diff --git a/.github/workflows/deployment-enforcement.yml b/.github/workflows/deployment-enforcement.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..014eeae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/deployment-enforcement.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+name: Deployment enforcement
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      version:
+        description: Signed release version to deploy through the enforced path
+        required: true
+        default: '0.2.3'
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+  packages: read
+
+env:
+  VERSION: '0.2.3'
+
+jobs:
+  qualify:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Select release
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+        run: echo "VERSION=${{ inputs.version }}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+      - name: Set up Docker Buildx
+        uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+      - name: Install Cosign
+        uses: sigstore/cosign-installer@ba7bc0a3fef59531c69a25acd34668d6d3fe6f22 # v4.1.0
+      - name: Log in to GHCR
+        uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        with:
+          registry: ghcr.io
+          username: ${{ github.actor }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+      - name: Validate scripts
+        run: |
+          bash -n scripts/deploy-verified-compose.sh
+          bash -n scripts/render-verified-quadlet.sh
+      - name: Qualify verified Compose deployment
+        env:
+          VERSION: ${{ env.VERSION }}
+        run: |
+          bash scripts/deploy-verified-compose.sh
+          image="$(docker inspect glowing-bear --format '{{.Config.Image}}')"
+          [[ "$image" =~ ^ghcr\.io/ploos-as/glowing-bear@sha256:[0-9a-f]{64}$ ]]
+          for attempt in $(seq 1 30); do
+            if curl --fail --silent http://127.0.0.1:8080/healthz >/dev/null; then
+              exit 0
+            fi
+            sleep 1
+          done
+          docker compose logs
+          exit 1
+      - name: Qualify verified Quadlet rendering
+        env:
+          VERSION: ${{ env.VERSION }}
+        run: |
+          OUTPUT=/tmp/glowing-bear.container bash scripts/render-verified-quadlet.sh
+          grep -Eq '^Image=ghcr\.io/ploos-as/glowing-bear@sha256:[0-9a-f]{64}$' /tmp/glowing-bear.container
+          ! grep -q '^Image=.*:latest$' /tmp/glowing-bear.container
diff --git a/compose.yaml b/compose.yaml
index 12b4dfd..6ce0f34 100644
--- a/compose.yaml
+++ b/compose.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 services:
   glowing-bear:
-    image: ghcr.io/ploos-as/glowing-bear:latest
+    image: ${GLOWING_BEAR_IMAGE:-ghcr.io/ploos-as/glowing-bear:latest}
     build:
       context: .
     container_name: glowing-bear
diff --git a/docs/M0_12_DEPLOYMENT_ENFORCEMENT.md b/docs/M0_12_DEPLOYMENT_ENFORCEMENT.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a1ba4ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/M0_12_DEPLOYMENT_ENFORCEMENT.md
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+# M0.12 deployment enforcement
+
+M0.11 added consumer-side Sigstore/Cosign verification. M0.12 turns that verification into the supported secure deployment path for Docker Compose and Podman Quadlet.
+
+## Policy
+
+The secure deployment path is fail-closed:
+
+1. A semantic release version is supplied by the operator.
+2. `scripts/verify-release.sh` resolves the release tag to an immutable OCI digest.
+3. Cosign verifies that exact digest against the expected GitHub Actions certificate identity and the GitHub Actions OIDC issuer.
+4. Only the verified `ghcr.io/ploos-as/glowing-bear@sha256:...` reference is handed to the deployment mechanism.
