diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/go/seats/meshpipelinerunner/contract.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/go/seats/meshpipelinerunner/contract.go
index ca58da01..5fbc284d 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/go/seats/meshpipelinerunner/contract.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/go/seats/meshpipelinerunner/contract.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ const (
 	VerbAccept     = "accept"
 	VerbCancel     = "cancel"
 	VerbAskAgain   = "ask-again"
+	VerbRelease    = "release"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ const (
 
 // Verbs is every verb the seat serves, in its definition's order: a new copy each call.
 func Verbs() []string {
-	return []string{VerbRun, VerbStart, VerbShow, VerbList, VerbStands, VerbWhyCarried, VerbKept, VerbReview, VerbRerun, VerbAccept, VerbCancel, VerbAskAgain}
+	return []string{VerbRun, VerbStart, VerbShow, VerbList, VerbStands, VerbWhyCarried, VerbKept, VerbReview, VerbRerun, VerbAccept, VerbCancel, VerbAskAgain, VerbRelease}
 }
 
 // Events is every event published on the seat's subject: a new copy each call.
@@ -959,6 +960,18 @@ type AskAgainAnswer struct {
 	Result StepResult `json:"result"`
 }
 
+// ReleaseInput is what release takes.
+type ReleaseInput struct {
+	// why, written with the caller the runtime proves in the hand-act log
+	Why string `json:"why"`
+}
+
+// ReleaseAnswer is what release answers.
+type ReleaseAnswer struct {
+	// how many held pipelines were started
+	Released int64 `json:"released"`
+}
+
 // PipelineStartedEvent is the body of the event pipeline-started.
 type PipelineStartedEvent = PipelineStarted
 
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/seats/mesh-pipeline-runner/seat.json b/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/seats/mesh-pipeline-runner/seat.json
index b3509f40..1a4cf069 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/seats/mesh-pipeline-runner/seat.json
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/seats/mesh-pipeline-runner/seat.json
@@ -501,6 +501,35 @@
         ]
       },
       "class": "act"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "release",
+      "description": "The pipelines the runner holds for its new version started by hand with the running runner, whatever the new version's state; written in the hand-act log (design 47 G 276, A-206).",
+      "input": {
+        "type": "object",
+        "properties": {
+          "why": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "description": "why, written with the caller the runtime proves in the hand-act log"
+          }
+        },
+        "required": [
+          "why"
+        ]
+      },
+      "answer": {
+        "type": "object",
+        "properties": {
+          "released": {
+            "type": "integer",
+            "description": "how many held pipelines were started"
+          }
+        },
+        "required": [
+          "released"
+        ]
+      },
+      "class": "act"
     }
   ],
   "events": [
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/ts/seats/meshpipelinerunner/index.d.ts b/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/ts/seats/meshpipelinerunner/index.d.ts
index 40972353..cb393110 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/ts/seats/meshpipelinerunner/index.d.ts
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/ts/seats/meshpipelinerunner/index.d.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export declare const verbs: {
   readonly accept: "accept";
   readonly cancel: "cancel";
   readonly askAgain: "ask-again";
+  readonly release: "release";
 };
 
 export declare const events: {
@@ -578,6 +579,18 @@ export interface AskAgainAnswer {
   "result": StepResult;
 }
 
+/** is what release takes. */
+export interface ReleaseInput {
+  /** why, written with the caller the runtime proves in the hand-act log */
+  "why": string;
+}
+
+/** is what release answers. */
+export interface ReleaseAnswer {
+  /** how many held pipelines were started */
+  "released": number;
+}
+
 /** is the body of the event pipeline-started. */
 export type PipelineStartedEvent = PipelineStarted;
 
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/ts/seats/meshpipelinerunner/index.js b/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/ts/seats/meshpipelinerunner/index.js
index a36f83ae..5b96596a 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/ts/seats/meshpipelinerunner/index.js
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/ts/seats/meshpipelinerunner/index.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export const verbs = {
   accept: "accept",
   cancel: "cancel",
   askAgain: "ask-again",
+  release: "release",
 };
 
 export const events = {
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline-tools/main.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline-tools/main.go
index ed97400a..9e8adee7 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline-tools/main.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline-tools/main.go
@@ -118,10 +118,28 @@ func WaitsTool(r pipeline.Reads) stdio.Tool {
 		Run:   func(map[string]any) (any, error) { return r.Waits() }}
 }
 
