diff --git a/.github/workflows/discussion-announce.yml b/.github/workflows/discussion-announce.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f2b25f42d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/discussion-announce.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+name: Discussion Announce
+
+on:
+  discussion:
+    types: [created]
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+concurrency:
+  group: discord-discussion-${{ github.event.discussion.node_id }}
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  announce:
+    if: github.event.discussion.category.name == 'Announcements'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout trusted default branch
+        uses: actions/checkout@9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0 # v7.0.0
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ github.event.repository.default_branch }}
+          persist-credentials: false
+      - name: Send announcement to Discord
+        run: node scripts/discord/release-announce.mjs
+        env:
+          ANNOUNCEMENT_KIND: discussion
+          DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN }}
+          DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID: ${{ secrets.DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID }}
+          GITHUB_REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
+          DISCUSSION_ID: ${{ github.event.discussion.node_id }}
+          DISCUSSION_TITLE: ${{ github.event.discussion.title }}
+          DISCUSSION_BODY: ${{ github.event.discussion.body }}
+          DISCUSSION_URL: ${{ github.event.discussion.html_url }}
+          DISCUSSION_CATEGORY: ${{ github.event.discussion.category.name }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-announce.yml b/.github/workflows/release-announce.yml
index 27be162e6..d60e2631b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-announce.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-announce.yml
@@ -1,29 +1,36 @@
 name: Release Announce
 
 on:
-  release:
-    types: [published]
+  workflow_run:
+    workflows: [Release]
+    types: [completed]
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
-  discussions: write
+
+concurrency:
+  group: discord-release-${{ github.event.workflow_run.id }}
+  cancel-in-progress: false
 
 jobs:
   announce:
+    if: github.event.workflow_run.conclusion == 'success'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      discussions: write
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout
+      - name: Checkout trusted default branch
         uses: actions/checkout@9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0 # v7.0.0
         with:
+          ref: ${{ github.event.repository.default_branch }}
           persist-credentials: false
-      - name: Announce release to Discord + Discussions
+      - name: Create announcement and send it to Discord
         run: node scripts/discord/release-announce.mjs
         env:
+          ANNOUNCEMENT_KIND: release
           DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN }}
           DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID: ${{ secrets.DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID }}
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           GITHUB_REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
-          RELEASE_NAME: ${{ github.event.release.name }}
-          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ github.event.release.tag_name }}
-          RELEASE_URL: ${{ github.event.release.html_url }}
-          RELEASE_BODY: ${{ github.event.release.body }}
+          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.head_branch }}
diff --git a/scripts/discord/announcement-core.mjs b/scripts/discord/announcement-core.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4bb839cf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/discord/announcement-core.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import { createHash } from 'node:crypto';
+
+const DISCORD_DESCRIPTION_LIMIT = 4000;
+
+export function isAnnouncementDiscussion(discussion) {
+  return discussion?.category?.name === 'Announcements';
+}
+
+export function releaseMarker(tag) {
+  const normalized = String(tag || '').trim();
+  if (!normalized) throw new Error('release tag is required');
+  return `<!-- ecc-release:${normalized} -->`;
+}
+
+export function findReleaseDiscussion(discussions, marker) {
+  return discussions.find(item => (
+    item?.category?.name === 'Announcements'
+    && typeof item.body === 'string'
+    && item.body.includes(marker)
+  )) || null;
+}
+
+export function announcementKey({ repository, discussionId }) {
+  if (!/^[^/\s]+\/[^/\s]+$/.test(String(repository || ''))) throw new Error('invalid repository');
+  if (!/^[A-Za-z0-9_-]+$/.test(String(discussionId || ''))) throw new Error('invalid discussion id');
+  return `${repository}:discussion:${discussionId}`;
+}
+
+export function buildDiscordPayload({ title, body, url, key }) {
+  const discussionId = String(key).split(':').at(-1);
+  const footer = `ecc:${discussionId}`;
+  const description = String(body || '').trim().slice(0, DISCORD_DESCRIPTION_LIMIT);
+  const nonce = `ecc-${createHash('sha256').update(String(key)).digest('hex').slice(0, 16)}`;
+  return {
+    allowed_mentions: { parse: [] },
+    nonce,
+    enforce_nonce: true,
+    embeds: [{
+      title: String(title || 'ECC announcement').trim().slice(0, 256),
+      description,
+      url: String(url || ''),
+      footer: { text: footer },
+    }],
+  };
+}
+
+export function findDiscordReceipt(messages, key) {
+  const discussionId = String(key).split(':').at(-1);
+  return messages.find(message => message.embeds?.some(embed => embed.footer?.text === `ecc:${discussionId}`)) || null;
+}
diff --git a/scripts/discord/release-announce.mjs b/scripts/discord/release-announce.mjs
index 6da5dea2e..081cf8d7b 100644
--- a/scripts/discord/release-announce.mjs
+++ b/scripts/discord/release-announce.mjs
@@ -1,106 +1,134 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
-// Posts a published GitHub release to the Discord #announcements channel,
-// pins it, and cross-posts to GitHub Discussions (Announcements category).
-// Dependency-free (Node 18+ fetch). Runs from the release-announce workflow.
 'use strict';
 
