diff --git a/.github/workflows/_publish-packages.yml b/.github/workflows/_publish-packages.yml
index 52295db..0c4f432 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/_publish-packages.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/_publish-packages.yml
@@ -50,9 +50,9 @@ jobs:
           git fetch origin "$BRANCH"
           git checkout "$BRANCH"
 
-      - uses: dart-lang/setup-dart@v1
+      - uses: ./.github/actions/setup
         with:
-          sdk: ${{ vars.DART_VERSION }}
+          dart-version: ${{ vars.DART_VERSION }}
 
       - name: Verify prerequisite packages on pub.dev
         if: inputs.tier > 1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/finalize-release.yml b/.github/workflows/finalize-release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b73178
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/finalize-release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+name: Finalize Release
+
+on:
+  workflow_run:
+    workflows: ["Publish Tier 3"]
+    types: [completed]
+
+permissions:
+  contents: write
+
+jobs:
+  finalize:
+    if: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.conclusion == 'success' }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Get version from triggering tag
+        id: version
+        run: |
+          git fetch --tags
+          TAG=$(git tag --points-at ${{ github.event.workflow_run.head_sha }} | grep '^Release/' | head -1)
+          if [ -z "$TAG" ]; then
+            echo "::error::No Release tag found at commit ${{ github.event.workflow_run.head_sha }}"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          VERSION="${TAG#Release/}"
+          echo "VERSION=$VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "Found tag: $TAG, version: $VERSION"
+
+      - name: Checkout release branch
+        run: |
+          BRANCH="release/${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}"
+          git fetch origin "$BRANCH"
+          git checkout "$BRANCH"
+
+      - name: Setup Dart
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup
+        with:
+          dart-version: ${{ vars.DART_VERSION }}
+
+      - name: Switch dependencies to local
+        run: dart run tools/switch_deps.dart local
+
+      - name: Commit local dependencies to release branch
+        run: |
+          git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
+          git config user.email "github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
+          git add -A
+          if git diff --staged --quiet; then
+            echo "No changes to commit"
+          else
+            git commit -m "chore: switch to local dependencies after publish"
+            git push origin release/${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}
+          fi
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-release.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-release.yml
index 15b8d08..81f6177 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-release.yml
@@ -10,11 +10,8 @@ permissions:
   pull-requests: write
 
 jobs:
-  validate-and-prepare:
+  prepare:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    outputs:
-      version: ${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}
-      branch: ${{ steps.branch.outputs.NAME }}
     steps:
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -22,49 +19,36 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 0
           token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
-      - name: Validate branch is main
-        id: branch
+      - name: Validate tag is on main
         run: |
           git fetch origin main
           if ! git merge-base --is-ancestor ${{ github.sha }} origin/main; then
             echo "::error::Release tag must be created from main branch!"
             exit 1
           fi
-          BRANCH=$(git branch -r --contains ${{ github.sha }} | grep -E 'origin/(main|master)' | head -1 | sed 's/.*origin\///')
-          if [ -z "$BRANCH" ]; then
-            echo "::error::Tag must be created from main branch"
-            exit 1
-          fi
-          echo "NAME=$BRANCH" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
-      - name: Extract version
+      - name: Extract version from tag
         id: version
         run: echo "VERSION=${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/Release/}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
-      - name: Checkout main branch
-        run: git checkout main
-
       - name: Setup Dart
-        uses: dart-lang/setup-dart@v1
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup
         with:
-          sdk: ${{ vars.DART_VERSION }}
+          dart-version: ${{ vars.DART_VERSION }}
 
-      - name: Create release branch
+      - name: Prepare for publishing (switch to pub.dev deps)
+        run: dart run tools/prepare_publish.dart ${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}
+
+      - name: Create release branch and commit
         run: |
           git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
           git config user.email "github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
           git checkout -b release/${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}
-
-      - name: Set package versions
-        run: dart tools/prepare_publish.dart ${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}
-
-      - name: Commit and push
-        run: |
           git add -A
-          git commit -m "chore: prepare release ${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}"
+          git commit -m "chore: prepare release ${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }} with pub.dev dependencies"
           git push origin release/${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}
 
-      - name: Create PR
+      - name: Create PR to main
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
@@ -72,11 +56,15 @@ jobs:
             --title "Release ${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}" \
             --body "## Release ${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}
 
-          This PR contains version bumps.
+          This PR is auto-created from the release tag.
+
+          **Do not merge yet!** Publishing happens in tier workflows (tier1 → tier2 → tier3).
+
+          After tier3 completes, dependencies will be switched back to local and this PR will be updated.
 
