diff --git a/scripts/github/find-reusable-release-validation.sh b/scripts/github/find-reusable-release-validation.sh
index 53cacf241d6a..f7ffeb747e82 100755
--- a/scripts/github/find-reusable-release-validation.sh
+++ b/scripts/github/find-reusable-release-validation.sh
@@ -218,22 +218,33 @@ for ((index = 0; index < run_count; index += 1)); do
       and (.root.targetSha | type == "string" and test("^[0-9a-f]{40}$"))
       and (.root.artifact.digest | type == "string" and test("^sha256:[0-9a-f]{64}$"))
       and all($record.current, $record.root;
-        .producerOnTrustedMainLineage == true
-        and .workflowFullRef == "refs/heads/main"
+        . as $parent
+        | .producerOnTrustedMainLineage == true
         and .workflowRefType == "branch"
         and .workflowPath == ".github/workflows/full-release-validation.yml"
+        and .workflowFullRef == ("refs/heads/" + .workflowRef)
         and .workflowQualifiedPath ==
-          ".github/workflows/full-release-validation.yml@refs/heads/main"
+          (".github/workflows/full-release-validation.yml@" + .workflowFullRef)
         and (
           .workflowRunPath == ".github/workflows/full-release-validation.yml"
-          or .workflowRunPath ==
-            ".github/workflows/full-release-validation.yml@refs/heads/main"
+          or .workflowRunPath == .workflowQualifiedPath
         )
         and (
-          (.manifestVersion == 3 and .workflowRefProof == "manifest-v3-branch")
+          (
+            .workflowRef == "main"
+            and (
+              (.manifestVersion == 3 and .workflowRefProof == "manifest-v3-branch")
+              or (
+                .manifestVersion == 2
+                and .workflowRefProof == "legacy-v2-main-ancestry"
+              )
+            )
+          )
           or (
-            .manifestVersion == 2
-            and .workflowRefProof == "legacy-v2-main-ancestry"
+            .manifestVersion == 3
+            and .workflowRefProof == "manifest-v3-sha-pinned-main-ancestry"
+            and (.workflowRef | test("^release-ci/[0-9a-f]{12}-[1-9][0-9]*$"))
+            and (.workflowRef | startswith("release-ci/\($parent.workflowSha[0:12])-"))
           )
         )
       )
diff --git a/test/scripts/find-reusable-release-validation.test.ts b/test/scripts/find-reusable-release-validation.test.ts
index 2ea11c1299fb..fc75854cf4df 100644
--- a/test/scripts/find-reusable-release-validation.test.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/find-reusable-release-validation.test.ts
@@ -178,17 +178,24 @@ function normalizedEvidence(options: {
   targetSha: string;
   validationInputs?: Record<string, string> | null;
   verifierSha?: string | null;
+  workflowRef?: string;
 }): NormalizedEvidence {
   const runId = options.runId ?? "111";
   const producerSha = options.producerSha ?? PRODUCER_SHA;
   const releaseProfile = options.releaseProfile ?? "full";
   const soak = options.soak ?? true;
+  const workflowRef = options.workflowRef ?? "main";
+  const workflowFullRef = `refs/heads/${workflowRef}`;
+  const shaPinned = workflowRef.startsWith("release-ci/");
   const validationInputs =
     options.validationInputs === undefined ? DEFAULT_INPUTS : options.validationInputs;
   const manifest = {
-    version: 2,
+    version: shaPinned ? 3 : 2,
     workflowName: "Full Release Validation",
-    workflowRef: "main",
+    workflowRef,
+    workflowSha: producerSha,
+    workflowFullRef,
+    workflowRefType: "branch",
     runId,
     runAttempt: "2",
     targetRef: "release/2026.7.1",
@@ -224,20 +231,24 @@ function normalizedEvidence(options: {
     },
     conclusion: "success",
     manifest,
-    manifestVersion: 2,
+    manifestVersion: shaPinned ? 3 : 2,
     runAttempt: 2,
     runId,
     status: "completed",
     targetSha: options.targetSha,
     url: `https://example.test/runs/${runId}`,
     producerOnTrustedMainLineage: true,
-    workflowFullRef: "refs/heads/main",
+    workflowFullRef,
     workflowPath: ".github/workflows/full-release-validation.yml",
-    workflowQualifiedPath: ".github/workflows/full-release-validation.yml@refs/heads/main",
-    workflowRef: "main",
-    workflowRefProof: "legacy-v2-main-ancestry",
+    workflowQualifiedPath: `.github/workflows/full-release-validation.yml@${workflowFullRef}`,
+    workflowRef,
+    workflowRefProof: shaPinned
+      ? "manifest-v3-sha-pinned-main-ancestry"
+      : "legacy-v2-main-ancestry",
     workflowRefType: "branch",
-    workflowRunPath: ".github/workflows/full-release-validation.yml",
+    workflowRunPath: shaPinned
+      ? `.github/workflows/full-release-validation.yml@${workflowFullRef}`
+      : ".github/workflows/full-release-validation.yml",
     workflowSha: producerSha,
   };
   const roles = [
@@ -268,7 +279,7 @@ function normalizedEvidence(options: {
       dispatchNonce: `full-release-validation-${runId}-${sourceParentAttempt}${suffix}`,
       displayTitle: `${name} full-release-validation-${runId}-${sourceParentAttempt}${suffix}`,
       event: "workflow_dispatch",
-      headBranch: "main",
+      headBranch: workflowRef,
       parentJobId: `job-${role}`,
       path: `.github/workflows/${workflow}`,
       role,
@@ -471,6 +482,34 @@ function parseOutput(output: string): Record<string, string> {
 }
 
 describe("scripts/github/find-reusable-release-validation.sh", () => {
+  it("reuses strict direct-root evidence produced by a canonical SHA-pinned run", () => {
+    const { origin, priorSha } = createRepo();
+    const clone = cloneHead(origin);
+    const producerSha = "d".repeat(40);
+    const producerRef = `release-ci/${producerSha.slice(0, 12)}-122`;
+    const record = normalizedEvidence({
+      producerSha,
+      targetSha: priorSha,
+      workflowRef: producerRef,
+    });
+    const { binDir, fixtures, validatorPath } = setUpFixtures([{ record, runId: "111" }]);
+
+    const result = runResolver({
+      binDir,
+      fixtures,
+      repoDir: clone,
+      targetSha: priorSha,
+      validatorPath,
+      workflowRef: `release-ci/${VERIFIER_SHA.slice(0, 12)}-123`,
+    });
+
+    expect(result.status).toBe(0);
+    expect(parseOutput(result.stdout)).toMatchObject({
+      evidence_run_id: "111",
+      reuse: "true",
+    });
+  });
+
   it("rejects noncanonical release refs and workflow SHAs outside trusted main", () => {
     const { origin, priorSha } = createRepo();
     const clone = cloneHead(origin);