+// ReleaseTool is the runner's tool runner_release: it starts the pipelines held for the runner's new version with the running
+// runner, through the seat's verb release, which the process that holds the pipelines answers and records in the hand-act log
+// first (design 47 G §276, A-206).
+func ReleaseTool(ask func(key string, body any) (json.RawMessage, error)) stdio.Tool {
+	return stdio.Tool{Name: Prefix + "_release",
+		Description: "Start now, with the running pipeline runner, the pipelines it holds until its new version runs healthy " +
+			"(runner_waits lists them), each wait ending released. Written in the hand-act log (mesh-hand-acts).",
+		Input: map[string]any{"type": "object", "required": []string{"why"}, "properties": map[string]any{
+			"why": map[string]any{"type": "string", "description": "why, in plain words"}}},
+		Run: func(args map[string]any) (any, error) {
+			in, err := as[seat.ReleaseInput](args)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			return ask("seat:"+seat.Seat+"."+seat.VerbRelease, in)
+		}}
+}
+
 func main() {
 	r := pipeline.Reads{Pipelines: kept{stdio.State(seat.StatePipelines)}, Kept: kept{stdio.State(seat.StateKept)}}
 	tools := append(Tools(r), FirstViewTools(stdio.State(views.StatusState), meshhandactsclient.Recorder{Ask: stdio.Ask}, time.Now)...)
-	tools = append(tools, WaitsTool(r))
+	tools = append(tools, WaitsTool(r), ReleaseTool(stdio.Ask))
 	tools = append(tools, HealthTool(r.Pipelines, kept{stdio.State(pipeline.StateConsumers)}, time.Now))
 	if err := stdio.Serve("", tools); err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "[mesh-delivery-pipeline-tools] %v\n", err)
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline-tools/main_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline-tools/main_test.go
index bb3dd146..ef0bd12b 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline-tools/main_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline-tools/main_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -28,7 +29,17 @@ func TestTools(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	// RN25 (§468, §76; A-164): the health check is the bundle's runner_health.
 	names = append(names, HealthTool(none{}, none{}, nil).Name)
-	want := "mesh-pipeline-runner.show mesh-pipeline-runner.list mesh-pipeline-runner.stands mesh-pipeline-runner.why-carried mesh-pipeline-runner.kept runner_first_views runner_first_view_again runner_health"
+	// A-206: the tool runner_release asks the seat's verb release with its why.
+	var asked string
+	rel := ReleaseTool(func(key string, body any) (json.RawMessage, error) {
+		asked = key + fmt.Sprintf(" %+v", body)
+		return json.RawMessage(`{"released":1}`), nil
+	})
+	if _, err := rel.Run(map[string]any{"why": "w"}); err != nil || asked != "seat:mesh-pipeline-runner.release {Why:w}" {
+		t.Errorf("runner_release asked %q, %v", asked, err)
+	}
+	names = append(names, rel.Name)
+	want := "mesh-pipeline-runner.show mesh-pipeline-runner.list mesh-pipeline-runner.stands mesh-pipeline-runner.why-carried mesh-pipeline-runner.kept runner_first_views runner_first_view_again runner_health runner_release"
 	if got := strings.Join(names, " "); got != want {
 		t.Errorf("tools %q, want %q", got, want)
 	}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline/verbs.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline/verbs.go
index 1be958c2..1517865c 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline/verbs.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline/verbs.go
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ func answerVerbs(conn *process.Conn, v pipeline.Verbs) (func(), error) {
 	return conn.AnswerSeat(seat.Seat, writeHandlers(v))
 }
 
