diff --git a/.github/workflows/finalize-release.yml b/.github/workflows/finalize-release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..471f5ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/finalize-release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+name: Finalize Release
+
+on:
+  workflow_run:
+    workflows:
+      - Release
+    types:
+      - completed
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      release_run_id:
+        description: Release workflow run ID; leave blank to use the latest pending run
+        required: false
+        type: string
+  schedule:
+    - cron: "17,47 * * * *"
+
+permissions:
+  actions: read
+  contents: write
+
+concurrency:
+  group: meetingnotes-finalize-release
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  finalize:
+    if: github.event_name != 'workflow_run' || github.event.workflow_run.conclusion == 'success'
+    runs-on: macos-15
+    env:
+      APPLE_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_ID }}
+      APPLE_TEAM_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_TEAM_ID }}
+      APPLE_APP_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_APP_PASSWORD }}
+      SPARKLE_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.SPARKLE_PRIVATE_KEY }}
+      GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+      PENDING_DIR: ${{ runner.temp }}/meetingnotes-pending
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v7
+
+      - name: Validate release secrets
+        run: |
+          for variable in APPLE_ID APPLE_TEAM_ID APPLE_APP_PASSWORD SPARKLE_PRIVATE_KEY; do
+            if [[ -z "${!variable:-}" ]]; then
+              echo "Missing GitHub Actions secret: $variable" >&2
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          done
+
+      - name: Download pending signed build
+        id: submission
+        env:
+          MANUAL_RUN_ID: ${{ inputs.release_run_id }}
+          COMPLETED_RUN_ID: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.id }}
+        run: |
+          candidate_ids=()
+          if [[ -n "${MANUAL_RUN_ID:-}" ]]; then
+            candidate_ids+=("$MANUAL_RUN_ID")
+          elif [[ -n "${COMPLETED_RUN_ID:-}" ]]; then
+            candidate_ids+=("$COMPLETED_RUN_ID")
+          else
+            while IFS= read -r run_id; do
+              candidate_ids+=("$run_id")
+            done < <(gh run list --repo "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" --workflow Release --status success --limit 20 --json databaseId --jq '.[].databaseId')
+          fi
+
+          for run_id in "${candidate_ids[@]}"; do
+            if [[ ! "$run_id" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+              echo "Invalid release run ID: $run_id" >&2
+              exit 1
+            fi
+
+            artifact_name="meetingnotes-notarization-$run_id"
+            artifact_count=$(gh api "repos/$GITHUB_REPOSITORY/actions/runs/$run_id/artifacts" \
+              --jq "[.artifacts[] | select(.name == \"$artifact_name\" and .expired == false)] | length")
+            if [[ "$artifact_count" == 0 ]]; then
+              continue
+            fi
+
+            rm -rf "$PENDING_DIR"
+            mkdir -p "$PENDING_DIR"
+            gh run download "$run_id" --repo "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" --name "$artifact_name" --dir "$PENDING_DIR"
+
+            version=$(<"$PENDING_DIR/version")
+            if gh release view "v$version" --repo "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+              continue
+            fi
+
+            echo "found=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "run_id=$run_id" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "Using release submission from workflow run $run_id"
+            exit 0
+          done
+
+          echo "found=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "No pending release submission was found"
+
+      - name: Check notarization and publish when accepted
+        if: steps.submission.outputs.found == 'true'
+        run: scripts/finalize_release.sh
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index bfc0457..a034974 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ on:
         type: string
 
 permissions:
-  contents: write
+  contents: read
 
 concurrency:
   group: meetingnotes-release
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ jobs:
       APPLE_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_ID }}
       APPLE_TEAM_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_TEAM_ID }}
       APPLE_APP_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_APP_PASSWORD }}
-      SPARKLE_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.SPARKLE_PRIVATE_KEY }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v7
         with:
@@ -34,7 +33,7 @@ jobs:
           APPLE_CERTIFICATE_P12: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERTIFICATE_P12 }}
           APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD }}
         run: |
-          for variable in APPLE_CERTIFICATE_P12 APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD APPLE_ID APPLE_TEAM_ID APPLE_APP_PASSWORD SPARKLE_PRIVATE_KEY; do
+          for variable in APPLE_CERTIFICATE_P12 APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD APPLE_ID APPLE_TEAM_ID APPLE_APP_PASSWORD; do
             if [[ -z "${!variable:-}" ]]; then
               echo "Missing GitHub Actions secret: $variable" >&2
               exit 1
@@ -56,11 +55,20 @@ jobs:
           fi
           echo "SIGNING_IDENTITY=$signing_identity" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
-      - name: Build, sign, notarize, and create appcast
-        timeout-minutes: 350
+      - name: Build, sign, and submit for notarization
+        timeout-minutes: 30
         run: scripts/package_release.sh
 
