diff --git a/.github/consumers.txt b/.github/consumers.txt
index 6f9a0e8..9f1eafa 100644
--- a/.github/consumers.txt
+++ b/.github/consumers.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Repos that pin the devkit; bump-consumers.yml opens one PR in each after a release. Only
-# marola-dev repos: the org's fine-grained PAT cannot reach h0ffmann/ww3-gpu, whose two pins in
-# .github/workflows/skills.yml are bumped by hand.
+# marola-dev repos: marola-merge-bot, an org App, cannot be installed on h0ffmann/ww3-gpu, whose two
+# pins in .github/workflows/skills.yml are bumped by hand.
 marola-dev/marola
 marola-dev/marola-app
 marola-dev/marola-site
diff --git a/.github/merge-key-allowlist b/.github/merge-key-allowlist
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..74e9e5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/merge-key-allowlist
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Workflows whose jobs may name MERGE_BOT_KEY (MIP-0086 §5.6; scripts/merge_key_check.py).
+.github/workflows/bump-consumers.yml
+.github/workflows/release.yml
diff --git a/.github/workflows/bump-consumers.yml b/.github/workflows/bump-consumers.yml
index 57f1661..74b5ca6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/bump-consumers.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/bump-consumers.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 # One pin-bump PR per consumer after a release (scripts/bump-consumers.sh). release.yml calls it
-# once the release is published; dispatch it by hand to retry or to bump to an older tag.
-# It reads MAROLA_BUMP_PAT (Contents, Pull requests and Workflows write on every repo in
-# .github/consumers.txt), an org secret only marola-devkit may read: a PR opened with GITHUB_TOKEN
-# would start no CI in the consumer, and could not reach it anyway. Not MAROLA_CROSS_REPO_PAT: ten
-# workflows across the org receive that one, and with Workflows write any of them could push a
-# branch whose new workflow runs with that repo's secrets (marola-dev/marola-devkit#63).
+# once the release is published; dispatch it by hand to retry or to bump to an older tag. prepare
+# runs nix with no key; publish holds marola-merge-bot's key and runs only checked-in scripts
+# (MIP-0086 §5.6, merge-key-check). The bot's token starts CI in each consumer, which a
+# GITHUB_TOKEN-opened PR would not.
 name: bump consumers
 
 on:
@@ -12,7 +10,7 @@ on:
     inputs:
       version: { type: string, required: true }
     secrets:
-      MAROLA_BUMP_PAT: { required: true }
+      MERGE_BOT_KEY: { required: true }
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       version: { description: "X.Y.Z, an existing tag without the v", required: true }
@@ -24,7 +22,7 @@ concurrency:
   cancel-in-progress: false
 
 jobs:
-  bump:
+  prepare:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 20
     permissions:
@@ -33,6 +31,41 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v7
       - uses: DeterminateSystems/nix-installer-action@v23
       - env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.MAROLA_BUMP_PAT }}
           VERSION: ${{ inputs.version }}
-        run: scripts/bump-consumers.sh "$VERSION"
+        run: scripts/bump-consumers.sh prepare "$VERSION" "$RUNNER_TEMP/bump"
+      - if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v7
+        with:
+          name: devkit-bump
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/bump/
+          retention-days: 1
+
+  publish:
+    needs: prepare
+    # One consumer failing in prepare must not stop the others' PRs; the run stays red.
+    if: ${{ !cancelled() && needs.prepare.result != 'skipped' }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 10
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v7
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
+        with:
+          name: devkit-bump
+          path: ${{ runner.temp }}/bump
+      - id: repos
+        run: echo "list=$(scripts/bump-consumers.sh names)" >>"$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+      - id: bot
+        uses: ./.github/actions/bot-token
+        with:
+          app-id: ${{ vars.MERGE_BOT_APP_ID }}
+          private-key: ${{ secrets.MERGE_BOT_KEY }}
+          repositories: ${{ steps.repos.outputs.list }}
+          permission-contents: write
+          permission-pull-requests: write
+          permission-workflows: write
+      - env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ steps.bot.outputs.token }}
+          VERSION: ${{ inputs.version }}
+        run: scripts/bump-consumers.sh publish "$VERSION" "$RUNNER_TEMP/bump"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/gemini.yml b/.github/workflows/gemini.yml
index fbb6bfc..08bd431 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/gemini.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/gemini.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ jobs:
   gemini:
     if: github.event.requested_team.slug == 'gemini'
     uses: ./.github/workflows/gemini-review.yml
-    secrets: inherit
+    secrets:
+      GEMINI_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.GEMINI_API_KEY }}
+      PR_BOT_KEY: ${{ secrets.PR_BOT_KEY }}
     with:
       # The base commit under pull_request_target: a fork's head is never what runs.
       devkit-ref: ${{ github.sha }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index b07ca53..61e0fa9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -31,4 +31,4 @@ jobs:
     with:
       version: ${{ github.ref_name }}
     secrets:
-      MAROLA_BUMP_PAT: ${{ secrets.MAROLA_BUMP_PAT }}
+      MERGE_BOT_KEY: ${{ secrets.MERGE_BOT_KEY }}
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 280bbdf..10ef48b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@ Each release moves `plugin.json`'s `version`, the flake package version and ever
 together. A consumer adopts one by bumping its flake input, its workflow `@v…`/`devkit-ref` and its
 marketplace `ref` at once.
 
