diff --git a/.github/workflows/preview-pdf.yml b/.github/workflows/preview-pdf.yml
index bd7d324..06083ad 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/preview-pdf.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/preview-pdf.yml
@@ -112,23 +112,35 @@ jobs:
           This is a mutable preview without formal provenance. Use a tagged release for attested artifacts.
           EOF
 
-      - name: Create preview release when absent
+      - name: Synchronize mutable preview tag
         run: |
-          gh release view preview-pdf >/dev/null 2>&1 || \
+          if gh api --silent "repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/git/ref/tags/preview-pdf" 2>/dev/null; then
+            gh api --silent --method PATCH \
+              "repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/git/refs/tags/preview-pdf" \
+              --raw-field sha="$GITHUB_SHA" \
+              --field force=true
+          else
+            gh api --silent --method POST \
+              "repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/git/refs" \
+              --raw-field ref="refs/tags/preview-pdf" \
+              --raw-field sha="$GITHUB_SHA"
+          fi
+
+      - name: Create or update preview release
+        run: |
+          if gh release view preview-pdf >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            gh release edit preview-pdf \
+              --title "Latest Preview PDF" \
+              --notes-file dist/release-notes.md \
+              --prerelease
+          else
             gh release create preview-pdf \
               --title "Latest Preview PDF" \
               --notes-file dist/release-notes.md \
               --prerelease \
               --latest=false \
-              --target "$GITHUB_SHA"
-
-      - name: Update preview release metadata
-        run: |
-          gh release edit preview-pdf \
-            --title "Latest Preview PDF" \
-            --notes-file dist/release-notes.md \
-            --prerelease \
-            --target "$GITHUB_SHA"
+              --verify-tag
+          fi
 
       - name: Replace preview assets
         run: |
diff --git a/tests/test_workflow_security.py b/tests/test_workflow_security.py
index 0c51dcf..40e19f0 100644
--- a/tests/test_workflow_security.py
+++ b/tests/test_workflow_security.py
@@ -62,6 +62,28 @@ class WorkflowSecurityTests(unittest.TestCase):
                     name,
                 )
 
+    def test_mutable_preview_explicitly_moves_tag_before_updating_release(self):
+        preview = (WORKFLOW_DIR / "preview-pdf.yml").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        publish = preview.split("\n  publish:\n", 1)[1]
+
+        get_ref = 'gh api --silent "repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/git/ref/tags/preview-pdf"'
+        update_ref = '"repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/git/refs/tags/preview-pdf"'
+        create_ref = '"repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/git/refs"'
+        self.assertIn(get_ref, publish)
+        self.assertIn("--method PATCH", publish)
+        self.assertIn(update_ref, publish)
+        self.assertIn('--raw-field sha="$GITHUB_SHA"', publish)
+        self.assertIn("--field force=true", publish)
+        self.assertIn("--method POST", publish)
+        self.assertIn(create_ref, publish)
+        self.assertIn('--raw-field ref="refs/tags/preview-pdf"', publish)
+        self.assertIn("--verify-tag", publish)
+        self.assertLess(publish.index(get_ref), publish.index("gh release view preview-pdf"))
+        self.assertNotRegex(
+            publish,
+            r"(?ms)gh release edit preview-pdf.*?--target\s+\"?\$GITHUB_SHA",
+        )
+
     def test_downloads_dependencies_and_link_checker_are_integrity_pinned(self):
         combined = "\n".join(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8") for path in self.workflows())
         link_text = (WORKFLOW_DIR / "check-link.yml").read_text(encoding="utf-8")