diff --git a/.github/workflows/auto-merge.yml b/.github/workflows/auto-merge.yml
index 3b7cf7c..bfa000e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/auto-merge.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/auto-merge.yml
@@ -12,8 +12,7 @@ jobs:
   request-auto-merge:
     if: >-
       !github.event.pull_request.draft &&
-      github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name == github.repository &&
-      !startsWith(github.event.pull_request.head.ref, 'release-please--')
+      github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name == github.repository
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Create delivery token
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 74ea887..11eb3c5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,10 +5,12 @@ This repository owns organization-wide GitHub workflow policy.
 `auto-merge.yml` requests squash auto-merge for ready, same-repository pull requests. Repository
 rulesets and required checks remain authoritative: GitHub merges only after every required check
 passes. It uses an organization-owned GitHub App so the resulting merge can trigger downstream
-delivery workflows. Release Please branches are excluded because each product's release workflow
-validates those pull requests and requests auto-merge itself with the same App identity.
+delivery workflows. This includes Release Please pull requests; product release workflows must use
+the same App identity when creating or updating those branches so GitHub emits the pull request
+events that invoke the organization workflow.
 
 The organization ruleset applies this workflow to Chio Labs public repositories.
 
 Draft and fork-based pull requests are intentionally excluded. A draft is handled when it becomes
-ready for review. Release Please pull requests remain owned by each product's release workflow.
+ready for review. Product workflows remain responsible for release-specific validation, while this
+organization workflow is the single owner of requesting auto-merge.