diff --git a/.github/workflows/rust-release.yml b/.github/workflows/rust-release.yml
index 1d53cb320..07a2e87ef 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rust-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rust-release.yml
@@ -10,9 +10,7 @@
 # archive as a GitHub Release asset, then manually dispatch
 # `release_mode=promote_signed` with `unsigned_run_id` and `signed_macos_asset`.
 # The signed handoff archive should contain target or artifact directories such
-# as `aarch64-apple-darwin/` with signed binaries. To inspect packaged unsigned
-# macOS archives without publishing them, manually dispatch
-# `release_mode=build_unsigned_archive`.
+# as `aarch64-apple-darwin/` with signed binaries.
 
 name: rust-release
 on:
@@ -22,13 +20,12 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       release_mode:
-        description: "build_unsigned creates unsigned macOS handoff artifacts; build_unsigned_archive uploads packaged unsigned macOS archives as run artifacts only; promote_signed finishes a release from signed macOS handoff artifacts."
+        description: "build_unsigned creates unsigned macOS handoff artifacts; promote_signed finishes a release from signed macOS handoff artifacts."
         required: false
         type: choice
         default: build_unsigned
         options:
           - build_unsigned
-          - build_unsigned_archive
           - promote_signed
       sign_macos:
         description: "Deprecated compatibility input; use release_mode instead."
@@ -74,7 +71,7 @@ jobs:
           case "${RELEASE_MODE}" in
             signed)
               if [[ "${GITHUB_EVENT_NAME}" == "workflow_dispatch" ]]; then
-                echo "❌  Manual rust-release runs must use release_mode=build_unsigned, build_unsigned_archive, or promote_signed"
+                echo "❌  Manual rust-release runs must use release_mode=build_unsigned or release_mode=promote_signed"
                 exit 1
               fi
               ;;
@@ -84,12 +81,6 @@ jobs:
                 exit 1
               fi
               ;;
-            build_unsigned_archive)
-              if [[ "${GITHUB_EVENT_NAME}" != "workflow_dispatch" ]]; then
-                echo "❌  release_mode=build_unsigned_archive is only valid for manual runs"
-                exit 1
-              fi
-              ;;
             promote_signed)
               if [[ "${GITHUB_EVENT_NAME}" != "workflow_dispatch" ]]; then
                 echo "❌  release_mode=promote_signed is only valid for manual runs"
@@ -119,7 +110,7 @@ jobs:
           esac
 
           if [[ "${GITHUB_EVENT_NAME}" == "workflow_dispatch" && "${REQUESTED_SIGN_MACOS}" == "true" ]]; then
-            echo "::warning title=Deprecated sign_macos input ignored::Use release_mode=build_unsigned, build_unsigned_archive, or promote_signed instead."
+            echo "::warning title=Deprecated sign_macos input ignored::Use release_mode=build_unsigned or release_mode=promote_signed instead."
           fi
 
           # 1. Must be a tag and match the regex
@@ -158,7 +149,6 @@ jobs:
       # 2026-03-04: temporarily change releases to use thin LTO because
       # Ubuntu ARM is timing out at 60 minutes.
       CARGO_PROFILE_RELEASE_LTO: ${{ contains(github.ref_name, '-alpha') && 'thin' || 'thin' }}
-      RELEASE_MODE: ${{ github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.release_mode || 'signed' }}
       SIGN_MACOS: ${{ github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' }}
 
     strategy:
@@ -334,7 +324,7 @@ jobs:
           path: codex-rs/target/**/cargo-timings/cargo-timing.html
           if-no-files-found: warn
 
-      - if: ${{ runner.os == 'macOS' && env.RELEASE_MODE == 'build_unsigned' }}
+      - if: ${{ runner.os == 'macOS' && env.SIGN_MACOS != 'true' }}
         name: Stage unsigned macOS artifacts
         shell: bash
         run: |
@@ -359,7 +349,7 @@ jobs:
             zstd -T0 -19 --rm "${unsigned_path}"
           done
 