+      - name: Preserve signed build while Apple processes it
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: meetingnotes-notarization-${{ github.run_id }}
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/meetingnotes-release/pending
+          if-no-files-found: error
+          retention-days: 30
+
       - name: Create GitHub release
+        if: ${{ false }}
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
         run: |
diff --git a/scripts/finalize_release.sh b/scripts/finalize_release.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..42dabdf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/finalize_release.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+APP_NAME="Meetingnotes"
+RUNNER_TEMP="${RUNNER_TEMP:-/tmp}"
+PENDING_DIR="${PENDING_DIR:-$RUNNER_TEMP/meetingnotes-pending}"
+WORK_ROOT="${WORK_ROOT:-$RUNNER_TEMP/meetingnotes-finalize}"
+APP_PATH="$WORK_ROOT/$APP_NAME.app"
+RELEASE_DIR="$WORK_ROOT/release"
+VERSION_PATH="$PENDING_DIR/version"
+COMMIT_SHA_PATH="$PENDING_DIR/commit-sha"
+SUBMISSION_PATH="$PENDING_DIR/notary-submission.json"
+PRE_NOTARY_ZIP="$PENDING_DIR/$APP_NAME-pre-notary.zip"
+
+required_variables=(
+  APPLE_ID
+  APPLE_TEAM_ID
+  APPLE_APP_PASSWORD
+  SPARKLE_PRIVATE_KEY
+  GH_TOKEN
+  GITHUB_REPOSITORY
+)
+
+for variable in "${required_variables[@]}"; do
+  if [[ -z "${!variable:-}" ]]; then
+    echo "Missing required environment variable: $variable" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+done
+
+for path in "$VERSION_PATH" "$COMMIT_SHA_PATH" "$SUBMISSION_PATH" "$PRE_NOTARY_ZIP" "$PENDING_DIR/generate_appcast"; do
+  if [[ ! -e "$path" ]]; then
+    echo "Missing release submission artifact: $path" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+done
+
+VERSION=$(<"$VERSION_PATH")
+COMMIT_SHA=$(<"$COMMIT_SHA_PATH")
+SUBMISSION_ID=$(plutil -extract id raw -o - "$SUBMISSION_PATH")
+TAG="v$VERSION"
+
+if gh release view "$TAG" --repo "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "Release already exists: $TAG"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+STATUS_PATH="$WORK_ROOT/notary-status.json"
+rm -rf "$WORK_ROOT"
+mkdir -p "$RELEASE_DIR"
+
+notary_info_succeeded=false
+for attempt in 1 2 3; do
+  if xcrun notarytool info "$SUBMISSION_ID" \
+    --apple-id "$APPLE_ID" \
+    --team-id "$APPLE_TEAM_ID" \
+    --password "$APPLE_APP_PASSWORD" \
+    --output-format json > "$STATUS_PATH"; then
+    notary_info_succeeded=true
+    break
+  fi
+  echo "Notary status check failed ($attempt/3); retrying"
+  sleep 15
+done
+
+if [[ "$notary_info_succeeded" != true ]]; then
+  echo "Unable to query Apple notarization status after three attempts" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+NOTARY_STATUS=$(plutil -extract status raw -o - "$STATUS_PATH")
+echo "Notarization status for $SUBMISSION_ID: $NOTARY_STATUS"
+
+case "$NOTARY_STATUS" in
+  "In Progress")
+    if [[ -n "${GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY:-}" ]]; then
+      printf 'Apple is still processing Meetingnotes %s. Submission: `%s`. The scheduled workflow will check again.\n' \
+        "$VERSION" "$SUBMISSION_ID" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+    fi
+    exit 0
+    ;;
+  Accepted)
+    ;;
+  Invalid|Rejected)
+    xcrun notarytool log "$SUBMISSION_ID" \
+      --apple-id "$APPLE_ID" \
+      --team-id "$APPLE_TEAM_ID" \
+      --password "$APPLE_APP_PASSWORD" || true
+    exit 1
+    ;;
+  *)
+    echo "Unexpected notarization status: $NOTARY_STATUS" >&2
+    exit 1
+    ;;
+esac
+
+ditto -x -k "$PRE_NOTARY_ZIP" "$WORK_ROOT"
+if [[ ! -d "$APP_PATH" ]]; then
+  echo "Signed app was not found after extracting $PRE_NOTARY_ZIP" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+APP_VERSION=$(plutil -extract CFBundleShortVersionString raw -o - "$APP_PATH/Contents/Info.plist")
+if [[ "$APP_VERSION" != "$VERSION" ]]; then
+  echo "Signed app version $APP_VERSION does not match release version $VERSION" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+xcrun stapler staple "$APP_PATH"
+xcrun stapler validate "$APP_PATH"
+spctl --assess --type execute --verbose=2 "$APP_PATH"
+
+ARCHIVE_NAME="$APP_NAME-$VERSION.zip"
+ARCHIVE_PATH="$RELEASE_DIR/$ARCHIVE_NAME"
+ditto -c -k --sequesterRsrc --keepParent "$APP_PATH" "$ARCHIVE_PATH"
+
+GENERATE_APPCAST="$PENDING_DIR/generate_appcast"
+chmod +x "$GENERATE_APPCAST"
+DOWNLOAD_URL="https://github.com/$GITHUB_REPOSITORY/releases/download/$TAG/"
+printf '%s' "$SPARKLE_PRIVATE_KEY" | "$GENERATE_APPCAST" "$RELEASE_DIR" \
+  --ed-key-file - \
+  --download-url-prefix "$DOWNLOAD_URL" \
+  --maximum-deltas 0 \
+  -o "$RELEASE_DIR/appcast.xml"
+
+grep -q "$DOWNLOAD_URL$ARCHIVE_NAME" "$RELEASE_DIR/appcast.xml"
+grep -q 'sparkle:edSignature=' "$RELEASE_DIR/appcast.xml"
+
+gh release \
+  create "$TAG" \
+  "$ARCHIVE_PATH" \
+  "$RELEASE_DIR/appcast.xml" \
+  --repo "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" \
+  --target "$COMMIT_SHA" \
+  --title "Meetingnotes $VERSION" \
+  --generate-notes
+
+echo "Published Meetingnotes $VERSION"
diff --git a/scripts/package_release.sh b/scripts/package_release.sh
index faddaa9..ff8ab77 100755
--- a/scripts/package_release.sh
+++ b/scripts/package_release.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ SCHEME="meetingnotes"
 RUNNER_TEMP="${RUNNER_TEMP:-/tmp}"
 BUILD_ROOT="${BUILD_ROOT:-$RUNNER_TEMP/meetingnotes-release}"
 DERIVED_DATA="$BUILD_ROOT/DerivedData"
-RELEASE_DIR="$BUILD_ROOT/release"
+PENDING_DIR="$BUILD_ROOT/pending"
 APP_PATH="$DERIVED_DATA/Build/Products/Release/$APP_NAME.app"
 