-          ### Deployment Status
-          - [ ] Tier 1 (Core)
-          - [ ] Tier 2 (Reflux, Express, WS, SQLite, MCP)
-          - [ ] Tier 3 (React)" \
+          ### Publishing Tiers
+          - Tier 1: dart_logging, dart_node_core (triggered by this workflow)
+          - Tier 2: reflux, dart_node_express, dart_node_ws, dart_node_better_sqlite3, dart_node_mcp (20 min wait)
+          - Tier 3: dart_node_react, dart_node_react_native (20 min wait)" \
             --base main \
             --head release/${{ steps.version.outputs.VERSION }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-tier1.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-tier1.yml
index a7f0678..faeb533 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-tier1.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-tier1.yml
@@ -16,4 +16,5 @@ jobs:
     with:
       tier: 1
       packages: "dart_logging dart_node_core"
+      environment: pub.dev-tier1
     secrets: inherit
diff --git a/packages/dart_node_core/pubspec.yaml b/packages/dart_node_core/pubspec.yaml
index eb927f7..790a2ff 100644
--- a/packages/dart_node_core/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/packages/dart_node_core/pubspec.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ name: dart_node_core
 description: Core JS interop utilities for dart_node packages
 version: 0.9.0-beta
 repository: https://github.com/MelbourneDeveloper/dart_node
-publish_to: none
 
 environment:
   sdk: ^3.10.0
diff --git a/packages/dart_node_express/pubspec.yaml b/packages/dart_node_express/pubspec.yaml
index 85fd250..fb8e247 100644
--- a/packages/dart_node_express/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/packages/dart_node_express/pubspec.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ name: dart_node_express
 description: Express.js bindings for Dart
 version: 0.9.0-beta
 repository: https://github.com/MelbourneDeveloper/dart_node
-publish_to: none
 
 environment:
   sdk: ^3.10.0
diff --git a/packages/dart_node_react/pubspec.yaml b/packages/dart_node_react/pubspec.yaml
index 0098e9f..eb581dd 100644
--- a/packages/dart_node_react/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/packages/dart_node_react/pubspec.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ name: dart_node_react
 description: React bindings for Dart
 version: 0.9.0-beta
 repository: https://github.com/MelbourneDeveloper/dart_node
-publish_to: none
 
 environment:
   sdk: ^3.10.0
diff --git a/packages/dart_node_react_native/pubspec.yaml b/packages/dart_node_react_native/pubspec.yaml
index c9c414a..90b2d05 100644
--- a/packages/dart_node_react_native/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/packages/dart_node_react_native/pubspec.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ name: dart_node_react_native
 description: React Native bindings for Dart
 version: 0.9.0-beta
 repository: https://github.com/MelbourneDeveloper/dart_node
-publish_to: none
 
 environment:
   sdk: ^3.10.0
diff --git a/packages/dart_node_ws/pubspec.yaml b/packages/dart_node_ws/pubspec.yaml
index 73c86d3..374a47e 100644
--- a/packages/dart_node_ws/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/packages/dart_node_ws/pubspec.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ name: dart_node_ws
 description: WebSocket bindings for Dart on Node.js
 version: 0.9.0-beta
 repository: https://github.com/MelbourneDeveloper/dart_node
-publish_to: none
 
 environment:
   sdk: ^3.10.0
diff --git a/packages/reflux/pubspec.yaml b/packages/reflux/pubspec.yaml
index 58e72a8..74619e1 100644
--- a/packages/reflux/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/packages/reflux/pubspec.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ name: reflux
 description: Predictable state container for Dart apps - inspired by Redux patterns
 version: 0.9.0-beta
 repository: https://github.com/MelbourneDeveloper/dart_node
-publish_to: none
 
 environment:
   sdk: ^3.10.0