diff --git a/.github/scripts/tests/release-runner-cache.test.mjs b/.github/scripts/tests/release-runner-cache.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..84cbbee0e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/tests/release-runner-cache.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import test from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+
+const workflow = readFileSync(new URL("../../workflows/release-verify.yml", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+const runner = workflow.split("  verify_paperclip_runner:")[1].split("  build:")[0];
+
+test("Runner dependency caching selects the package's pinned compiler before computing its key", () => {
+  const select = runner.indexOf("      - name: Select the pinned Runner Rust toolchain");
+  const cache = runner.indexOf("      - name: Cache Runner Rust dependencies");
+  assert.ok(select >= 0 && cache > select);
+  const setup = runner.slice(select, cache);
+  assert.match(setup, /working-directory: packages\/paperclip-runner/);
+  assert.match(setup, /rustup show active-toolchain/);
+  assert.match(setup, /echo "RUSTUP_TOOLCHAIN=\$toolchain" >> "\$GITHUB_ENV"/);
+  assert.match(runner, /uses: Swatinem\/rust-cache@[0-9a-f]{40} # v[0-9.]+/);
+  assert.match(runner, /workspaces: packages\/paperclip-runner\/runner -> target/);
+  assert.match(runner, /shared-key: release-runner-v1/);
+});
+
+test("the shared cache excludes workspace artifacts and only saves the exact master-push source", () => {
+  assert.match(runner, /cache-workspace-crates: false/);
+  assert.match(runner, /cache-bin: false/);
+  const saveIf = runner.match(/^\s*save-if: (.+)$/m)?.[1];
+  assert.equal(saveIf, "${{ github.repository == 'paperclipai/paperclip' && github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/master' && inputs.ref == github.sha }}");
+  assert.doesNotMatch(runner, /cache-on-failure: true|cache-all-crates: true/);
+});
+
+test("cache hits cannot bypass Runner verification", () => {
+  const verify = runner.split("      - name: Verify Paperclip Runner")[1];
+  assert.match(verify, /run: pnpm --filter @paperclipai\/paperclip-runner check:all/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(verify, /if:|continue-on-error:/);
+  assert.ok(runner.indexOf("Cache Runner Rust dependencies") < runner.indexOf("      - name: Verify Paperclip Runner\n"));
+  assert.doesNotMatch(runner, /id-token: write|packages: write|secrets: inherit/);
+});
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-verify.yml b/.github/workflows/release-verify.yml
index ecf71da950..5b25fea478 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-verify.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-verify.yml
@@ -227,6 +227,27 @@ jobs:
           node-version: 24
           cache: pnpm
 
+      - name: Select the pinned Runner Rust toolchain
+        working-directory: packages/paperclip-runner
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          rustup show
+          toolchain="$(rustup show active-toolchain | awk '{print $1}')"
+          echo "RUSTUP_TOOLCHAIN=$toolchain" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
+      - name: Cache Runner Rust dependencies
+        uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@6323deb102c322ba6fcbdcafc7e3dddab59af2b6 # v2.9.2
+        with:
+          workspaces: packages/paperclip-runner/runner -> target
+          shared-key: release-runner-v1
+          # Rebuild workspace code and rerun every check. Cache only compiled
+          # dependencies; never restore installed executables from cargo/bin.
+          cache-workspace-crates: false
+          cache-bin: false
+          # Manual candidate refs may read the cache, but only a successful
+          # master push verifying its own commit can populate the shared cache.
+          save-if: ${{ github.repository == 'paperclipai/paperclip' && github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/master' && inputs.ref == github.sha }}
+
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: pnpm install --no-frozen-lockfile
 
diff --git a/doc/RELEASE-AUTOMATION-SETUP.md b/doc/RELEASE-AUTOMATION-SETUP.md
index e8131595f8..a7629295f8 100644
--- a/doc/RELEASE-AUTOMATION-SETUP.md
+++ b/doc/RELEASE-AUTOMATION-SETUP.md
@@ -335,3 +335,19 @@ Check:
 - [doc/RELEASING.md](RELEASING.md)
 - [doc/PUBLISHING.md](PUBLISHING.md)
 - [doc/plans/2026-03-17-release-automation-and-versioning.md](plans/2026-03-17-release-automation-and-versioning.md)
+
+## Runner verification dependency cache
+
+`release-verify.yml` caches Cargo dependencies for its `Verify Paperclip Runner`
+job using a pinned Rust Cache action. It selects the compiler from the Runner
+package's `rust-toolchain.toml` before computing the cache key. Compiler and Cargo
+metadata changes select a new cache; the `release-runner-v1` shared key lets
+callers of this reusable verification workflow reuse the same dependency cache.
+
+Workspace crates and installed Cargo binaries are excluded. Every run still
+builds the Runner workspace and runs `check:all`, including the Rust and
+TypeScript tests. Only a successful master-push run verifying that push's exact
+SHA saves the shared cache. Manual candidate verification can restore it without
+saving. A miss or eviction costs compilation time but does not change the checks.
+To discard old dependency caches, increment the shared-key version and let the
+next successful master verification warm it again.