diff --git a/.github/workflows/api-release.yml b/.github/workflows/api-release.yml
index 6df326e89..6bbd22597 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/api-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/api-release.yml
@@ -41,8 +41,13 @@ jobs:
         run: npm install -g npm@latest && npm --version
 
       - name: Set version from tag
+        # Same shell-injection shape as #227: keep the input in the
+        # environment even though this workflow only receives the
+        # already-validated tag from release.yml.
+        env:
+          INPUT_TAG: ${{ inputs.tag }}
         run: |
-          TAG_NAME="${{ inputs.tag }}"
+          TAG_NAME="$INPUT_TAG"
 
           if [ -z "$TAG_NAME" ]; then
             echo "Error: No tag specified."
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 4d9b1cd5c..9d54e95a2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -39,10 +39,16 @@ jobs:
       - name: Resolve tag
         id: meta
         shell: bash
+        # The tag rides in through the environment, never through ${{ }}
+        # interpolation: the runner expands expressions before bash parses
+        # the script, so interpolated input runs as code before the format
+        # check below ever sees it (#227).
+        env:
+          INPUT_TAG: ${{ inputs.tag }}
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           if [[ "${{ github.event_name }}" == "workflow_dispatch" ]]; then
-            TAG="${{ inputs.tag || '' }}"
+            TAG="${INPUT_TAG:-}"
             if [[ -z "$TAG" ]]; then
               echo "When dispatching manually, you must provide 'tag' (e.g. v1.2.3)." >&2
               exit 1