 required_variables=(
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@ required_variables=(
   APPLE_ID
   APPLE_TEAM_ID
   APPLE_APP_PASSWORD
-  SPARKLE_PRIVATE_KEY
-  GITHUB_REPOSITORY
+  GITHUB_SHA
 )
 
 for variable in "${required_variables[@]}"; do
@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@ if [[ "$project_version" != "$VERSION" ]]; then
 fi
 
 rm -rf "$BUILD_ROOT"
-mkdir -p "$RELEASE_DIR"
+mkdir -p "$PENDING_DIR"
 
 xcodebuild \
   -project "$PROJECT" \
@@ -79,77 +78,31 @@ codesign --force --timestamp --options runtime \
 codesign --verify --deep --strict --verbose=2 "$APP_PATH"
 codesign -d --entitlements :- "$APP_PATH" 2>&1 | grep -q 'com.apple.security.app-sandbox'
 
-PRE_NOTARY_ZIP="$BUILD_ROOT/$APP_NAME-pre-notary.zip"
+PRE_NOTARY_ZIP="$PENDING_DIR/$APP_NAME-pre-notary.zip"
 ditto -c -k --sequesterRsrc --keepParent "$APP_PATH" "$PRE_NOTARY_ZIP"
 
 xcrun notarytool submit "$PRE_NOTARY_ZIP" \
   --apple-id "$APPLE_ID" \
   --team-id "$APPLE_TEAM_ID" \
   --password "$APPLE_APP_PASSWORD" \
-  --output-format json > "$BUILD_ROOT/notary-submission.json"
+  --output-format json > "$PENDING_DIR/notary-submission.json"
 