-const {
-  DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN,
-  DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID,
-  RELEASE_NAME,
-  RELEASE_TAG,
-  RELEASE_URL,
-  RELEASE_BODY,
-  GITHUB_TOKEN,
-  GITHUB_REPOSITORY,
-} = process.env;
+import {
+  announcementKey,
+  buildDiscordPayload,
+  findDiscordReceipt,
+  findReleaseDiscussion,
+  releaseMarker,
+} from './announcement-core.mjs';
 
-const sleep = ms => new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, ms));
+const env = process.env;
+const sleep = ms => new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
 
-async function discord(method, path, body) {
-  const res = await fetch(`https://discord.com/api/v10${path}`, {
-    method,
-    headers: { Authorization: `Bot ${DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN}`, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
-    body: body ? JSON.stringify(body) : undefined,
-  });
-  if (res.status === 429) {
-    const j = await res.json().catch(() => ({ retry_after: 1 }));
-    await sleep((j.retry_after || 1) * 1000 + 250);
-    return discord(method, path, body);
+async function request(url, options = {}, attempts = 3) {
+  for (let attempt = 1; attempt <= attempts; attempt += 1) {
+    const response = await fetch(url, options);
+    if (response.status !== 429 || attempt === attempts) return response;
+    const data = await response.json().catch(() => ({}));
+    await sleep(Math.min(Number(data.retry_after || 1) * 1000 + 250, 10_000));
   }
-  if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`${method} ${path} -> ${res.status} ${(await res.text()).slice(0, 200)}`);
-  return res.status === 204 ? null : res.json();
+  throw new Error('request retry budget exhausted');
 }
 
