diff --git a/runner/run_recipe_ci.py b/runner/run_recipe_ci.py
index 1987446..745e9e8 100644
--- a/runner/run_recipe_ci.py
+++ b/runner/run_recipe_ci.py
@@ -921,30 +921,36 @@ def should_promote_canonical(
     return canonical.is_enrolled(recipe) and overall == 0 and not quick and not ref and tagged
 
 
-def promote_canonical(recipe: str, head_ref: str | None) -> None:
-    """WC5: (re)seed the canonical at the green-verified LATEST. Deploy `warm-<recipe>` at latest
-    (reattaching the retained canonical volume if one exists — an in-place version bump — else a fresh
-    install), wait healthy, undeploy, snapshot + record the registry (atomic replace of the
-    last-known-good). The OLD known-good is replaced ONLY here, after green (never lost on a red run)."""
+def promote_canonical(recipe: str, head_ref: str | None, version: str | None) -> None:
+    """canon §2.A / WC5: (re)seed the canonical at the GREEN-VERIFIED TESTED RELEASE `version` — the
+    exact version under test (head_version), which the should_promote tagged-gate guarantees is a
+    published release tag. Deploy `warm-<recipe>` at that version (reattaching the retained canonical
+    volume if one exists — an in-place version bump — else a fresh install), wait healthy, undeploy,
+    snapshot + record the registry (atomic replace of the last-known-good).
+
+    Promotes EXACTLY the tested version — it no longer re-derives `latest_version(recipe_tags)`, which
+    could differ from the version actually exercised by the run (e.g. a manual `RECIPE=<r>` run whose
+    `main` checkout sits on a tag older than the newest published tag): the canonical must record the
+    version the tier suite proved green, not a never-tested newer tag. The OLD known-good is replaced
+    ONLY here, after green (never lost on a red run)."""
     import warm_reconcile as wr
 
     domain = canonical.canonical_domain(recipe)
-    wr.fetch_recipe(recipe)
-    latest = wr.latest_version(wr.recipe_tags(recipe))
-    if not latest:
-        print(f"WC5 promote: no version tags for {recipe} — skip", flush=True)
+    if not version:
+        print(f"WC5 promote: no tested release version for {recipe} — skip", flush=True)
         return
+    wr.fetch_recipe(recipe)  # ensure the release tag is present locally for the pinned checkout
     meta = meta_mod.load(recipe)
     # The cold run's deploy-count was already asserted + the countfile removed; don't perturb it.
     os.environ.pop("CCCI_DEPLOY_COUNT_FILE", None)
     print(
-        f"\n===== WC5 promote-on-green-cold: (re)seed canonical {recipe} @ {latest} =====",
+        f"\n===== WC5 promote-on-green-cold: (re)seed canonical {recipe} @ {version} =====",
         flush=True,
     )
     lifecycle.deploy_app(
         recipe,
         domain,
-        version=latest,
+        version=version,
         secrets=True,
         deploy_timeout=int(meta.DEPLOY_TIMEOUT),
         meta=meta,
@@ -958,9 +964,9 @@ def promote_canonical(recipe: str, head_ref: str | None) -> None:
     )
     abra.undeploy(domain)
     _wait_undeployed(domain)
-    canonical.seed_canonical(recipe, latest, commit=head_ref)
+    canonical.seed_canonical(recipe, version, commit=head_ref)
     print(
-        f"WC5 promote: canonical {recipe} advanced to known-good {latest} (idle, volume retained)",
+        f"WC5 promote: canonical {recipe} advanced to known-good {version} (idle, volume retained)",
         flush=True,
     )
 
@@ -1494,7 +1500,7 @@ def main() -> int:
     tagged = warm_reconcile.is_released_version(recipe, head_version)
     if should_promote_canonical(recipe, ref, overall, quick=False, tagged=tagged):
         try:
-            promote_canonical(recipe, head_ref)
+            promote_canonical(recipe, head_ref, head_version)
         except Exception as e:  # noqa: BLE001 — promote is a post-green bonus; never fail a green run
             print(
                 f"!! WC5 promote failed (non-fatal; known-good unchanged): {_scrub(str(e))}",