diff --git a/.github/workflows/desktop-bundle-smoke.yml b/.github/workflows/desktop-bundle-smoke.yml
index 92cd2a7753..fa9ac8743b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/desktop-bundle-smoke.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/desktop-bundle-smoke.yml
@@ -193,6 +193,8 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Stop screen recording
         if: always()
+        # Evidence only. A failed stop must not fail a chat that already passed.
+        continue-on-error: true
         uses: ./.github/actions/e2e-screen-record
         with:
           mode: stop
@@ -209,6 +211,8 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Upload smoke diagnostics
         if: always()
+        # Evidence only. A 403 from the artifact store must not fail the smoke.
+        continue-on-error: true
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
         with:
           name: desktop-smoke-${{ inputs.platform }}-${{ inputs.arch }}-${{ inputs.format }}-${{ github.run_id }}-${{ github.run_attempt }}
diff --git a/tests/ci/test_desktop_bundle_smoke.py b/tests/ci/test_desktop_bundle_smoke.py
index bfb9226d1d..1afc3098d3 100644
--- a/tests/ci/test_desktop_bundle_smoke.py
+++ b/tests/ci/test_desktop_bundle_smoke.py
@@ -173,6 +173,14 @@ def test_smoke_matrix_native_routes_and_driver_only_dependencies():
         assert 'save-cache' not in recording['with']
         upload = next(step for step in job['steps'] if 'actions/upload-artifact@' in step.get('uses', ''))
         assert upload['if'] == 'always()' and upload['with']['path'].endswith('/out')
+        # The chat steps are the smoke verdict. Recording stop and artifact
+        # upload run after that and are evidence; a 403 there must not fail
+        # the job or skip channel publication.
+        stop = next(step for step in job['steps'] if step.get('name') == 'Stop screen recording')
+        assert stop['continue-on-error'] is True and upload['continue-on-error'] is True
+        for verdict in ('Install and chat on macOS', 'Install and chat on Windows'):
+            chat = next(step for step in job['steps'] if step.get('name') == verdict)
+            assert 'continue-on-error' not in chat
 
     recorder = hermes_yaml.safe_load((ROOT / '.github/actions/e2e-screen-record/action.yml').read_text())
     assert all(not step.get('uses', '').startswith('actions/cache') for step in recorder['runs']['steps'])