+## v0.11.0 — 2026-10-14
+
+- `bump-consumers` runs as `prepare` (nix, no key) and `publish` (marola-merge-bot, checked-in scripts
+  only), so the bump PRs and their commits come from `marola-merge-bot[bot]`. `release.yml` passes
+  `MERGE_BOT_KEY` and `MAROLA_BUMP_PAT` is no longer read: marola-devkit must hold `MERGE_BOT_APP_ID`
+  and `MERGE_BOT_KEY`. `gemini.yml` passes its secrets explicitly (#80).
+
 ## v0.10.1 — 2026-10-14
 
 - `skills-update` takes an optional secret `pr_bot_key` and opens its PR as `marola-pr-bot`; callers
diff --git a/docs/3-development.md b/docs/3-development.md
index c2fc26b..46f0b9a 100644
--- a/docs/3-development.md
+++ b/docs/3-development.md
@@ -67,12 +67,10 @@ Once the release is published, `release.yml` calls `bump-consumers.yml`, which o
 each repo of `.github/consumers.txt` on `chore/devkit-vX.Y.Z`: the flake input and its
 `flake.lock` node, every devkit workflow `@v…`, `devkit-ref` and docs-lint clone, and the
 marketplace `ref`; in a repo whose `REPOS.md` has the wiring markers (the umbrella), also that
-block, regenerated by the new tag's `wiring` over shallow submodules. A person merges each. It uses the org secret `MAROLA_BUMP_PAT`, so the PRs are
-authored by that token's owner: a fine-grained PAT owned by marola-dev with access to all its
-repositories and Contents, Pull requests and Workflows write, whose secret only marola-devkit may
-read. It is not `MAROLA_CROSS_REPO_PAT`, which ten workflows across the org receive: with Workflows
-write, any of them could push a branch whose new workflow runs with that repo's secrets. h0ffmann/ww3-gpu is outside the org token's reach and not listed: bump
-the `@v…` and `devkit-ref` in its `skills.yml` by hand. Dispatch
+block, regenerated by the new tag's `wiring` over shallow submodules. A person merges each. A `prepare` job runs nix with no key and uploads one
+patch per repo; a `publish` job holds the repo secret `MERGE_BOT_KEY` and runs only checked-in
+scripts (`merge-key-check` enforces it), so the PRs are authored by `marola-merge-bot[bot]` and
+start CI. h0ffmann/ww3-gpu is outside the App's reach and not listed: bump the `@v…` and `devkit-ref` in its `skills.yml` by hand. Dispatch
 `bump-consumers.yml` by hand to retry a version: it updates the open PRs instead of adding more.
 Adding a consumer is one line in `.github/consumers.txt`.
 
@@ -120,8 +118,9 @@ Never install graphify any other way, pass `--backend`, or run its installers or
 ## Secrets and cost
 