-// writeHandlers are the seat's write verbs the process answers: review, rerun, accept, cancel, start and ask-again
-// (§306; RN14).
+// writeHandlers are the seat's write verbs the process answers: review, rerun, accept, cancel, start, ask-again and
+// release (§306; RN14; A-206).
 func writeHandlers(v pipeline.Verbs) map[string]process.SeatHandler {
 	return map[string]process.SeatHandler{
 		seat.VerbReview:   verbOf(func(c string, in seat.ReviewInput) (any, error) { return v.Review(c, in) }),
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ func writeHandlers(v pipeline.Verbs) map[string]process.SeatHandler {
 		seat.VerbCancel:   verbOf(func(c string, in seat.CancelInput) (any, error) { return v.Cancel(c, in) }),
 		seat.VerbStart:    verbOf(func(c string, in seat.StartInput) (any, error) { return v.Start(c, in) }),
 		seat.VerbAskAgain: verbOf(func(c string, in seat.AskAgainInput) (any, error) { return v.AskAgain(c, in) }),
+		seat.VerbRelease:  verbOf(func(c string, in seat.ReleaseInput) (any, error) { return v.Release(c, in) }),
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline/verbs_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline/verbs_test.go
index 6b1db4e8..61801856 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline/verbs_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/cmd/mesh-delivery-pipeline/verbs_test.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func TestEveryWriteVerbIsServed(t *testing.T) {
 		got = append(got, v)
 	}
 	slices.Sort(got)
-	want := []string{seat.VerbAccept, seat.VerbAskAgain, seat.VerbCancel, seat.VerbRerun, seat.VerbReview, seat.VerbStart}
+	want := []string{seat.VerbAccept, seat.VerbAskAgain, seat.VerbCancel, seat.VerbRerun, seat.VerbRelease, seat.VerbReview, seat.VerbStart}
 	slices.Sort(want)
 	if !slices.Equal(got, want) {
 		t.Errorf("the process answers %v, want %v", got, want)
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/internal/pipeline/hold.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/internal/pipeline/hold.go
index 5186d2a6..04148002 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/internal/pipeline/hold.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/internal/pipeline/hold.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"slices"
 	"time"
 
