diff --git a/.github/skills/code-review/SKILL.md b/.github/skills/code-review/SKILL.md
index 0ad1dcd..abe896f 100644
--- a/.github/skills/code-review/SKILL.md
+++ b/.github/skills/code-review/SKILL.md
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ Any user-facing change (new export, behavior change, bug fix) needs a
 ## Publishing (blocking)
 
 Flag any direct use of `npm publish`. Releases must go through
-`pnpm release -- <bump>` (`scripts/release.sh`).
+`pnpm release <bump>` (`scripts/release.sh`).
 
 ## General
 
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index b7ea69c..b12f601 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ to be" framing. History belongs in git log and `CHANGELOG.md`, not in reference
 - `develop` — GitHub default branch, integration branch for all in-progress work. Branch
   `feature/*` from here for all non-release, non-hotfix work (features, fixes, chores); PR back
   into here. No other prefixes (`fix/*`, `chore/*`, …).
-- `release/*` — cut from `develop` by `pnpm release -- <bump>` (`scripts/release.sh`), which also
+- `release/*` — cut from `develop` by `pnpm release <bump>` (`scripts/release.sh`), which also
   pushes it and opens PRs into both `main` and `develop`. After the `main` PR merges, run
   `pnpm tag-release` on `main` to tag and trigger the publish workflow.
 - `hotfix/*` — cut from `main` for urgent production fixes; PR'd into both `main` and `develop`,
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ to be" framing. History belongs in git log and `CHANGELOG.md`, not in reference
   (see Branching above)
 - Merging or pushing directly to `main` or `develop`, including from `release/*`/`hotfix/*` —
   always go through a PR, even with branch-protection bypass rights
-- Publishing directly with `npm publish` — always go through `pnpm release -- <bump>`
+- Publishing directly with `npm publish` — always go through `pnpm release <bump>`
   (`scripts/release.sh`) followed by `pnpm tag-release`, which also updates the changelog and
   lockfile
 
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index e50da5a..57199dc 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ the change being clearly described.
 From a clean, up-to-date `develop`:
 
 ```bash
-pnpm release -- patch   # or minor / major
+pnpm release patch   # or minor / major
 ```
 
 This creates a `release/X.Y.Z` branch off `develop`, bumps `packages/app-kit/package.json`'s
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c0a6840..86de96d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ branch for PRs. See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for the full model.
 _(For maintainers, run from a clean, up-to-date `develop`)_
 
 ```bash
-pnpm release -- patch   # or minor / major
+pnpm release patch   # or minor / major
 ```
 
 Cuts a `release/X.Y.Z` branch off `develop`, bumps the package version, moves `CHANGELOG.md`'s
diff --git a/architecture.md b/architecture.md
index 95b00bf..71ce61c 100644
--- a/architecture.md
+++ b/architecture.md
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ the one known gap (a CJS consumer mixing subpath imports of the same shared cont
 - Build: `tsup` — one entry per module (`src/<module>/index.ts`) plus the root barrel, emitting
   ESM + CJS + `.d.ts` per entry into `dist/`.
 - Registry: GitHub Packages (`https://npm.pkg.github.com`, scope `@behindthemusictree`).
-- Release pipeline: `scripts/release.sh` (invoked as `pnpm release -- <bump>`) → git tag →
+- Release pipeline: `scripts/release.sh` (invoked as `pnpm release <bump>`) → git tag →
   `.github/workflows/publish.yml` builds and publishes on tag push. Never `npm publish` directly.
 - Branching model: strict Gitflow — see `CONTRIBUTING.md` § Branching (Gitflow) and the
   "Branching" section of `CLAUDE.md`.
diff --git a/scripts/release.sh b/scripts/release.sh
index a726007..0e2bcf9 100755
--- a/scripts/release.sh
+++ b/scripts/release.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ set -euo pipefail
 BUMP="${1:-}"
 
 if [[ -z "$BUMP" ]]; then
-  echo "Usage: pnpm run release -- <patch|minor|major>"
+  echo "Usage: pnpm release <patch|minor|major>"
   exit 1
 fi