-      - if: ${{ runner.os == 'macOS' && env.RELEASE_MODE == 'build_unsigned' }}
+      - if: ${{ runner.os == 'macOS' && env.SIGN_MACOS != 'true' }}
         name: Upload unsigned macOS artifacts
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@bbbca2ddaa5d8feaa63e36b76fdaad77386f024f # v7.0.0
         with:
@@ -473,31 +463,18 @@ jobs:
           fi
 
       - name: Build Codex package archive
-        if: ${{ runner.os != 'macOS' || env.SIGN_MACOS == 'true' || env.RELEASE_MODE == 'build_unsigned_archive' }}
+        if: ${{ runner.os != 'macOS' || env.SIGN_MACOS == 'true' }}
         shell: bash
         env:
           TARGET: ${{ matrix.target }}
           BUNDLE: ${{ matrix.bundle }}
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
-          archive_dir="dist/${TARGET}"
-          if [[ "${RUNNER_OS}" == "macOS" && "${RELEASE_MODE}" == "build_unsigned_archive" ]]; then
-            archive_dir="unsigned-archive-dist/${TARGET}"
-          fi
           bash "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/.github/scripts/build-codex-package-archive.sh" \
             --target "$TARGET" \
             --bundle "$BUNDLE" \
             --entrypoint-dir "target/${TARGET}/release" \
-            --archive-dir "$archive_dir"
-
-      - name: Upload unsigned macOS package archives
-        if: ${{ runner.os == 'macOS' && env.RELEASE_MODE == 'build_unsigned_archive' }}
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@bbbca2ddaa5d8feaa63e36b76fdaad77386f024f # v7.0.0
-        with:
-          name: ${{ matrix.artifact_name }}-unsigned-archive
-          path: |
-            codex-rs/unsigned-archive-dist/${{ matrix.target }}/*
-          if-no-files-found: error
+            --archive-dir "dist/${TARGET}"
 
       - name: Build Python runtime wheel
         if: ${{ matrix.bundle == 'primary' && (runner.os != 'macOS' || env.SIGN_MACOS == 'true') }}
@@ -836,7 +813,7 @@ jobs:
             codex-rs/dist/${{ matrix.target }}/*
 
   build-windows:
-    if: ${{ github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' || (inputs.release_mode != 'promote_signed' && inputs.release_mode != 'build_unsigned_archive') }}
+    if: ${{ github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' || inputs.release_mode != 'promote_signed' }}
     needs: tag-check
     uses: ./.github/workflows/rust-release-windows.yml
     with:
@@ -844,7 +821,7 @@ jobs:
     secrets: inherit
 
   argument-comment-lint-release-assets:
-    if: ${{ github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' || (inputs.release_mode != 'promote_signed' && inputs.release_mode != 'build_unsigned_archive') }}
+    if: ${{ github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' || inputs.release_mode != 'promote_signed' }}
     name: argument-comment-lint release assets
     needs: tag-check
     uses: ./.github/workflows/rust-release-argument-comment-lint.yml
@@ -852,7 +829,7 @@ jobs:
       publish: true
 
   zsh-release-assets:
-    if: ${{ github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' || (inputs.release_mode != 'promote_signed' && inputs.release_mode != 'build_unsigned_archive') }}
+    if: ${{ github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' || inputs.release_mode != 'promote_signed' }}
     name: zsh release assets
     needs: tag-check
     uses: ./.github/workflows/rust-release-zsh.yml
@@ -881,7 +858,6 @@ jobs:
           ) ||
           (
             (github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' || inputs.release_mode != 'promote_signed') &&
-            (github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch' || inputs.release_mode != 'build_unsigned_archive') &&
             needs.build.result == 'success' &&
             needs.stage-signed-macos.result == 'skipped' &&
             needs.build-windows.result == 'success' &&