diff --git a/docs/contributing.md b/docs/contributing.md
index 6243da1..fec139f 100644
--- a/docs/contributing.md
+++ b/docs/contributing.md
@@ -88,8 +88,9 @@ To publish an existing tag again, run the Release workflow by hand from
 
 ### If the checks fail after the release PR is merged
 
-The release PR runs no CI, so its checks first run after the merge. If they
-fail, `main` already has the new version, but there is no tag, and the
+The release PR runs CI like any other PR. After you merge it, the release
+run checks the code again before it tags and publishes. If that check
+fails, `main` already has the new version, but there is no tag, and the
 merged release PR keeps the `autorelease: pending` label, which blocks the
 next release PR. To recover: