diff --git a/scripts/release.py b/scripts/release.py
index cd82224098..8cd5231623 100755
--- a/scripts/release.py
+++ b/scripts/release.py
@@ -2526,9 +2526,11 @@ def _resume_canary(tag: str, remote: str, repository: str, *, notes_file: Path |
         raise ValueError("Canary receipt differs from its exact remote tag object")
 
     view = subprocess.run(
-        ["gh", "release", "view", tag, "--repo", repository, "--json", "tagName,isDraft,isPrerelease"],
+        ["gh", "release", "view", tag, "--repo", repository, "--json", "tagName,isDraft,isPrerelease,url"],
         cwd=REPO_ROOT, capture_output=True, text=True, encoding="utf-8",
     )
+    # A draft is served at an untagged-* URL, never releases/tag/<tag>; gh's
+    # answer is the only working link to it.
     if view.returncode != 0:
         create = [
             "gh", "release", "create", tag, "--repo", repository,
@@ -2541,11 +2543,13 @@ def _resume_canary(tag: str, remote: str, repository: str, *, notes_file: Path |
         )
         if created.returncode != 0:
             raise ValueError(created.stderr.strip() or "Canary draft could not be recovered")
+        draft_url = created.stdout.strip()
     else:
         release = json.loads(view.stdout)
         if (release.get("tagName") != tag or not isinstance(release.get("isDraft"), bool)
                 or release.get("isPrerelease") is not True):
             raise ValueError("Canary release state differs from its receipt")
+        draft_url = release.get("url") or ""
 
     from scripts.releases.versioning import published_channel_identity
     published = published_channel_identity(repository, "canary")
@@ -2557,7 +2561,7 @@ def _resume_canary(tag: str, remote: str, repository: str, *, notes_file: Path |
     print(f"Resumed canary publication for {tag}.")
     print(f"Workflow: https://github.com/{repository}/actions/workflows/desktop-bundled-release.yml")
     print("Wait for that workflow to finish. It builds this canary and publishes the draft when the build is green.")
-    print(f"The draft is at https://github.com/{repository}/releases/tag/{tag}.")
+    print(f"The draft is at {draft_url}.")
 
 
 def cmd_canary(args) -> None:
diff --git a/scripts/releases/entrypoint.py b/scripts/releases/entrypoint.py
index c2b8e29742..bbcc9ec539 100644
--- a/scripts/releases/entrypoint.py
+++ b/scripts/releases/entrypoint.py
@@ -198,7 +198,6 @@ def release(commit: str, *, bump: str, repo: Path, remote: str, repository: str,
     # different version passes the same check. Re-read before anything starts.
     _refresh_claims(repo, remote)
     _outstanding_attempt(repo, remote)
-    url = f"https://github.com/{repository}/releases/tag/{tag}"
     try:
         notes = json.loads(execute([
             "gh", "api", f"repos/{repository}/releases/generate-notes",
@@ -213,11 +212,14 @@ def release(commit: str, *, bump: str, repo: Path, remote: str, repository: str,
         finally:
             file.close()
         try:
-            execute([
+            # gh prints the new release's page. A draft is not reachable
+            # through releases/tag/<tag> (GitHub serves it at an untagged-*
+            # URL), so this printed page is the only link to it.
+            url = (execute([
                 "gh", "release", "create", tag, "--repo", repository,
                 "--verify-tag", "--draft", "--notes-file", file.name,
                 "--title", f"Hermes Agent v{version}",
-            ])
+            ]) or "").strip()
         finally:
             os.unlink(file.name)
         execute([
@@ -351,15 +353,17 @@ def next_steps(result: dict) -> str:
     lines = [
         f"Claimed {result['tag']} for v{version}. The release workflow started on {result['tag']}.",
         f"Workflow: {result['run_url']}" if result.get("run_url") else "Workflow: the run is not listed yet. Open the Actions tab for this claim.",
+        f"Draft release: {result['url']}",
+        "The draft exists now. Edit its notes while the workflow runs; the edits carry through to publication.",
         "Wait for that workflow to finish. It builds and tests this commit.",
-        f"When it is green, the release notes are at {result['final_url']}.",
     ]
     if result["autopublish"]:
         lines.append("Autopublish is on. A green workflow publishes the release. You do not run publish.")
     else:
-        lines.append("Autopublish is off. The release stays a draft.")
-        lines.append("Edit the notes at that page, then publish the release to push this build live:")
+        lines.append("Autopublish is off. The release stays a draft after the workflow is green.")
+        lines.append("When it is green, publish the release to push this build live:")
         lines.append(f"    python scripts/release.py publish --version {version} --remote origin")
+    lines.append(f"After publication the release is at {result['final_url']}.")
     return "\n".join(lines)
 
 
@@ -386,7 +390,6 @@ def cmd_release(args) -> None:
         execute=execute, autopublish=args.autopublish,
         published=published_stable_identity(repository),
     )
-    print(result["url"])
     print(next_steps(result))
 
 
diff --git a/tests/scripts/test_release_entrypoint.py b/tests/scripts/test_release_entrypoint.py
index 43224264dd..24c55ddea5 100644
--- a/tests/scripts/test_release_entrypoint.py
+++ b/tests/scripts/test_release_entrypoint.py
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ def test_release_claims_the_first_attempt_creates_a_draft_and_dispatches(source)
         if command[:3] == ["gh", "run", "list"]:
             return json.dumps([{"databaseId": 7, "url": "https://github.com/example/hermes-agent/actions/runs/7",
                                 "headBranch": "rc.1-v0.21.5", "status": "queued"}])
+        if command[:3] == ["gh", "release", "create"]:
+            return "https://github.com/example/hermes-agent/releases/tag/untagged-0123abcd\n"
         return ""
 
     result = _release(source, commit, execute=execute, autopublish=True)
@@ -92,7 +94,8 @@ def test_release_claims_the_first_attempt_creates_a_draft_and_dispatches(source)
     assert result["version"] == "0.21.5"
     assert result["tag"] == "rc.1-v0.21.5"
     assert result["commit"] == commit
-    assert result["url"] == "https://github.com/example/hermes-agent/releases/tag/rc.1-v0.21.5"
+    # A draft lives at the page gh reports, never at releases/tag/<claim>.
+    assert result["url"] == "https://github.com/example/hermes-agent/releases/tag/untagged-0123abcd"
     assert result["final_url"] == "https://github.com/example/hermes-agent/releases/tag/v0.21.5"
     assert git(source, "rev-parse", "rc.1-v0.21.5^{commit}") == commit
     claim = json.loads(git(source, "tag", "-l", "rc.1-v0.21.5", "--format=%(contents)"))
@@ -132,11 +135,13 @@ def test_release_output_names_the_wait_and_the_publish_step():
 
     result = {"version": "0.21.5", "tag": "rc.1-v0.21.5", "autopublish": False,
               "run_url": "https://github.com/example/hermes-agent/actions/runs/7",
+              "url": "https://github.com/example/hermes-agent/releases/tag/untagged-0123abcd",
               "final_url": "https://github.com/example/hermes-agent/releases/tag/v0.21.5"}
     text = next_steps(result)
     assert "Workflow: " + result["run_url"] in text
     assert "The release workflow started on rc.1-v0.21.5." in text
-    assert "Wait for that workflow to finish." in text
+    # The draft is reachable before the workflow is green, not only after it.
+    assert text.index(result["url"]) < text.index("Wait for that workflow to finish.")
     assert result["final_url"] in text
     assert "python scripts/release.py publish --version 0.21.5 --remote origin" in text