diff --git a/.github/workflows/manual-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/manual-publish.yml
index 0640b69..1e9329a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/manual-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/manual-publish.yml
@@ -88,9 +88,11 @@ jobs:
         run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
       - name: Build
         run: pnpm build
+      # `npm publish --dry-run` still asks the registry whether the version exists,
+      # so it cannot rehearse an already-published tag; `npm pack` never contacts it.
       - name: Pack only (dry run)
         if: ${{ inputs.dry_run }}
-        run: npm publish --dry-run --access public
+        run: npm pack --dry-run
       - name: Publish to npm
         if: ${{ !inputs.dry_run }}
         run: npm publish --provenance --access public