 The devkit deploys nothing. `bot-token-test` reads the org's `PR_BOT_KEY` and `PR_BOT_APP_ID`;
-`MAROLA_BUMP_PAT` (`bump-consumers.yml`) and `MAROLA_CROSS_REPO_PAT` (the callers) remain until
-MIP-0086 row 11 retires them. Its reusable workflows take what the caller passes or the default
+`bump-consumers.yml` reads the repo's `MERGE_BOT_KEY` and `MERGE_BOT_APP_ID`;
+`MAROLA_CROSS_REPO_PAT` (the callers) remains until
+MIP-0086 row 11 retires it. Its reusable workflows take what the caller passes or the default
 `GITHUB_TOKEN`.
 `setup-runners` and `gha-runner` touch a self-hosted runner only when a human runs them
 ([runners](4-reference_runners.md)).
diff --git a/docs/4-reference_config.md b/docs/4-reference_config.md
index 75549c2..73ba3a6 100644
--- a/docs/4-reference_config.md
+++ b/docs/4-reference_config.md
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ has a default, so a repo that sets none of them gets the org's behaviour.
 | `MAROLA_RUNNER_PREFIX` | `setup-runners` | `marola` | The runner name prefix |
 | `MAROLA_RUNNER_SOURCE` | `setup-runners` | `~/code/actions-runner`, then `~/actions-runner` | An unpacked actions-runner release to copy from |
 | `MAROLA_OBSIDIAN_VAULT` | the `obsidian-vault` skill | `~/Documents/2nd-brain` | The maintainer's Obsidian vault |
-| `MAROLA_BUMP_PAT` | `bump-consumers.yml` | — | Not an environment variable: the org secret, readable by marola-devkit alone, whose PAT opens the pin-bump PRs ([releases](3-development.md#releases)) |
+| `MERGE_BOT_KEY`, `MERGE_BOT_APP_ID` | `bump-consumers.yml` | — | Not environment variables: the repo secret and variable of the `marola-merge-bot` App, which opens the pin-bump PRs ([releases](3-development.md#releases)) |
 | `PR_BOT_KEY`, `PR_BOT_APP_ID` | a caller of `notify-umbrella` and `gemini-review` | — | Not environment variables: the org secret and variable of the `marola-pr-bot` App, passed as `notify-umbrella`'s `pr_bot_key` ([workflows](4-reference_workflows.md#notify-umbrella)) |
 | `MAROLA_CROSS_REPO_PAT` | a caller of `notify-umbrella` | — | Deprecated fallback, read only without `pr_bot_key`: the repository secret a caller passes as the workflow's `token` |
 
diff --git a/scripts/bump-consumers.sh b/scripts/bump-consumers.sh
index 583303e..41ce083 100755
--- a/scripts/bump-consumers.sh
+++ b/scripts/bump-consumers.sh
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # bump-consumers: after a devkit release, one PR per repo in .github/consumers.txt on
-# chore/devkit-vX.Y.Z, moving its pins (release.py --consumer), where it commits one the
-# flake.lock's devkit node, and where it has one REPOS.md's wiring block (BUMP_WIRING overrides
-# the new tag's `nix run …#wiring`). A re-run force-updates the branch and edits the open PR. GH_TOKEN must
-# reach every repo; the PRs are authored by its owner. One repo failing doesn't stop the others.
-#   scripts/bump-consumers.sh X.Y.Z
+# chore/devkit-vX.Y.Z, in two steps so the merge bot's key never shares a job with nix (MIP-0086
+# §5.6). prepare needs no token: it clones each repo, moves its pins (release.py --consumer), its
+# flake.lock's devkit node and REPOS.md's wiring block (BUMP_WIRING overrides the new tag's
+# `nix run …#wiring`), commits, and writes DIR/version and, per bumped repo,
+# DIR/<owner>_<repo>.patch, .base and (with a flake.lock) .lock. publish needs
+# GH_TOKEN on every repo: it applies each patch to a fresh clone as the git identity it runs under,
+# force-pushes the branch and opens or edits the PR. One repo failing doesn't stop the others.
+#   scripts/bump-consumers.sh prepare X.Y.Z DIR
+#   scripts/bump-consumers.sh publish X.Y.Z DIR
+#   scripts/bump-consumers.sh names      # the consumers as repo names, comma-separated (bot-token's input)
 #   scripts/bump-consumers.sh --self-test
 set -euo pipefail
 root="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
@@ -38,14 +43,15 @@ echo "\$*" >>"$t/wiring.log"
 sed "s/^sub at .*/sub at \$(git -C sub rev-parse HEAD)/" "\$1" >"\$1.new"
 mv "\$1.new" "\$1"
 EOF
-  chmod +x "$t/bin/gh" "$t/bin/wiring"
+  printf '#!%s\necho "nix $*" >>"%s/nix.log"\n' "$BASH" "$t" >"$t/bin/nix"
+  chmod +x "$t/bin/gh" "$t/bin/wiring" "$t/bin/nix"
   git init -q -b main "$t/sub"
   git -C "$t/sub" commit -q --allow-empty -m sub
-  fixture() {   # fixture NAME MARKERS(0|1)
+  fixture() {   # fixture NAME MARKERS(0|1) [PINNED_VERSION]
     local d="$t/src/$1"
     git init -q -b main "$d"
     mkdir -p "$d/docs/2-Building-marola"
-    echo 'inputs.marola-devkit.url = "github:marola-dev/marola-devkit/v0.0.1";' >"$d/flake.nix"
+    echo "inputs.marola-devkit.url = \"github:marola-dev/marola-devkit/v${3:-0.0.1}\";" >"$d/flake.nix"
     git -C "$d" submodule add -q "file://$t/sub" sub
     if [ "$2" = 1 ]; then
       printf '# Repos\n<!-- wiring:start -->\nsub at stale\n<!-- wiring:end -->\n' >"$d/docs/2-Building-marola/REPOS.md"
@@ -56,12 +62,20 @@ EOF
     git -C "$d" commit -q -m fixture
     git clone -q --bare "$d" "$t/remote/a/$1"
   }
-  run() {   # run REPO [ENV=VALUE...]: one bump against the fixtures, its exit status echoed
+  prep() {   # prep REPO [ENV=VALUE...]: exit status echoed
     local repo="$1" rc=0; shift
     env PATH="$t/bin:$PATH" BUMP_CONSUMERS_URL="file://$t/remote" BUMP_WIRING=wiring "$@" \
-      bash "$root/scripts/bump-consumers.sh" --one 9.9.9 "$repo" >/dev/null 2>"$t/err" || rc=$?
+      bash "$root/scripts/bump-consumers.sh" --one prepare 9.9.9 "$repo" "$t/out" >/dev/null 2>"$t/err" || rc=$?
     echo "$rc"
   }
+  pub() {
+    local repo="$1" rc=0; shift
+    env PATH="$t/bin:$PATH" BUMP_CONSUMERS_URL="file://$t/remote" GIT_AUTHOR_NAME=bot GIT_COMMITTER_NAME=bot "$@" \
+      bash "$root/scripts/bump-consumers.sh" --one publish 9.9.9 "$repo" "$t/out" >/dev/null 2>>"$t/err" || rc=$?
+    echo "$rc"
+  }
+  run() { local rc; rc="$(prep "$@")"; [ "$rc" != 0 ] || rc="$(pub "$1")"; echo "$rc"; }
+  mkdir -p "$t/out"
   files() { git -C "$t/remote/$1" diff-tree --no-commit-id --name-only -r chore/devkit-v9.9.9 2>/dev/null | paste -sd' ' -; }
 
