diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 68dbb87..d6d5ead 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -8,31 +8,16 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch: {}   # manual run for testing; publishing remains tag-only
 
 permissions:
-  contents: write          # create the GitHub Release
+  contents: read
 
 jobs:
-  release:
+  guards:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
-      - uses: actions/setup-java@v4
-        with:
-          distribution: temurin
-          java-version: '21'
-
-      - uses: DeLaGuardo/setup-clojure@13.6.1
-        with:
-          cli: latest
-
-      - uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: ~/.m2/repository
-          key: ${{ runner.os }}-m2-${{ hashFiles('deps.edn') }}
-          restore-keys: ${{ runner.os }}-m2-
-
       - name: Verify tag matches build.clj version
         if: github.ref_type == 'tag'
         run: |
@@ -88,10 +73,6 @@ jobs:
             done < <(grep -oE "net\.clojars\.[a-zA-Z0-9._/-]+ \{:mvn/version \"[^\"]+\"\}" "$f" | grep -F "$LIB {:mvn/version" | grep -oE '"[^"]+"' | tr -d '"')
           done
           exit $rc
-      - name: Test
-        run: |
-          clojure -T:build compile-java
-          clojure -M:test
 
       - name: Verify tag commit is on main
         if: github.ref_type == 'tag'
@@ -118,6 +99,43 @@ jobs:
           fi
           cat release-notes.md
 
+      - name: Upload release notes
+        if: github.ref_type == 'tag'
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: release-notes
+          path: release-notes.md
+
+  verify:
+    needs: guards
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/test-matrix.yml
+
+  release:
+    needs: [guards, verify]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+        with:
+          distribution: temurin
+          java-version: '21'
+      - uses: DeLaGuardo/setup-clojure@13.6.1
+        with:
+          cli: latest
+      - uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: ~/.m2/repository
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-m2-${{ hashFiles('deps.edn') }}
+          restore-keys: ${{ runner.os }}-m2-
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        if: github.ref_type == 'tag'
+        with:
+          name: release-notes
+
       - name: Deploy to Clojars
         if: github.ref_type == 'tag'
         env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-matrix.yml b/.github/workflows/test-matrix.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a2ac9a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-matrix.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+name: test matrix
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  test:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        jdk: ['17', '21']
+        clojure: ['1.10', '1.11', '1.12']
+    name: jdk ${{ matrix.jdk }} / clojure ${{ matrix.clojure }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+        with:
+          distribution: temurin
+          java-version: ${{ matrix.jdk }}
+      - uses: DeLaGuardo/setup-clojure@13.6.1
+        with:
+          cli: latest
+      - uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: ~/.m2/repository
+          key: m2-${{ hashFiles('deps.edn') }}
+          restore-keys: m2-
+      - run: clojure -T:build compile-java
+      - run: clojure -M:${{ matrix.clojure }}:test
+
+  lint:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Install clj-kondo
+        run: |
+          curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/clj-kondo/clj-kondo/v2026.08.04/script/install-clj-kondo | bash -s -- --dir "$HOME/.local/bin" --version 2026.08.04
+          echo "$HOME/.local/bin" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
+      - name: Lint
+        run: clj-kondo --lint src test --fail-level error
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 1dd1504..93660e6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -10,37 +10,4 @@ permissions:
 
 jobs:
   test:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        jdk: ['17', '21']
-        clojure: ['1.10', '1.11', '1.12']
-    name: jdk ${{ matrix.jdk }} / clojure ${{ matrix.clojure }}
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - uses: actions/setup-java@v4
-        with:
-          distribution: temurin
-          java-version: ${{ matrix.jdk }}
-      - uses: DeLaGuardo/setup-clojure@13.6.1
-        with:
-          cli: latest
-      - uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: ~/.m2/repository
-          key: m2-${{ hashFiles('deps.edn') }}
-          restore-keys: m2-
-      - run: clojure -T:build compile-java
-      - run: clojure -M:${{ matrix.clojure }}:test
-
-  lint:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Install clj-kondo
-        run: |
-          curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/clj-kondo/clj-kondo/v2026.08.04/script/install-clj-kondo | bash -s -- --dir "$HOME/.local/bin" --version 2026.08.04
-          echo "$HOME/.local/bin" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
-      - name: Lint
-        run: clj-kondo --lint src test --fail-level error
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/test-matrix.yml