diff --git a/.github/workflows/package-npm.yml b/.github/workflows/package-npm.yml
index 018f313..b116b20 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/package-npm.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/package-npm.yml
@@ -81,9 +81,12 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{matrix.os}}
     strategy:
       matrix:
+        # windows-11-arm is left out: node-gyp on that image fails to locate
+        # Visual Studio (ERR_CHILD_PROCESS_STDIO_MAXBUFFER in its finder), which
+        # cancelled the whole matrix and skipped the 4.2.0 and 4.2.1 publishes.
+        # Windows on ARM installs fall back to building from source.
         os:
           - windows-2022
-          - windows-11-arm
           - ubuntu-24.04
           - ubuntu-24.04-arm
           - macos-15
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index df1e658..c2c1cc2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@ name: release
 on:
   push:
     branches: [main]
+  # Recovery path for a registry publish that failed after the release was cut.
+  # Runs from this file so npm's trusted publisher still matches.
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      npm:
+        description: Publish the current version to npm
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
 
 permissions:
   contents: write
@@ -45,7 +53,7 @@ jobs:
   # the OIDC id-token.
   npm:
     needs: release-please
-    if: needs.release-please.outputs.release_created == 'true'
+    if: needs.release-please.outputs.release_created == 'true' || (github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && inputs.npm)
     permissions:
       contents: read
       id-token: write