   echo "-- umbrella_bump_regenerates_wiring_block --"
@@ -85,15 +99,41 @@ EOF
   ok "$(files a/broken)" "" "nothing pushed"
   ok "$(grep -c wiring "$t/err")" 1 "the failure names wiring"
 
+  echo "-- prepare_needs_no_token --"
+  fixture quiet 0
+  rm -f "$t/gh.log"
+  ok "$(prep a/quiet)" 0 "prepare succeeds"
+  ok "$(cat "$t/gh.log" 2>/dev/null || echo never)" never "prepare never calls gh"
+
+  echo "-- publish_runs_no_nix_or_wiring --"
+  rm -f "$t/wiring.log" "$t/nix.log"
+  ok "$(pub a/quiet)" 0 "publish succeeds"
+  ok "$(cat "$t/wiring.log" "$t/nix.log" 2>/dev/null || echo never)" never "publish runs neither"
+  ok "$(grep -c 'pr create' "$t/gh.log")" 1 "publish opens the PR"
+  ok "$(git -C "$t/remote/a/quiet" log -1 --format=%an chore/devkit-v9.9.9)" bot "the commit is the publisher's"
+
+  echo "-- already_pinned_writes_no_patch --"
+  fixture pinned 0 9.9.9
+  ok "$(prep a/pinned)" 0 "prepare succeeds"
+  ok "$(ls "$t/out" | grep -c '^a_pinned\.')" 0 "no patch for a repo already on the tag"
+  ok "$(pub a/pinned)" 0 "publish skips it"
+
   [ "$fails" -eq 0 ] || { echo "bump-consumers: self-test FAILED ($fails)" >&2; exit 1; }
   echo "bump-consumers: self-test ok" >&2
   exit 0
 fi
 
+usage() { echo "bump-consumers: usage: bump-consumers.sh prepare|publish X.Y.Z DIR | names" >&2; exit 1; }
+
+if [ "${1:-}" = names ]; then repos | sed 's#^marola-dev/##' | paste -sd, -; exit; fi
+
 one=""
-if [ "${1:-}" = --one ]; then one="$3"; shift; fi
-version="${1:-}"; version="${version#v}"
-[[ "$version" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]] || { echo "bump-consumers: usage: bump-consumers.sh X.Y.Z" >&2; exit 1; }
+if [ "${1:-}" = --one ]; then mode="${2:-}" version="${3:-}" one="${4:-}" dir="${5:-}"
+else mode="${1:-}" version="${2:-}" dir="${3:-}"; fi
+version="${version#v}"
+case "$mode" in prepare|publish) ;; *) usage ;; esac
+[[ "$version" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]] && [ -n "$dir" ] || usage
+mkdir -p "$dir"; dir="$(cd "$dir" && pwd)"
 tag="v$version" branch="chore/devkit-v$version"
 work="$(mktemp -d)"; trap 'rm -rf "$work"' EXIT
 