+5. Any resolution, signature, identity, issuer, or immutable-reference failure stops deployment.
+
+This is an application/operator deployment policy. It is not a Docker daemon, Podman engine, or host-wide admission controller.
+
+## Docker Compose
+
+Use:
+
+```bash
+VERSION=0.2.3 bash scripts/deploy-verified-compose.sh
+```
+
+The script verifies the release, pulls only the verified immutable digest, exports that digest through `GLOWING_BEAR_IMAGE`, validates the Compose model, and starts the service with `--no-build` so a local build cannot replace the verified release image.
+
+`compose.yaml` still has a `:latest` fallback for development and compatibility. That fallback is not the verified deployment path.
+
+## Podman Quadlet
+
+Generate a Quadlet containing the verified immutable digest:
+
+```bash
+VERSION=0.2.3 \
+OUTPUT="$HOME/.config/containers/systemd/glowing-bear.container" \
+bash scripts/render-verified-quadlet.sh
+
+systemctl --user daemon-reload
+systemctl --user restart glowing-bear.service
+```
+
+The renderer refuses to produce the deployment file unless verification succeeds and the resulting `Image=` value is an immutable `sha256` reference.
+
+## CI qualification
+
+`.github/workflows/deployment-enforcement.yml` qualifies M0.12 against the signed `v0.2.3` release. The gate:
+
+- syntax-checks both enforcement scripts;
+- executes the verified Compose deployment path;
+- verifies the running container was created from an immutable digest reference;
+- requires `/healthz` to become reachable;
+- renders a verified Quadlet;
+- requires its `Image=` field to contain an immutable digest and rejects `:latest`.
+
+## Acceptance criteria
+
+M0.12 is complete when:
+
+- the verified Compose path deploys only after successful signature verification;
+- the Compose runtime image reference is immutable;
+- local build substitution is disabled in the verified path;
+- the verified Quadlet path emits only an immutable image reference;
+- CI proves both paths against a real signed release;
+- failures in verification prevent deployment output or startup.
diff --git a/scripts/deploy-verified-compose.sh b/scripts/deploy-verified-compose.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b8da85e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/deploy-verified-compose.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+VERSION="${VERSION:?VERSION is required}"
+COMPOSE_FILE="${COMPOSE_FILE:-compose.yaml}"
+
+for command in docker cosign; do
+  if ! command -v "$command" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "required command not found: $command" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+done
+
+verified_ref="$(VERSION="$VERSION" PULL=0 bash scripts/verify-release.sh)"
+if [[ ! "$verified_ref" =~ ^ghcr\.io/ploos-as/glowing-bear@sha256:[0-9a-f]{64}$ ]]; then
+  echo "verification did not return an immutable Glowing Bear image ref" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Pulling verified immutable image: $verified_ref"
+docker pull "$verified_ref"
+
+export GLOWING_BEAR_IMAGE="$verified_ref"
+
+echo "Deploying verified image with Compose: $GLOWING_BEAR_IMAGE"
+docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" config >/dev/null
+docker compose -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" up -d --no-build
+
+echo "Verified Compose deployment started: $GLOWING_BEAR_IMAGE"
diff --git a/scripts/qualify_browser_relay.py b/scripts/qualify_browser_relay.py
index 5fdd207..0817663 100644
--- a/scripts/qualify_browser_relay.py
+++ b/scripts/qualify_browser_relay.py
@@ -5,9 +5,21 @@
 import asyncio
 import sys
 