-function buildMessage() {
-  const title = (RELEASE_NAME && RELEASE_NAME.trim()) || RELEASE_TAG || 'New release';
-  const body = (RELEASE_BODY || '').trim();
-  // Discord message cap is 2000 chars; leave room for header + link.
-  const maxBody = 1600;
-  const trimmed = body.length > maxBody ? `${body.slice(0, maxBody)}\n...` : body;
-  const parts = [`# ${title} is out`, ''];
-  if (trimmed) parts.push(trimmed, '');
-  if (RELEASE_URL) parts.push(`full release notes: ${RELEASE_URL}`);
-  return parts.join('\n');
-}
-
-async function postAndPinToDiscord() {
-  if (!DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN || !DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID) {
-    console.log('skip discord: missing DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN / DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID');
-    return;
-  }
-  const msg = await discord('POST', `/channels/${DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID}/messages`, { content: buildMessage() });
-  console.log('posted release to #announcements:', msg.id);
-  try {
-    await discord('PUT', `/channels/${DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID}/pins/${msg.id}`);
-    console.log('pinned announcement');
-  } catch (e) {
-    console.log('pin skipped:', e.message);
-  }
-}
-
-async function graphql(query, variables) {
-  const res = await fetch('https://api.github.com/graphql', {
+async function githubGraphql(query, variables) {
+  const response = await request('https://api.github.com/graphql', {
     method: 'POST',
-    headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${GITHUB_TOKEN}`, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+    headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${env.GITHUB_TOKEN}`, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
     body: JSON.stringify({ query, variables }),
   });
-  const j = await res.json();
-  if (j.errors) throw new Error(JSON.stringify(j.errors).slice(0, 300));
-  return j.data;
+  if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`GitHub GraphQL request failed (${response.status})`);
+  const payload = await response.json();
+  if (payload.errors) throw new Error('GitHub GraphQL returned errors');
+  return payload.data;
 }
 
-async function crossPostToDiscussions() {
-  if (!GITHUB_TOKEN || !GITHUB_REPOSITORY) {
-    console.log('skip discussions: missing GITHUB_TOKEN / GITHUB_REPOSITORY');
+async function releaseFromGitHub() {
+  const [owner, repo] = env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY.split('/');
+  const tag = env.RELEASE_TAG || env.GITHUB_REF_NAME;
+  const response = await request(`https://api.github.com/repos/${owner}/${repo}/releases/tags/${encodeURIComponent(tag)}`, {
+    headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${env.GITHUB_TOKEN}`, Accept: 'application/vnd.github+json' },
+  });
+  if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`release lookup failed (${response.status})`);
+  return response.json();
+}
+
+async function createOrFindReleaseDiscussion() {
+  const release = await releaseFromGitHub();
+  const [owner, name] = env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY.split('/');
+  const marker = releaseMarker(release.tag_name);
+  const data = await githubGraphql(
+    `query($owner:String!,$name:String!){repository(owner:$owner,name:$name){id discussionCategories(first:25){nodes{id name}}}}`,
+    { owner, name },
+  );
+  const repository = data.repository;
+  let cursor = null;
+  let existing = null;
+  for (let page = 0; page < 50 && !existing; page += 1) {
+    const pageData = await githubGraphql(
+      `query($owner:String!,$name:String!,$after:String){repository(owner:$owner,name:$name){discussions(first:100,after:$after,orderBy:{field:CREATED_AT,direction:DESC}){nodes{id title body url category{name}} pageInfo{hasNextPage endCursor}}}}`,
+      { owner, name, after: cursor },
+    );
+    const discussions = pageData.repository.discussions;
+    existing = findReleaseDiscussion(discussions.nodes, marker);