@@ -107,10 +147,10 @@ Opened by marola-devkit's \`bump-consumers.yml\`; this repo's own CI gates it. W
 MD
 }
 
-bump() {
-  local repo="$1" dir="$work/${1//\//_}" base lock="" regen=""
-  git clone -q --depth 1 "${BUMP_CONSUMERS_URL:-https://github.com}/$repo" "$dir"
-  cd "$dir"
+prepare_one() {
+  local repo="$1" slug="${1//\//_}" d="$work/${1//\//_}" base lock="" regen=""
+  git clone -q --depth 1 "${BUMP_CONSUMERS_URL:-https://github.com}/$repo" "$d"
+  cd "$d"
   base="$(git branch --show-current)"
   git switch -q -C "$branch"
   python3 "$root/scripts/release.py" --consumer . "$version" >/dev/null
@@ -137,8 +177,27 @@ bump() {
     commit -qam "chore: marola-devkit $tag" \
     -m "Tested: release.py --consumer moved the pins${lock:+, nix flake update marola-devkit the lock}${regen:+, wiring at $tag regenerated $repos_md}; this repo's CI gates the rest
 Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>"
+  git format-patch -1 --binary --stdout >"$dir/$slug.patch"
+  printf '%s\n' "$base" >"$dir/$slug.base"
+  [ -z "$lock" ] || : >"$dir/$slug.lock"
+  echo "bump-consumers: $repo prepared" >&2
+}
+
+publish_one() {
+  local repo="$1" slug="${1//\//_}" d="$work/${1//\//_}" base lock="" pr
+  if [ ! -f "$dir/$slug.patch" ]; then
+    echo "bump-consumers: $repo has nothing to publish" >&2
+    return 0
+  fi
+  base="$(cat "$dir/$slug.base")"
+  [ ! -f "$dir/$slug.lock" ] || lock=1
+  git clone -q --depth 1 --branch "$base" "${BUMP_CONSUMERS_URL:-https://github.com}/$repo" "$d"
+  cd "$d"
+  git switch -q -C "$branch"
+  git am -q --keep-cr "$dir/$slug.patch"
+  # The patch was committed in the keyless job; the PR's commit should name the bot that pushes it.
+  git commit -q --amend --no-edit --reset-author
   git push -q -f origin "$branch"
-  local pr
   pr="$(gh pr list -R "$repo" --head "$branch" --state open --json number -q '.[0].number // empty')"
   if [ -n "$pr" ]; then
     gh pr edit "$pr" -R "$repo" --body "$(body "$lock")" >/dev/null
@@ -149,15 +208,19 @@ Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>"
 }
 
 if [ -n "$one" ]; then
-  bump "$one"
+  "${mode}_one" "$one"
   exit
 fi
 
-[ -n "${GH_TOKEN:-}" ] || { echo "bump-consumers: GH_TOKEN is empty; give marola-devkit access to the org secret MAROLA_BUMP_PAT (docs/3-development.md, Releases)" >&2; exit 1; }
+if [ "$mode" = prepare ]; then
+  printf '%s\n' "$version" >"$dir/version"
+else
+  [ -n "${GH_TOKEN:-}" ] || { echo "bump-consumers publish: GH_TOKEN is empty; it must be marola-merge-bot's token on every consumer (MIP-0086)" >&2; exit 1; }
+  gh auth setup-git
+fi
 # Each repo in its own process: set -e does not apply inside a function called from `||`.
-gh auth setup-git
 failed=()
 while read -r repo; do
-  "$0" --one "$version" "$repo" || { echo "::error::bump-consumers: $repo failed" >&2; failed+=("$repo"); }
+  "$0" --one "$mode" "$version" "$repo" "$dir" || { echo "::error::bump-consumers $mode: $repo failed" >&2; failed+=("$repo"); }
 done < <(repos)
-[ "${#failed[@]}" -eq 0 ] || { echo "bump-consumers: failed: ${failed[*]}" >&2; exit 1; }
+[ "${#failed[@]}" -eq 0 ] || { echo "bump-consumers $mode: failed: ${failed[*]}" >&2; exit 1; }