diff --git a/docs/distribution.md b/docs/distribution.md
index 0204338..472883a 100644
--- a/docs/distribution.md
+++ b/docs/distribution.md
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ using credstore's Keychain backend MUST gate the release on both.
   on any push error — it MUST NOT set `continue-on-error: true` and MUST exit
   non-zero so the release job fails (a swallowed error here leaves the tap with
   no cask at all).
-- The push to the tap uses a dedicated **`HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN`** (§6).
+- The push to the tap uses the dedicated **`TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN`** (§6).
 - **Current split (divergences, §10):** `google-readonly`, `salesforce-cli`,
   `hubspot-cli`, and both atlassian tools already use goreleaser `homebrew_casks`;
   `slack-chat-api` and `newrelic-cli` hand-roll the cask via heredoc in
@@ -190,14 +190,15 @@ listed in its README.
 | Secret | Used for |
 |---|---|
 | `RELEASE_TAG_TOKEN` (or a GitHub App token) | the tag re-trigger (`release.md` §3.1) |
-| `HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN` | push the cask to `homebrew-tap` (§3) |
+| `TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN` | push the cask to `homebrew-tap` (§3) |
 | `CHOCOLATEY_API_KEY` | chocolatey publish (§4.2) |
 | `WINGET_GITHUB_TOKEN` | winget-pkgs submission (§4.1) |
 | `LINUX_PACKAGES_DISPATCH_TOKEN` | the §5.2 `repository_dispatch` |
 
 The GPG signing keys (`LINUX_PACKAGES_GPG_*`) live in the `linux-packages` repo,
-not in the CLI repos. **Current repos overload a single `TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN`** for
-both the tag re-trigger and the tap push; the standard splits them (§10).
+not in the CLI repos. `TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN` is intentionally scoped to Homebrew tap
+publishing; auto-release tag pushes use `RELEASE_TAG_TOKEN` or a GitHub App
+token and MUST NOT reuse the tap credential.
 
 ---
 
@@ -381,9 +382,10 @@ from the calling repo.
   post-step (§3); the heredocs and the nrq formula are removed on migration.
 - **`hubspot-cli`'s `linux-packages` dispatch lacks `continue-on-error: true`**
   (§5.2) — a dispatch failure would fail its release; add it on migration.
-- **Overloaded token**: current repos use one `TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN` for tag push +
-  tap push; the standard splits it (`RELEASE_TAG_TOKEN` + `HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN`,
-  or a GitHub App token) (§6, `release.md` §3.1).
+- **Overloaded token**: repos that still use `TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN` for tag pushes
+  must split that path: `RELEASE_TAG_TOKEN` or a GitHub App token for the
+  auto-release tag re-trigger, and `TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN` for Homebrew tap pushes
+  (§6, `release.md` §3.1).
 - **No reusable workflow yet** — `release.yml`, `chocolatey-publish.yml`,
   `winget-publish.yml`, and the per-channel test workflows are copy-pasted
   across repos (doubled per-tool in `atlassian-cli`).
diff --git a/docs/release.md b/docs/release.md
index 33827f3..fa67c10 100644
--- a/docs/release.md
+++ b/docs/release.md
@@ -127,10 +127,10 @@ common thing to get wrong standing up a new repo — never "simplify" it back to
    `contents: write`. Preferred: no long-lived credential, no human owner.
 2. A dedicated, narrowly-scoped PAT named **`RELEASE_TAG_TOKEN`** (tag/contents
    push only) — kept **separate** from the Homebrew-tap push token
-   (`HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN`, `distribution.md` §6).
+   (`TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN`, `distribution.md` §6).
 
-Current repos overload a single `TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN` for both the tag re-trigger
-and the tap push (§7); new CLIs MUST NOT conflate the two.
+Repos must use `RELEASE_TAG_TOKEN` or a GitHub App token for the tag re-trigger,
+and reserve `TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN` for Homebrew tap pushes (§7).
 
 ---
 
@@ -251,9 +251,10 @@ the `RELEASE_TAG_TOKEN` PAT secret above.
   `feat:`/`fix:` prefix; confirm it (and the new `pr-title` check) accept scoped
   and bang forms per §1.1 when authoring the reusable workflow, or scoped/bang
   titles will silently skip releases.
-- **Overloaded release token**: all current repos use one `TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN` for
-  both the tag re-trigger and the Homebrew-tap push; the standard splits these
-  (`RELEASE_TAG_TOKEN` + `HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN`, or a GitHub App token) (§3.1).
+- **Overloaded release token**: repos that still use `TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN` for both
+  the tag re-trigger and the Homebrew-tap push must split those paths:
+  `RELEASE_TAG_TOKEN` or a GitHub App token for tag pushes, and
+  `TAP_GITHUB_TOKEN` for Homebrew tap pushes (§3.1).
 - **`codereview-cli` has no release machinery at all** (only `ci.yml`) — no
   `auto-release.yml`, no `release.yml`. It is the obvious first beneficiary of
   the reusable workflows.