ inputs.tag || github.event.release.tag_name }}
@@ -50,7 +46,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
-          ref: ${{ inputs.commit || github.sha }}
+          ref: ${{ inputs.commit || inputs.tag || github.sha }}
           # Full history so build.rs can measure the distance from the
           # release tag; a shallow clone would label the build `+g<hash>`.
           fetch-depth: 0
@@ -141,7 +137,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
-          ref: ${{ inputs.commit || github.sha }}
+          ref: ${{ inputs.commit || inputs.tag || github.sha }}
           # Full history so build.rs can measure the distance from the
           # release tag; a shallow clone would label the build `+g<hash>`.
           fetch-depth: 0
@@ -216,7 +212,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
-          ref: ${{ inputs.commit || github.sha }}
+          ref: ${{ inputs.commit || inputs.tag || github.sha }}
           # Full history so build.rs can measure the distance from the
           # release tag; a shallow clone would label the build `+g<hash>`.
           fetch-depth: 0
@@ -398,7 +394,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
-          ref: ${{ inputs.commit || github.sha }}
+          ref: ${{ inputs.commit || inputs.tag || github.sha }}
           # Full history so build.rs can measure the distance from the
           # release tag; a shallow clone would label the build `+g<hash>`.
           fetch-depth: 0
@@ -492,16 +488,10 @@ jobs:
           cp AppIcon.icns "$APP/Contents/Resources/AppIcon.icns"
           cp DWG.icns DXF.icns "$APP/Contents/Resources/"
           # First-party Python scripting plugin. It remains out of process and
-          # uses the same API/toolchain as this host build. A dispatched
-          # rebuild of a tag cut before the plugin existed ships without it.
-          STAGE=plugins/opencad-python/tools/stage-bundled.sh
-          if [ -f "$STAGE" ] || [ "${{ github.event_name }}" != workflow_dispatch ]; then
-            bash "$STAGE" \
-              "$APP/Contents/Resources/plugins/opencad.python" \
-              --target aarch64-apple-darwin
-          else
-            echo "::warning::$STAGE missing at this commit; Python plugin not bundled"
-          fi
+          # uses the same API/toolchain as this host build.
+          bash plugins/opencad-python/tools/stage-bundled.sh \
+            "$APP/Contents/Resources/plugins/opencad.python" \
+            --target aarch64-apple-darwin
           # QuickLook thumbnail extension.
           cp -R DWGThumbnail.appex "$APP/Contents/PlugIns/"
           # Substitute version into Info.plist.
@@ -571,7 +561,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
-          ref: ${{ inputs.commit || github.sha }}
+          ref: ${{ inputs.commit || inputs.tag || github.sha }}
       - name: Verify native release assets and notes
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}