diff --git a/docs/operations.md b/docs/operations.md
index e2f2ecc..c7e575e 100644
--- a/docs/operations.md
+++ b/docs/operations.md
@@ -953,7 +953,10 @@ The default `plan` action is read-only. It verifies the exact local and remote
 commits, requires a fast-forward history, checks the production checkout,
 Compose scope and healthy containers, checks public readiness, opens a
 read-only PostgreSQL connection, and runs the server-release environment
-capability preflight. Before the first Google Play release, this preflight
+capability preflight. The candidate validator is streamed over SSH and checks
+the existing server environment and Compose render before any bundle is
+uploaded, so a validator change does not depend on the previously deployed
+source tree. Before the first Google Play release, this preflight
 allows only the absent Play App Signing certificate; the stricter
 `check-environment-readiness.sh .env --require-release` remains the gate for
 publishing Android through Google Play. The plan neither uploads a bundle nor
diff --git a/scripts/production-release-remote.sh b/scripts/production-release-remote.sh
index a245eff..4508aea 100755
--- a/scripts/production-release-remote.sh
+++ b/scripts/production-release-remote.sh
@@ -79,8 +79,6 @@ current_commit=$(git -C "$root" rev-parse --verify HEAD)
   exit 2
 }
 
-"$root/scripts/validate-production-env.sh" \
-  "$env_file" "$expected_domain" --allow-pre-play >/dev/null
 "$root/scripts/compose.sh" "$env_file" config --quiet
 
 case "$app_topology" in
diff --git a/scripts/production-release.sh b/scripts/production-release.sh
index 1e09fc3..7c6a634 100755
--- a/scripts/production-release.sh
+++ b/scripts/production-release.sh
@@ -66,6 +66,12 @@ migration_policy=$(
 
 plan_failed=0
 
+if ! ssh -o BatchMode=yes "$ssh_target" \
+  "WNH_PROJECT_ROOT='$remote_root' bash -s -- '$remote_root/.env' '$expected_domain' --allow-pre-play" \
+  <"$ROOT/scripts/validate-production-env.sh"; then
+  plan_failed=1
+fi
+
 if ! ssh -o BatchMode=yes "$ssh_target" \
   "bash -s -- plan '$remote_root' '$expected_domain'" \
   <"$ROOT/scripts/production-release-remote.sh"; then
diff --git a/scripts/validate-production-env.sh b/scripts/validate-production-env.sh
index dd3b5b8..3b785aa 100755
--- a/scripts/validate-production-env.sh
+++ b/scripts/validate-production-env.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -euo pipefail
 
-ROOT=$(CDPATH='' cd -- "$(dirname -- "$0")/.." && pwd)
+if [[ -n "${WNH_PROJECT_ROOT:-}" ]]; then
+  ROOT=$(realpath --canonicalize-existing "$WNH_PROJECT_ROOT")
+else
+  ROOT=$(CDPATH='' cd -- "$(dirname -- "$0")/.." && pwd)
+fi
 env_file=${1:-}
 expected_domain=${2:-}
 android_release_mode=${3:-}