+    if (!discussions.pageInfo.hasNextPage) break;
+    cursor = discussions.pageInfo.endCursor;
+  }
+  if (existing) return existing;
+  const category = repository.discussionCategories.nodes.find(item => item.name === 'Announcements');
+  if (!category) throw new Error('Announcements discussion category is required');
+  const title = `${release.name || release.tag_name} release`;
+  const body = [marker, release.body || '', `Release: ${release.html_url}`].filter(Boolean).join('\n\n');
+  const created = await githubGraphql(
+    `mutation($repo:ID!,$cat:ID!,$title:String!,$body:String!){createDiscussion(input:{repositoryId:$repo,categoryId:$cat,title:$title,body:$body}){discussion{id title body url category{name}}}}`,
+    { repo: repository.id, cat: category.id, title, body },
+  );
+  return created.createDiscussion.discussion;
+}
+
+function discussionFromEnvironment() {
+  if (env.DISCUSSION_CATEGORY !== 'Announcements') throw new Error('discussion is not an Announcement');
+  return {
+    id: env.DISCUSSION_ID,
+    title: env.DISCUSSION_TITLE,
+    body: env.DISCUSSION_BODY,
+    url: env.DISCUSSION_URL,
+  };
+}
+
+async function discord(method, path, body) {
+  const response = await request(`https://discord.com/api/v10${path}`, {
+    method,
+    headers: { Authorization: `Bot ${env.DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN}`, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+    body: body ? JSON.stringify(body) : undefined,
+  });
+  if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Discord request failed (${response.status})`);
+  return response.status === 204 ? null : response.json();
+}
+
+async function deliver(discussion) {
+  if (!env.DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN || !/^\d{10,25}$/.test(env.DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID || '')) {
+    throw new Error('Discord announcement credentials are missing or invalid');
+  }
+  const key = announcementKey({ repository: env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY, discussionId: discussion.id });
+  const recent = await discord('GET', `/channels/${env.DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID}/messages?limit=100`);
+  const receipt = findDiscordReceipt(recent, key);
+  if (receipt) {
+    await discord('PUT', `/channels/${env.DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID}/pins/${receipt.id}`);
+    console.log('announcement already delivered; pin verified');
     return;
   }
-  const [owner, name] = GITHUB_REPOSITORY.split('/');
-  try {
-    const data = await graphql(
-      `query($owner:String!,$name:String!){repository(owner:$owner,name:$name){id discussionCategories(first:25){nodes{id name}}}}`,
-      { owner, name }
-    );
-    const repo = data.repository;
-    const cat = repo.discussionCategories.nodes.find(c => /announcement/i.test(c.name))
-      || repo.discussionCategories.nodes[0];
-    if (!cat) { console.log('skip discussions: no category found'); return; }
-    const title = `${(RELEASE_NAME && RELEASE_NAME.trim()) || RELEASE_TAG} release`;
-    const bodyParts = [(RELEASE_BODY || '').trim(), '', RELEASE_URL ? `Release: ${RELEASE_URL}` : ''].filter(Boolean);
-    const created = await graphql(
-      `mutation($repo:ID!,$cat:ID!,$title:String!,$body:String!){createDiscussion(input:{repositoryId:$repo,categoryId:$cat,title:$title,body:$body}){discussion{url}}}`,
-      { repo: repo.id, cat: cat.id, title, body: bodyParts.join('\n') || title }
-    );
-    console.log('created discussion:', created.createDiscussion.discussion.url);
-  } catch (e) {
-    console.log('discussions cross-post skipped:', e.message);
-  }
+  const message = await discord('POST', `/channels/${env.DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID}/messages`, buildDiscordPayload({
+    title: discussion.title,
+    body: discussion.body,
+    url: discussion.url,
+    key,
+  }));
+  await discord('PUT', `/channels/${env.DISCORD_ANNOUNCE_CHANNEL_ID}/pins/${message.id}`);
+  console.log('announcement delivered and pinned');
 }
 
