diff --git a/.github/actions/setup-node-env/action.yml b/.github/actions/setup-node-env/action.yml
index 0a743bc89e5..5ea0373ff76 100644
--- a/.github/actions/setup-node-env/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/setup-node-env/action.yml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ inputs:
     required: false
     default: "true"
   use-sticky-disk:
-    description: Use Blacksmith sticky disks for pnpm store caching.
+    description: Request Blacksmith sticky-disk pnpm caching on trusted runs; pull_request runs fall back to actions/cache.
     required: false
     default: "false"
   install-deps:
diff --git a/.github/actions/setup-pnpm-store-cache/action.yml b/.github/actions/setup-pnpm-store-cache/action.yml
index 9f8d4233f36..249544d49ac 100644
--- a/.github/actions/setup-pnpm-store-cache/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/setup-pnpm-store-cache/action.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ inputs:
     required: false
     default: "node24"
   use-sticky-disk:
-    description: Use Blacksmith sticky disks instead of actions/cache for pnpm store on trusted runs.
+    description: Use Blacksmith sticky disks instead of actions/cache for pnpm store on trusted runs; pull_request runs fall back to actions/cache.
     required: false
     default: "false"
   use-restore-keys:
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ inputs:
     required: false
     default: "true"
   use-actions-cache:
-    description: Whether to restore/save pnpm store with actions/cache.
+    description: Whether to restore/save pnpm store with actions/cache, including pull_request fallback when sticky disks are disabled.
     required: false
     default: "true"
 runs:
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ runs:
       run: echo "path=$(pnpm store path --silent)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
     - name: Mount pnpm store sticky disk
+      # Keep persistent sticky-disk state off untrusted PR runs.
       if: inputs.use-sticky-disk == 'true' && github.event_name != 'pull_request'
       uses: useblacksmith/stickydisk@v1
       with:
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ runs:
         path: ${{ steps.pnpm-store.outputs.path }}
 
     - name: Restore pnpm store cache (exact key only)
+      # PRs that request sticky disks still need a safe cache restore path.
       if: inputs.use-actions-cache == 'true' && (inputs.use-sticky-disk != 'true' || github.event_name == 'pull_request') && inputs.use-restore-keys != 'true'
       uses: actions/cache@v4
       with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 12a473217ec..9038096a488 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -258,8 +258,14 @@ jobs:
           echo "OPENCLAW_TEST_WORKERS=2" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
           echo "OPENCLAW_TEST_MAX_OLD_SPACE_SIZE_MB=6144" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
-      - name: Run Node 22 compatibility gate
-        run: pnpm build && pnpm test
+      - name: Build under Node 22
+        run: pnpm build
+
+      - name: Run tests under Node 22
+        run: pnpm test
+
+      - name: Verify npm pack under Node 22
+        run: pnpm release:check
 
   skills-python:
     needs: [docs-scope, changed-scope]