diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker-runner-check.yml b/.github/workflows/docker-runner-check.yml
index 19e1c2d08b4..b1e47393c65 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docker-runner-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker-runner-check.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ name: Docker Runner check
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
+      target_branch:
+        description: "Branch in this repository to build; resolved to one immutable commit before checkout"
+        type: string
+        required: false
       publish_eval_image:
         description: "Publish an immutable Daytona qualification image on the EC2 fleet (no provider credentials)"
         type: boolean
@@ -58,8 +62,11 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       contents: read
     timeout-minutes: 5
+    outputs:
+      target_sha: ${{ steps.authorize.outputs.target_sha }}
     steps:
       - name: Authorize an explicit maintainer image build
+        id: authorize
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
           REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}
@@ -67,6 +74,7 @@ jobs:
           ACTOR_ID: ${{ github.actor_id }}
           TRIGGERING_ACTOR: ${{ github.triggering_actor }}
           ALLOWED_IDS: ${{ vars.AWS_CI_TRUSTED_USER_IDS }}
+          TARGET_BRANCH: ${{ inputs.target_branch || github.ref_name }}
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           test "$REPOSITORY" = paperclipai/paperclip
@@ -76,6 +84,9 @@ jobs:
           for id in "$ACTOR_ID" "$triggering_id"; do
             jq -e --argjson id "$id" 'index($id) != null' <<< "$ALLOWED_IDS" >/dev/null
           done
+          target_sha="$(gh api "repos/$REPOSITORY/git/ref/heads/$TARGET_BRANCH" --jq '.object.sha')"
+          [[ "$target_sha" =~ ^[0-9a-f]{40}$ ]]
+          echo "target_sha=$target_sha" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
   manual_image:
     name: Build and verify on EC2
@@ -105,6 +116,7 @@ jobs:
           done
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7
         with:
+          ref: ${{ needs.authorize_manual.outputs.target_sha }}
           persist-credentials: false
       - uses: pnpm/action-setup@0977fd99725f1db4007ccb2928dbb4e90d06cc86 # v6
         with:
@@ -129,7 +141,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build checksum-verified Grok provider image
         if: inputs.publish_eval_image
         env:
-          SOURCE_SHA: ${{ github.sha }}
+          SOURCE_SHA: ${{ needs.authorize_manual.outputs.target_sha }}
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           image="ghcr.io/paperclipai/paperclip-daytona-runner:qualification-${SOURCE_SHA}-${GITHUB_RUN_ID}"
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.test.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.test.ts
index 9d53e2cab1b..2f4598c894e 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.test.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.test.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,27 @@ describe("Codex ACPX runtime adapter", () => {
     }
   });
 
+  it.each(["PERMISSION_PROMPT_UNAVAILABLE", "AGENT_DISCONNECTED"])("preserves the meaning of ACPX terminal failure %s", async (code) => {
+    const runtime = fakeRuntime();
+    const result = { status: "failed" as const, error: { code, message: "Provider failed" } };
+    vi.mocked(runtime.startTurn).mockReturnValue({
+      requestId: "permission-fallback", promptStarted: Promise.resolve(),
+      events: { async *[Symbol.asyncIterator]() {} }, result: Promise.resolve(result),
+      cancel: vi.fn(), closeStream: vi.fn(),
+    });
+    const port = await openCodexAcpxRuntime(openOptions(fakeCommand()), {
+      createRegistry: () => registry(), createStore: () => store(), createRuntime: () => runtime,
+    });
+    try {
+      const turn = port.startTurn({ text: "Attempt a write", requestId: "permission-fallback" });
+      if (code === "PERMISSION_PROMPT_UNAVAILABLE") {
+        await expect(turn.result).rejects.toMatchObject({ code: "approval_required" });
+      } else {
+        await expect(turn.result).resolves.toEqual(result);
+      }
+    } finally { await port.close({ reason: "terminal permission outcome verified" }); }
+  });
+
   it("rejects a pre-aborted admission before constructing or spawning ACPX", async () => {
     const cancellation = new Error("runtime admission cancelled");
     const controller = new AbortController();
diff --git a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.ts b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.ts
index 3ca58e36877..1444b9d4206 100644
--- a/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.ts
+++ b/packages/paperclip-runner/src/drivers/acpx/codex-runtime-adapter.ts
@@ -1230,7 +1230,15 @@ function runtimePort(
       }
       const guarded = turnWithVerifiedLifetimeOwnership(turn, finishOwnershipAdmission);
       const result = guarded.result.then(
-        (value) => { approval.signal.throwIfAborted(); return value; },
+        (value) => {
+          approval.signal.throwIfAborted();
+          // ACPX may resolve its own permission policy before invoking the
+          // host callback. Keep that typed denial on the same runner outcome.
+          if (value.status === "failed" && value.error?.code === "PERMISSION_PROMPT_UNAVAILABLE") {
+            throw new AcpxApprovalRequiredError();
+          }
+          return value;
+        },
         (error: unknown) => { approval.signal.throwIfAborted(); throw error; },
       ).finally(() => {
         if (permissionBoundary.active === approval) permissionBoundary.active = null;
diff --git a/tests/runner-e2e/workflow-security.test.ts b/tests/runner-e2e/workflow-security.test.ts
index c627ca44c44..f02dfdd90be 100644
--- a/tests/runner-e2e/workflow-security.test.ts
+++ b/tests/runner-e2e/workflow-security.test.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,21 @@ const everydayOracleImage =
   "python@sha256:9d2e5553305c7c7b0097999bb17187c69b921ccd6bc9d40e4bb5ebe652c00285";
 
 describe("public repository paid workflow security", () => {
+  it("keeps the manual EC2 image build credential-free and pins the authorized target", async () => {
+    const workflow = await readFile(path.join(repositoryRoot, ".github/workflows/docker-runner-check.yml"), "utf8");
+    const manual = workflow.slice(workflow.indexOf("  authorize_manual:"));
+    expect(manual.match(/AWS_CI_TRUSTED_USER_IDS/gu)).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(manual.match(/test "\$REPOSITORY_ID" = 1170821064/gu)).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(manual).toContain('runs-on: runs-on/fleet=paperclip-public-pr-x64/env=public-ci');
+    expect(manual).toContain('repos/$REPOSITORY/git/ref/heads/$TARGET_BRANCH');
+    expect(manual).toContain('ref: ${{ needs.authorize_manual.outputs.target_sha }}');
+    expect(manual).toContain('SOURCE_SHA: ${{ needs.authorize_manual.outputs.target_sha }}');
+    expect([...manual.matchAll(/secrets\.([A-Z_]+)/gu)].map(match => match[1])).toEqual(["GITHUB_TOKEN"]);
+    expect(manual).toContain('pnpm install --resolution-only --ignore-scripts --no-frozen-lockfile');
+    expect(manual).toContain('PAPERCLIP_RUNNER_LOCK_SHA256=$lock_sha');
+    expect(manual).toContain('docker logout ghcr.io');
+  });
+
   it("uses the reviewed master branch for the first-party trusted PR workflow", async () => {
     const ordinaryPrWorkflow = await readFile(
       path.join(repositoryRoot, ".github/workflows/pr.yml"),