 async function main() {
-  await postAndPinToDiscord();
-  await crossPostToDiscussions();
-  console.log('release-announce done');
+  if (!env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY) throw new Error('GitHub repository configuration is missing');
+  if (env.ANNOUNCEMENT_KIND === 'release' && !env.GITHUB_TOKEN) throw new Error('GitHub release configuration is missing');
+  const discussion = env.ANNOUNCEMENT_KIND === 'release'
+    ? await createOrFindReleaseDiscussion()
+    : discussionFromEnvironment();
+  await deliver(discussion);
 }
 
-main().catch(e => { console.error('release-announce FAILED:', e.message); process.exit(1); });
+main().catch(error => {
+  console.error(`release-announce failed: ${error.message}`);
+  process.exitCode = 1;
+});
diff --git a/tests/ci/release-announce-workflow.test.js b/tests/ci/release-announce-workflow.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..552ccd17d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ci/release-announce-workflow.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+const assert = require('assert');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+
+const root = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..');
+const releaseAnnounceWorkflow = fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, '.github/workflows/release-announce.yml'), 'utf8');
+const discussionWorkflow = fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, '.github/workflows/discussion-announce.yml'), 'utf8');
+const releaseWorkflow = fs.readFileSync(path.join(root, '.github/workflows/release.yml'), 'utf8');
+
+assert.match(discussionWorkflow, /discussion:\s*\n\s*types:\s*\[created\]/);
+assert.match(discussionWorkflow, /category\.name\s*==\s*'Announcements'/);
+assert.match(discussionWorkflow, /concurrency:/);
+assert.doesNotMatch(discussionWorkflow, /pull_request_target|workflow_run/);
+assert.match(discussionWorkflow, /persist-credentials:\s*false/);
+assert.match(discussionWorkflow, /ANNOUNCEMENT_KIND:\s*discussion/);
+assert.doesNotMatch(discussionWorkflow, /GITHUB_TOKEN|discussions:\s*write/);
+assert.match(releaseAnnounceWorkflow, /workflow_run:/);
+assert.match(releaseAnnounceWorkflow, /workflows:\s*\[Release\]/);
+assert.match(releaseAnnounceWorkflow, /conclusion\s*==\s*'success'/);
+assert.match(releaseAnnounceWorkflow, /ref:\s*\$\{\{ github\.event\.repository\.default_branch \}\}/);
+assert.match(releaseAnnounceWorkflow, /ANNOUNCEMENT_KIND:\s*release/);
+assert.match(releaseAnnounceWorkflow, /discussions:\s*write/);
+assert.doesNotMatch(releaseWorkflow, /DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN|ANNOUNCEMENT_KIND/);
+
+console.log('release announcement workflow contract: ok');
diff --git a/tests/scripts/release-announce.test.js b/tests/scripts/release-announce.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..714e688b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/scripts/release-announce.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+
+async function main() {
+  const {
+    announcementKey,
+    buildDiscordPayload,
+    findReleaseDiscussion,
+    isAnnouncementDiscussion,
+    releaseMarker,
+  } = await import('../../scripts/discord/announcement-core.mjs');
+
+assert.equal(isAnnouncementDiscussion({ category: { name: 'Announcements' } }), true);
+assert.equal(isAnnouncementDiscussion({ category: { name: 'General' } }), false);
+assert.equal(isAnnouncementDiscussion({ category: { name: 'announcements' } }), false);
+
+assert.equal(releaseMarker('v2.2.0'), '<!-- ecc-release:v2.2.0 -->');
+const marker = releaseMarker('v2.2.0');
+assert.equal(findReleaseDiscussion([
+  { id: 'untrusted', body: marker, category: { name: 'General' } },
+  { id: 'canonical', body: marker, category: { name: 'Announcements' } },
+], marker).id, 'canonical');
+assert.equal(announcementKey({ repository: 'affaan-m/ECC', discussionId: 'D_kw123' }), 'affaan-m/ECC:discussion:D_kw123');
+
+const payload = buildDiscordPayload({
+  title: '@everyone ECC 2.2.0',
+  body: 'A'.repeat(5000),
+  url: 'https://github.com/affaan-m/ECC/discussions/3000',
+  key: 'affaan-m/ECC:discussion:D_kw123',
+});
+assert.deepEqual(payload.allowed_mentions, { parse: [] });
+assert.equal(payload.embeds.length, 1);
+assert.ok(payload.embeds[0].description.length <= 4000);
+assert.equal(payload.embeds[0].footer.text, 'ecc:D_kw123');
+assert.equal(payload.embeds[0].url, 'https://github.com/affaan-m/ECC/discussions/3000');
+assert.equal(payload.enforce_nonce, true);
+assert.match(payload.nonce, /^ecc-[a-f0-9]{16}$/);
+
+  console.log('release announcement core: ok');
+}
+
+main().catch(error => {
+  console.error(error);
+  process.exitCode = 1;
+});