diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-on-tag.yml b/.github/workflows/release-on-tag.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..be443ccd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-on-tag.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+name: Start Mineralogy release from tag
+
+on:
+  push:
+    tags:
+      - '1.10.2-*'
+
+permissions:
+  actions: write
+  contents: read
+
+concurrency:
+  group: mineralogy-release-starter-${{ github.ref_name }}
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  dispatch-release:
+    name: Validate tag and start guarded release
+    if: github.repository == 'MinecraftModDevelopmentMods/MinecraftMineralogy'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 10
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out tagged source
+        uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Validate release tag and prior CI
+        id: validate
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+
+          release_version="$(sed -n 's/^mod_version=//p' gradle.properties)"
+          if [[ ! "$release_version" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.110021$ ]]; then
+            echo "mod_version must use the four-part 1.10.2 Forge target format; found $release_version" >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          expected_tag="1.10.2-$release_version"
+          if [[ "$GITHUB_REF_NAME" != "$expected_tag" ]]; then
+            echo "Release tag must be $expected_tag; found $GITHUB_REF_NAME" >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          successful_ci="$(gh api \
+            "repos/$GITHUB_REPOSITORY/commits/$GITHUB_SHA/check-runs?per_page=100" \
+            --jq '[.check_runs[] | select(.name == "Build, test, and audit" and .conclusion == "success")] | length')"
+          if [[ "$successful_ci" -lt 1 ]]; then
+            echo "The tagged commit has no successful Mineralogy 1.10 CI check" >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          echo "version=$release_version" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
+      - name: Start default-branch release workflow
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          RELEASE_VERSION: ${{ steps.validate.outputs.version }}
+        run: |
+          gh workflow run deploy-release.yml \
+            --repo "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" \
+            --ref master-1.12 \
+            -f mode=publish \
+            -f release_ref="$GITHUB_REF_NAME" \
+            -f curseforge_channel=release \
+            -f confirm_version="$RELEASE_VERSION"