 	runnerclient "git.novox.be/novox/mesh-delivery/modules/mesh-delivery-contracts/go/clients/meshpipelinerunnerclient"
@@ -161,3 +162,40 @@ func (s *Starter) ReleaseExpired(store Updater, key string, view func(branch str
 	}
 	return 0, nil
 }
+
+// heldFingerprints are the fingerprints of the runner the held pipelines in store await, each once.
+func heldFingerprints(store Updater) []string {
+	pkeys, err := store.Keys("*.*.*")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	var fps []string
+	for _, key := range pkeys {
+		if p, _, err := store.Get(key); err == nil && p.Held != nil && p.Outcome == seat.PipelineOutcomeRunning && !slices.Contains(fps, p.Held.Fingerprint) {
+			fps = append(fps, p.Held.Fingerprint)
+		}
+	}
+	return fps
+}
+
+// Release starts by hand the pipelines held for the runner's new version with the running runner, recorded in the hand-act
+// log first (§276, A-206): each says wait-ended `released` and pipeline-started, and the bound of each wait is dropped. It
+// says how many it started.
+func (v Verbs) Release(_ string, in seat.ReleaseInput) (seat.ReleaseAnswer, error) {
+	if v.Starter == nil || v.View == nil {
+		return seat.ReleaseAnswer{}, errors.New("the runner cannot release a pipeline: it holds no starter or no catalog half")
+	}
+	if err := v.record(seat.VerbRelease, "started the pipelines held for the new runner by hand", in.Why); err != nil {
+		return seat.ReleaseAnswer{}, err
+	}
+	fps := heldFingerprints(v.Hearer.Store)
+	n, err := v.Starter.Release(v.Hearer.Store, "", "released", v.View)
+	if n > 0 && v.Drop != nil {
+		for _, fp := range fps {
+			if derr := v.Drop(HeldKey(fp)); derr != nil && err == nil {
+				err = fmt.Errorf("the bound of the wait for %s is not dropped: %w", fp, derr)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return seat.ReleaseAnswer{Released: int64(n)}, err
+}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/internal/pipeline/hold_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/internal/pipeline/hold_test.go
index c4911fea..19628ec6 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/internal/pipeline/hold_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/internal/pipeline/hold_test.go
@@ -84,3 +84,44 @@ func TestPipelinesAreHeldForTheNewRunnerAndReleasedWhenItRuns(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("a pipeline is still held")
 	}
 }
+
+// The verb release starts the held pipelines by hand, recorded in the hand-act log first, saying why and ending each wait
+// `released`, and drops the bound of the wait; a release with no why does nothing (design 47 G §276, A-206).
+func TestReleaseVerbStartsTheHeldPipelinesByHand(t *testing.T) {
+	reg, entries := placeFixture()
+	entries["runner"] = catalog.CatalogEntry{Module: "runner"}
+	store := memCreated{memStore{}}
+	asks := &stepAsks{}
+	var said []string
+	s := &Starter{Pipelines: store, Steps: asks, Name: "the-runner", Self: "runner", SelfFp: "src2:old", Awaiting: Awaiting(store.memStore),
+		Registration: func(m string) (catalog.Registration, bool) { return reg, m == "app" },
+		Say: func(subject string, _ any) error {
+			said = append(said, subject[strings.Index(subject, ".event.")+7:])
+			return nil
+		}}
+	view := func(string) (Half, bool) { return Half{Entries: entries}, true }
+	if _, err := s.TakenIn(catalog.TakeInTaken{Key: "m.1", Branch: "main", Source: 4, Entries: []catalog.TakeInEntry{
+		{Module: "app", Commit: "c1", Fingerprint: "src2:aa"}, {Module: "runner", Commit: "c2", Fingerprint: "src2:new"}}}, view); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	acts, dropped := &actLog{}, []string{}
+	v := Verbs{Hearer: &Hearer{Store: store.memStore}, Starter: s, View: view, Acts: acts,
+		Drop: func(k string) error { dropped = append(dropped, k); return nil }}
+	if _, err := v.Release("operator", seat.ReleaseInput{}); err == nil || len(*acts) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("a release saying no why: %v, acts %v", err, *acts)
+	}
+	said = nil
+	a, err := v.Release("operator", seat.ReleaseInput{Why: "the new runner will not come"})
+	if err != nil || a.Released != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("release = %+v, %v", a, err)
+	}
+	if p, _, _ := store.Get("main.4.app"); p.Held != nil || len(p.Steps) == 0 || len(asks.asks) == 0 {
+		t.Errorf("after the release: held %+v, steps %d", p.Held, len(p.Steps))
+	}
+	if len(*acts) != 1 || !strings.HasPrefix((*acts)[0], "mesh-pipeline-runner.release: ") || len(dropped) != 1 || dropped[0] != HeldKey("src2:new") {
+		t.Errorf("acts %v, dropped %v", *acts, dropped)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(strings.Join(said, "|"), "wait-ended.app.main.c1") {
+		t.Errorf("said %v", said)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/manifest_test.go b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/manifest_test.go
index e29f902e..c47f2bfb 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/manifest_test.go
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/manifest_test.go
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func TestManifest(t *testing.T) {
 			"seat:node-build-image.check.step"})},
 		{"uses operator-channel", equalSets(m.Uses, []string{"operator-channel"})},
 		// RN25 (§539): the runner's tools carry the prefix runner_.
-		{"first-view tools", equalSets(m.Tools, []string{"runner_first_views", "runner_first_view_again", "runner_health", "runner_waits"})},
+		{"first-view tools", equalSets(m.Tools, []string{"runner_first_views", "runner_first_view_again", "runner_health", "runner_waits", "runner_release"})},
 		// RN25 (§468, §76): the health check, run outside the process, is the tool runner_health.
 		{"health is runner_health", healthTool(raw) == "tool runner_health"},
 		// RN1/AC5 (§95, §130): the new assigner is delivered before the runner.
diff --git a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/module.json b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/module.json
index 0b100789..206245fa 100644
--- a/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/module.json
+++ b/modules/mesh-delivery-pipeline/module.json
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@
         "rerun",
         "accept",
         "cancel",
-        "ask-again"
+        "ask-again",
+        "release"
       ]
     }
   ],
@@ -26,7 +27,8 @@
     "runner_first_views",
     "runner_first_view_again",
     "runner_health",
-    "runner_waits"
+    "runner_waits",
+    "runner_release"
   ],
   "consumes": [
     "mesh-delivery-indexer.take-in.taken",