-SUBMISSION_ID=$(plutil -extract id raw -o - "$BUILD_ROOT/notary-submission.json")
+SUBMISSION_ID=$(plutil -extract id raw -o - "$PENDING_DIR/notary-submission.json")
 echo "Notarization submitted: $SUBMISSION_ID"
 
-NOTARY_STATUS="In Progress"
-NOTARY_MAX_ATTEMPTS=660
-for attempt in $(seq 1 "$NOTARY_MAX_ATTEMPTS"); do
-  xcrun notarytool info "$SUBMISSION_ID" \
-    --apple-id "$APPLE_ID" \
-    --team-id "$APPLE_TEAM_ID" \
-    --password "$APPLE_APP_PASSWORD" \
-    --output-format json > "$BUILD_ROOT/notary-status.json"
-  NOTARY_STATUS=$(plutil -extract status raw -o - "$BUILD_ROOT/notary-status.json")
-  echo "Notarization status ($attempt/$NOTARY_MAX_ATTEMPTS): $NOTARY_STATUS"
-
-  case "$NOTARY_STATUS" in
-    Accepted)
-      break
-      ;;
-    Invalid|Rejected)
-      xcrun notarytool log "$SUBMISSION_ID" \
-        --apple-id "$APPLE_ID" \
-        --team-id "$APPLE_TEAM_ID" \
-        --password "$APPLE_APP_PASSWORD" || true
-      exit 1
-      ;;
-    "In Progress")
-      sleep 30
-      ;;
-    *)
-      echo "Unexpected notarization status: $NOTARY_STATUS" >&2
-      exit 1
-      ;;
-  esac
-done
-
-if [[ "$NOTARY_STATUS" != "Accepted" ]]; then
-  echo "Notarization did not finish within 5.5 hours: $SUBMISSION_ID" >&2
-  exit 1
-fi
-
-xcrun stapler staple "$APP_PATH"
-xcrun stapler validate "$APP_PATH"
-
-ARCHIVE_NAME="$APP_NAME-$VERSION.zip"
-ARCHIVE_PATH="$RELEASE_DIR/$ARCHIVE_NAME"
-ditto -c -k --sequesterRsrc --keepParent "$APP_PATH" "$ARCHIVE_PATH"
-spctl --assess --type execute --verbose=2 "$APP_PATH"
-
 GENERATE_APPCAST=$(find "$DERIVED_DATA/SourcePackages/artifacts" -type f -name generate_appcast -print -quit)
 if [[ -z "$GENERATE_APPCAST" ]]; then
   echo "Sparkle generate_appcast tool was not found" >&2
   exit 1
 fi
+cp "$GENERATE_APPCAST" "$PENDING_DIR/generate_appcast"
 
-DOWNLOAD_URL="https://github.com/$GITHUB_REPOSITORY/releases/download/v$VERSION/"
-printf '%s' "$SPARKLE_PRIVATE_KEY" | "$GENERATE_APPCAST" "$RELEASE_DIR" \
-  --ed-key-file - \
-  --download-url-prefix "$DOWNLOAD_URL" \
-  --maximum-deltas 0 \
-  -o "$RELEASE_DIR/appcast.xml"
+printf '%s' "$VERSION" > "$PENDING_DIR/version"
+printf '%s' "$GITHUB_SHA" > "$PENDING_DIR/commit-sha"
 
-grep -q "$DOWNLOAD_URL$ARCHIVE_NAME" "$RELEASE_DIR/appcast.xml"
-grep -q 'sparkle:edSignature=' "$RELEASE_DIR/appcast.xml"
+if [[ -n "${GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY:-}" ]]; then
+  printf 'Submitted Meetingnotes %s for Apple notarization.\n\nSubmission: `%s`\n\nThe finalize workflow will publish the release after Apple accepts it.\n' \
+    "$VERSION" "$SUBMISSION_ID" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+fi
 
-echo "Release artifacts are ready in $RELEASE_DIR"
+echo "Signed app and notarization metadata are ready in $PENDING_DIR"