diff --git a/.github/scripts/check_pr.py b/.github/scripts/check_pr.py
index c68f94c..7e5b4ec 100755
--- a/.github/scripts/check_pr.py
+++ b/.github/scripts/check_pr.py
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@
                          no-op that passes on rc-* so hotfix/regression PRs are
                          not forced to carry the full template).
 
+Release-promotion PRs — a 'chore(release):' title from an 'rc-*' head branch,
+the promote step of the release train — are exempt from both checks (V2-1092):
+they are mechanical version-bump PRs with no issue or template of their own.
+
 PR fields are read from the environment (set by the workflow from the event
 payload): PR_TITLE, PR_BODY, PR_BRANCH, PR_BASE.
 
@@ -38,6 +42,14 @@
     r"linear\.app/[^/\s]+/issue/[A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9]*-[0-9]+", re.IGNORECASE
 )
 
+# Release-promotion PRs (the promote step of the release train) are mechanical
+# version-bump PRs opened from an rc-* branch. Both checks self-pass on them —
+# they must pass rather than be skipped because linear-link/pr-template are
+# required status checks. Matched on BOTH the conventional-commit title prefix
+# and the rc-* head branch so an ordinary PR cannot opt out via its title alone.
+RELEASE_TITLE = re.compile(r"^chore\(release\):")
+RC_BRANCH = re.compile(r"^rc-")
+
 # Canonical section headings, exactly as they appear in the template, keyed by
 # their lower-cased form. Used so failure messages name the real heading.
 CANONICAL_HEADINGS = {
@@ -72,6 +84,12 @@ def strip_comments(text):
     return re.sub(r"<!--.*?-->", "", text, flags=re.DOTALL)
 
 
+def release_promotion():
+    return bool(
+        RELEASE_TITLE.match(env("PR_TITLE")) and RC_BRANCH.match(env("PR_BRANCH"))
+    )
+
+
 def linear_ref(*parts):
     """Return the first Linear URL/key found in the given (comment-free) parts."""
     haystack = "\n".join(parts)
@@ -96,6 +114,12 @@ def sections(body):
 
 
 def check_linear():
+    if release_promotion():
+        ok(
+            f"✅ linear-link not enforced on release-promotion PRs "
+            f"(chore(release) from '{env('PR_BRANCH')}')."
+        )
+
     # Strip comments from the body so the template's own example does not count.
     ref = linear_ref(env("PR_TITLE"), strip_comments(env("PR_BODY")), env("PR_BRANCH"))
     if ref:
@@ -110,6 +134,12 @@ def check_linear():
 
 
 def check_template():
+    if release_promotion():
+        ok(
+            f"✅ pr-template not enforced on release-promotion PRs "
+            f"(chore(release) from '{env('PR_BRANCH')}')."
+        )
+
     base = env("PR_BASE")
     if base and base != "main":
         ok(f"✅ pr-template not enforced on base '{base}' (main only).")
diff --git a/.github/scripts/test_check_pr.py b/.github/scripts/test_check_pr.py
index c41f323..aad0b24 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/test_check_pr.py
+++ b/.github/scripts/test_check_pr.py
@@ -71,6 +71,17 @@ def body_without(section_swap):
     ("linear: issue URL in body", "linear", {"PR_BODY": "https://linear.app/autonominetwork/issue/V2-719/foo"}, 0),
     ("linear: key in branch (lowercased)", "linear", {"PR_BRANCH": "chrisoneil/v2-720-ci-check"}, 0),
     ("linear: key in title", "linear", {"PR_TITLE": "AUTO-42 do the thing", "PR_BRANCH": "x"}, 0),
+    # --- release-promotion exemption (title prefix AND rc-* head branch) ---
+    ("linear: release promotion exempt", "linear",
+     {"PR_TITLE": "chore(release): promote rc-2026.8.3", "PR_BRANCH": "rc-2026.8.3"}, 0),
+    ("template: release promotion exempt", "template",
+     {"PR_TITLE": "chore(release): promote rc-2026.8.3", "PR_BRANCH": "rc-2026.8.3",
+      "PR_BASE": "main", "PR_BODY": "Promotes rc-2026.8.3 to release versions."}, 0),
+    ("linear: chore(release) title without rc branch still enforced", "linear",
+     {"PR_TITLE": "chore(release): tidy", "PR_BRANCH": "chore/tidy"}, 1),
+    ("template: rc branch without chore(release) title still enforced", "template",
+     {"PR_TITLE": "fix something", "PR_BRANCH": "rc-2026.9.1",
+      "PR_BASE": "main", "PR_BODY": "freeform"}, 1),
     # --- pr-template: acceptances ---
     ("template: valid T0 body", "template", {"PR_BASE": "main", "PR_BODY": VALID_BODY}, 0),
     ("template: rc-* base is a no-op pass", "template", {"PR_BASE": "rc-2025.10", "PR_BODY": "anything"}, 0),
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 3730c3a..97249b4 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -157,3 +157,6 @@ description.
 
 CI enforces the Linear link and the template fields (`linear-link` and
 `pr-template` status checks); a PR that omits them fails its checks.
+Release-promotion PRs — a `chore(release):` title from an `rc-*` head branch —
+are exempt from both checks (they are mechanical version-bump PRs generated by
+the release process).