diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/cd.yml b/.gitea/workflows/cd.yml
index 11cea66..2a4c914 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/cd.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/cd.yml
@@ -112,31 +112,55 @@ jobs:
           # the artifact release.yml produces instead. Bounded: a genuinely
           # broken/skipped release run fails this job loudly rather than
           # hanging forever.
+          #
+          # The loop retries TWO distinct not-ready states (measured live on
+          # run 2265dbb 2026-09-15: deploy pulled the image at 02:36:45 and
+          # failed verify at 02:37:03 with "no signatures found" while the
+          # release run attached the signature at 02:37:11 — an 8-second race
+          # that the pull-only retry missed):
+          #   1. tag not pushed yet  (release still building)
+          #   2. tag pushed but signature not attached yet (release between
+          #      push and cosign sign)
           attempt=0
           max_attempts=40
-          until docker pull "$IMAGE_REF" >/tmp/pull.log 2>&1; do
+          digest=""
+          while true; do
             attempt=$((attempt + 1))
             if [ "$attempt" -ge "$max_attempts" ]; then
-              echo "::error::no signed image found at $IMAGE_REF after $max_attempts attempts (10 min) — release.yml has not produced an artifact for sha-$SHORT. Refusing to deploy an unverified rebuild."
-              cat /tmp/pull.log
+              echo "::error::no signed image found at $IMAGE_REF after $max_attempts attempts (10 min) — release.yml has not produced a signed artifact for sha-$SHORT. Refusing to deploy an unverified rebuild."
+              cat /tmp/pull.log 2>/dev/null || true
+              cat /tmp/verify.log 2>/dev/null || true
               exit 1
             fi
-            echo "image not yet available at $IMAGE_REF (attempt $attempt/$max_attempts) — waiting for release.yml..."
-            sleep 15
+            if ! docker pull "$IMAGE_REF" >/tmp/pull.log 2>&1; then
+              echo "image not yet available at $IMAGE_REF (attempt $attempt/$max_attempts) — waiting for release.yml..."
+              sleep 15
+              continue
+            fi
+
+            # Read back the digest the registry actually stored for this tag —
+            # same filter release.yml itself uses (RepoDigests can hold multiple
+            # entries; never trust index 0) — and verify THAT digest, never the
+            # mutable tag alone, so a tag reassigned after signing can't slip past.
+            repo_digest="$(docker inspect --format='{{json .RepoDigests}}' "$IMAGE_REF" \
+              | node -e "const rd=JSON.parse(require('fs').readFileSync(0,'utf8')); const prefix=process.env.IMAGE_REPO+'@'; const m=rd.find(r=>r.startsWith(prefix)); if(!m){console.error('no RepoDigests entry starting with '+prefix+' among: '+JSON.stringify(rd));process.exit(1);} console.log(m);")"
+            digest="${repo_digest##*@}"
+            echo "$digest" | grep -Eq '^sha256:[0-9a-f]{64}$' || { echo "::error::unexpected digest shape: $digest"; exit 1; }
+
+            echo "verifying cosign signature on ${IMAGE_REPO}@${digest} ..."
+            if cosign verify --key cosign.pub "${IMAGE_REPO}@${digest}" >/tmp/verify.log 2>&1; then
+              break
+            fi
+            if grep -q "no signatures found" /tmp/verify.log; then
+              echo "image present but signature not attached yet (attempt $attempt/$max_attempts) — waiting for release.yml's cosign sign..."
+              sleep 15
+              continue
+            fi
+            echo "::error::cosign verify FAILED for ${IMAGE_REPO}@${digest} (not a not-ready state — refusing to deploy)"
+            cat /tmp/verify.log
+            exit 1
           done
 
-          # Read back the digest the registry actually stored for this tag —
-          # same filter release.yml itself uses (RepoDigests can hold multiple
-          # entries; never trust index 0) — and verify THAT digest, never the
-          # mutable tag alone, so a tag reassigned after signing can't slip past.
-          repo_digest="$(docker inspect --format='{{json .RepoDigests}}' "$IMAGE_REF" \
-            | node -e "const rd=JSON.parse(require('fs').readFileSync(0,'utf8')); const prefix=process.env.IMAGE_REPO+'@'; const m=rd.find(r=>r.startsWith(prefix)); if(!m){console.error('no RepoDigests entry starting with '+prefix+' among: '+JSON.stringify(rd));process.exit(1);} console.log(m);")"
-          digest="${repo_digest##*@}"
-          echo "$digest" | grep -Eq '^sha256:[0-9a-f]{64}$' || { echo "::error::unexpected digest shape: $digest"; exit 1; }
-
-          echo "verifying cosign signature on ${IMAGE_REPO}@${digest} ..."
-          cosign verify --key cosign.pub "${IMAGE_REPO}@${digest}"
-
           echo "digest=$digest" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
           echo "SIGNED ARTIFACT VERIFIED: ${IMAGE_REPO}@${digest} — authorizing Coolify redeploy of sha-$SHORT"