diff --git a/.github/workflows/branch-policy.yml b/.github/workflows/branch-policy.yml
index f1ad3cf..7b9960a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/branch-policy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/branch-policy.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ permissions:
   contents: read
 
 on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
 
-          source="${{ github.head_ref }}"
+          source="${GITHUB_HEAD_REF:-${GITHUB_REF_NAME}}"
           echo "Source branch: ${source}"
 
           if [[ "${source}" == "development" || "${source}" == release/v* ]]; then
diff --git a/.github/workflows/commitlint.yml b/.github/workflows/commitlint.yml
index b23f498..91515ec 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/commitlint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/commitlint.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 name: Commitlint
 
 on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
@@ -21,7 +22,15 @@ jobs:
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
-      - name: Lint commits
+      - name: Lint PR commits
+        if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
         uses: wagoid/commitlint-github-action@v6
         with:
           configFile: .commitlintrc.json
+
+      - name: Lint release commit
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+        uses: wagoid/commitlint-github-action@v6
+        with:
+          configFile: .commitlintrc.json
+          commitDepth: 1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index fd839c4..f78369b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ on:
 permissions:
   contents: write
   pull-requests: write
+  actions: write
 
 concurrency:
   group: release-${{ github.event_name }}-${{ github.ref_name }}
@@ -225,50 +226,29 @@ jobs:
 
           echo "url=${pr_url}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
+      - name: Dispatch validation workflows
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+
+          branch="${{ steps.version.outputs.branch }}"
+
+          # Run the real checks on the release branch so their check runs attach
+          # to the release commit, not this workflow_dispatch run.
+          gh workflow run branch-policy.yml --ref "${branch}"
+          gh workflow run commitlint.yml --ref "${branch}"
+          gh workflow run tests.yml --ref "${branch}"
+
       - name: Write pull request summary
         shell: bash
         run: |
           {
             printf 'Release pull request: %s\n' "${{ steps.pr.outputs.url }}"
+            printf 'Validation workflows have been dispatched on %s.\n' "${{ steps.version.outputs.branch }}"
             printf 'Publish is skipped on workflow_dispatch by design.\n'
             printf 'Merge that pull request into main to trigger the publish job.\n'
           } >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
 
-  # GITHUB_TOKEN pushes don't trigger other workflows, so the required
-  # checks ("Run tests", "Lint commit messages") would stay pending on the
-  # release PR.  These jobs run the same checks inline with matching names
-  # so branch protection on main is satisfied.
-  release-tests:
-    needs: prepare
-    if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
-    name: Run tests
-    runs-on: macos-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Check out release branch
-        uses: actions/checkout@v5
-        with:
-          ref: ${{ needs.prepare.outputs.branch }}
-
-      - name: Run tests
-        run: ./tests.sh
-
-  release-lint:
-    needs: prepare
-    if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
-    name: Lint commit messages
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Check out release branch
-        uses: actions/checkout@v5
-        with:
-          ref: ${{ needs.prepare.outputs.branch }}
-          fetch-depth: 0
-
-      - name: Lint commits
-        uses: wagoid/commitlint-github-action@v6
-        with:
-          configFile: .commitlintrc.json
-
   publish:
     if: github.event_name == 'push'
     name: Publish release
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index daca352..2aac576 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ permissions:
   contents: read
 
 on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
   push:
     branches:
       - development
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 81c384d..1b45c57 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,30 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+
+## [0.1.2] - 2026-06-09
+
+### Features
+
+- multi-screen sync coordinator (#85)
+- add two darker brightness steps to rain palette (#71)
+- group options sheet into sections (#69)
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+- dispatch release checks on release branch (#93)
+- exit number rain loop when scene completes (#89)
+- recreate release PR instead of reusing (#88)
+- run required checks inline in release workflow (#87)
+- trigger checks on release branch push (#86)
+- restrict release workflow dispatch to development branch (#83)
+- always regenerate changelog on release reruns (#82)
+- allow release workflow dispatch from development branch (#81)
+- source release changelog from development branch (#80)
+- derive current version from latest git tag in release workflow (#74)
+- auto-merge back-merge PR and sync VERSION after release (#73)
+- apply typing speed to all intro scenes (#70)
+
 ## [0.1.1] - 2026-05-20
 
 ### Features
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 17e51c3..d917d3e 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.1.1
+0.1.2