+from playwright.async_api import Error as PlaywrightError
 from playwright.async_api import async_playwright
 
 
+async def goto_with_network_retry(page, base_url: str) -> None:
+    for attempt in range(3):
+        try:
+            await page.goto(base_url, wait_until="networkidle", timeout=30_000)
+            return
+        except PlaywrightError as exc:
+            if "ERR_NETWORK_CHANGED" not in str(exc) or attempt == 2:
+                raise
+            await asyncio.sleep(1)
+
+
 async def qualify(
     base_url: str,
     relay_host: str,
@@ -26,7 +38,7 @@ async def qualify(
         page.on("websocket", lambda ws: websocket_urls.append(ws.url))
 
         try:
-            await page.goto(base_url, wait_until="networkidle", timeout=30_000)
+            await goto_with_network_retry(page, base_url)
             await page.locator("#host").fill(relay_host)
             await page.locator("#port").fill(str(relay_port))
             await page.locator("#password").fill(password)
diff --git a/scripts/render-verified-quadlet.sh b/scripts/render-verified-quadlet.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5c18435
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/render-verified-quadlet.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+VERSION="${VERSION:?VERSION is required}"
+OUTPUT="${OUTPUT:-glowing-bear.verified.container}"
+TEMPLATE="${TEMPLATE:-quadlet/glowing-bear.container}"
+
+for command in docker cosign; do
+  if ! command -v "$command" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "required command not found: $command" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+done
+
+verified_ref="$(VERSION="$VERSION" PULL=0 bash scripts/verify-release.sh)"
+if [[ ! "$verified_ref" =~ ^ghcr\.io/ploos-as/glowing-bear@sha256:[0-9a-f]{64}$ ]]; then
+  echo "verification did not return an immutable Glowing Bear image ref" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -f "$TEMPLATE" ]]; then
+  echo "Quadlet template not found: $TEMPLATE" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+awk -v image="$verified_ref" '
+  /^Image=/ { print "Image=" image; next }
+  { print }
+' "$TEMPLATE" > "$OUTPUT"
+
+if ! grep -Eq '^Image=ghcr\.io/ploos-as/glowing-bear@sha256:[0-9a-f]{64}$' "$OUTPUT"; then
+  echo "rendered Quadlet does not contain the verified immutable image ref" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Rendered verified Quadlet: $OUTPUT"
+echo "Immutable image: $verified_ref"
diff --git a/scripts/verify-release.sh b/scripts/verify-release.sh
index e866232..9ff4ebb 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-release.sh
+++ b/scripts/verify-release.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ if [[ ! "$VERSION" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+([.-][0-9A-Za-z.-]+)?$ ]]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
+if [[ "$PULL" != "0" && "$PULL" != "1" ]]; then
+  echo "PULL must be 0 or 1" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
 for command in docker cosign; do
   if ! command -v "$command" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     echo "required command not found: $command" >&2
@@ -28,7 +33,11 @@ done
 primary="$IMAGE:$VERSION"
 identity="https://github.com/Ploos-AS/glowing-bear/.github/workflows/sign-release.yml@refs/tags/$TAG"
 
-image_digest="$(docker buildx imagetools inspect "$primary" | awk '/^Digest:/ {print $2; exit}')"
+# Capture the complete Buildx output before parsing it. Piping imagetools inspect
+# directly into an awk program that exits after the Digest line can close the
+# pipe early; with pipefail enabled Buildx may then report SIGPIPE as exit 255.
+inspect_output="$(docker buildx imagetools inspect "$primary")"
+image_digest="$(awk '/^Digest:/ {print $2; found=1} END {if (!found) exit 1}' <<<"$inspect_output")"
 if [[ ! "$image_digest" =~ ^sha256:[0-9a-f]{64}$ ]]; then
   echo "could not resolve an immutable sha256 digest for $primary" >&2
   exit 1
@@ -36,24 +45,21 @@ fi
 
 signed_ref="$IMAGE@$image_digest"
 
-echo "Resolved release: $primary"
-echo "Immutable ref:   $signed_ref"
-echo "Expected signer: $identity"
-echo "Expected issuer: $OIDC_ISSUER"
+echo "Resolved release: $primary" >&2
+echo "Immutable ref:   $signed_ref" >&2
+echo "Expected signer: $identity" >&2
+echo "Expected issuer: $OIDC_ISSUER" >&2
 
 cosign verify \
   --certificate-identity "$identity" \
   --certificate-oidc-issuer "$OIDC_ISSUER" \
   "$signed_ref" >/dev/null
 
-echo "Signature verification passed for $signed_ref"
+echo "Signature verification passed for $signed_ref" >&2
 
 if [[ "$PULL" == "1" ]]; then
-  docker pull "$signed_ref"
-  echo "Pulled verified immutable image: $signed_ref"
-elif [[ "$PULL" != "0" ]]; then
-  echo "PULL must be 0 or 1" >&2
-  exit 1
+  docker pull "$signed_ref" >&2
+  echo "Pulled verified immutable image: $signed_ref" >&2
 fi
 
 printf '%s\n' "$signed_ref"