diff --git a/docs/runbooks/sdk-generation-stlc.md b/docs/runbooks/sdk-generation-stlc.md
index 5ba1cc77..7828bc9f 100644
--- a/docs/runbooks/sdk-generation-stlc.md
+++ b/docs/runbooks/sdk-generation-stlc.md
@@ -9,18 +9,19 @@ Hypeman's Go, Python, and TypeScript SDKs are generated by
    internal SDK staging repositories and posts one build-manifest comment.
 2. Merging the config PR validates the integrated SDKs and pushes staging
    `main` only after bootstrap, lint, tests, and clean-worktree checks pass.
-3. Each staging repo opens or updates one `stainless/release` PR against its
-   public production repo. Merge it with a merge commit; never squash or rebase.
-4. Release-please opens the version and changelog PR in production. Merging it
-   publishes the package.
-5. The scheduled sync fast-forwards production commits back into staging.
+3. The staging `stlc-promote.yml` workflow merges validated staging changes into
+   the production repo's `next` branch. A conflict opens a recovery PR instead
+   of rewriting either repository's history.
+4. Release-please maintains the version and changelog PR from `next` to `main`.
+   Merging it creates the release and publishes the package.
+5. The scheduled sync fast-forwards production `main` back into staging.
 
 ## Normal API changes
 
 Update `openapi.yaml` and `stainless.yaml`, then open a PR. Review the generated
-preview branches and manifest diagnostics before merging. The public SDK
-promotion PRs are created or updated automatically; publishing requires merging
-them with merge commits, then merging the release-please PRs.
+preview branches and manifest diagnostics before merging. The production `next`
+branches and release-please PRs are updated automatically; publishing requires
+merging the release-please PRs.
 
 Every merged SDK-affecting PR becomes a releasable SDK commit automatically.
 Explicit `feat:`, `fix:`, `perf:`, and `revert:` titles are preserved; other
@@ -39,6 +40,22 @@ The run creates a unique `stlc/integration-test/run-<run-id>` branch and draft
 PR in all three staging repos. Never merge these PRs; close them and delete
 their branches after review.
 
+## Bootstrapping a staging workflow
+
+GitHub does not emit a `push` event when a workflow file first arrives on an
+existing staging `main` branch. After adding `stlc-promote.yml` to a staging SDK
+for the first time, dispatch it once manually:
+
+```bash
+gh workflow run stlc-promote.yml \
+  --repo kernel/hypeman-python-staging \
+  --ref main
+```
+
+After that one-time dispatch, generation pushes trigger promotion normally.
+Verify that production `next` exists and that release-please opened a PR from
+`next` to `main` before publishing the first package.
+
 ## Custom code and recovery
 
 Edit custom code in `stainless/sdks/<target>/`, then seal and commit it from the
diff --git a/stainless/custom-code/python/2026-08-17T14-04-38-940Z-custom-code.json b/stainless/custom-code/python/2026-08-17T14-04-38-940Z-custom-code.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a14030f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stainless/custom-code/python/2026-08-17T14-04-38-940Z-custom-code.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "base": "192444585c150d0f39dbb7038bb67176c44aef2c",
+  "integrated": "caf71961faafb465db0d8f7c00de1d40e56ba731",
+  "filename": "2026-08-17T14-04-38-940Z-custom-code.json",
+  "branch": "main"
+}