diff --git a/.github/workflows/handbook-build-check.yaml b/.github/workflows/handbook-build-check.yaml
index 093997db..45e89853 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/handbook-build-check.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/handbook-build-check.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ name: Handbook Build Check
 
 # PR-only build verification for Dockerfile.handbook + the Goldens-assembled
 # screenshots. Does NOT push to Docker Hub and does NOT deploy — that
-# remains the job of handbook-deploy.yaml (develop push → DEV → PRD).
+# remains the job of handbook-deploy.yaml (staging push → DEV, develop push → PRD).
 #
 # Path filter covers everything that goes into the handbook image:
 #   - docs/handbook/**            handbook HTML, README, en/de subtrees
diff --git a/.github/workflows/handbook-deploy.yaml b/.github/workflows/handbook-deploy.yaml
index c1a26d83..f114ec5c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/handbook-deploy.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/handbook-deploy.yaml
@@ -1,9 +1,15 @@
 name: Handbook CI/CD
 
-# Single deploy pipeline for the handbook image: every push to `develop`
-# (with handbook-relevant paths) builds the image once and rolls it out
-# to BOTH the DEV and PRD endpoints sequentially. PRD only runs when DEV
-# finishes green, so a broken handbook can't reach production.
+# Per-branch handbook deploy pipeline, one environment per branch:
+#   push to `staging` → build from staging → deploy DEV  (dev-handbook.realunit.app)
+#   push to `develop` → build from develop → deploy PRD  (handbook.realunit.app)
+#
+# DEV and PRD are independent runs keyed by the pushed branch; they no
+# longer share a single run that fans out to both. The "DEV is green before
+# PRD ships" guarantee is now provided by the branch-promotion flow itself:
+# handbook content reaches `develop` only after it has been on `staging`
+# (auto-staging-pr.yaml opens the staging → develop PR), i.e. after it was
+# built and smoke-tested on DEV. Promoting to develop is what triggers PRD.
 #
 # This is a deliberate dev/prd-coupling exception scoped to the handbook
 # alone — the wallet app itself still follows the strict develop→main
@@ -11,11 +17,12 @@ name: Handbook CI/CD
 #
 # All build/deploy/smoke logic lives in the reusable workflow
 # .github/workflows/handbook.yaml. This file only wires the per-env
-# parameters and the DEV-must-pass ordering.
+# parameters (source ref, image tag, smoke URL, deploy secrets) and routes
+# the pushed branch to its environment via the per-job `if:` guards below.
 
 on:
   push:
-    branches: [develop]
+    branches: [staging, develop]
     paths:
       - "docs/handbook/**"
       - "test/goldens/screens/**"
@@ -37,21 +44,28 @@ on:
 permissions:
   contents: read
 
-# Serialize handbook deploys so a manual workflow_dispatch can't race a
-# concurrent develop push: both would build :beta in parallel, the later
-# build would win on Docker Hub, and dfxdev / dfxprd could end up pulling
-# different images depending on timing. cancel-in-progress is false so a
-# mid-rollout deploy is never killed (we'd otherwise risk leaving DEV
-# halfway through and PRD never started).
+# One concurrency lane PER BRANCH so a staging (DEV) deploy and a develop
+# (PRD) deploy never serialize against — or cancel — each other. Within a
+# single lane a manual workflow_dispatch still can't race a push: both would
+# build the same env's tag in parallel, the later build would win on Docker
+# Hub, and the target server could pull either depending on timing.
+# cancel-in-progress is false so a mid-rollout deploy is never killed (we'd
+# otherwise risk recreating the container halfway through).
 concurrency:
-  group: handbook-deploy
+  group: handbook-deploy-${{ github.ref_name }}
   cancel-in-progress: false
 
 jobs:
+  # Push to staging → DEV. Distinct image tag (:beta) from PRD (:latest) so a
+  # staging build can never clobber the develop build on Docker Hub (both
+  # used to push :beta, which raced whenever the two branches were pushed
+  # close together).
   deploy-dev:
+    if: github.ref_name == 'staging'
     uses: ./.github/workflows/handbook.yaml
     with:
       environment: DEV
+      ref: staging
       docker_tag: dfxswiss/realunit-app-handbook:beta
       smoke_url: https://dev-handbook.realunit.app/healthz
     secrets:
@@ -62,12 +76,14 @@ jobs:
       DEPLOY_USER: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_DEV_USER }}
       DEPLOY_HOST: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_DEV_HOST }}
 
+  # Push to develop → PRD.
   deploy-prd:
-    needs: deploy-dev
+    if: github.ref_name == 'develop'
     uses: ./.github/workflows/handbook.yaml
     with:
       environment: PRD
-      docker_tag: dfxswiss/realunit-app-handbook:beta
+      ref: develop
+      docker_tag: dfxswiss/realunit-app-handbook:latest
       smoke_url: https://handbook.realunit.app/healthz
     secrets:
       DOCKER_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/handbook.yaml b/.github/workflows/handbook.yaml
index d7b9d579..9c11603d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/handbook.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/handbook.yaml
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@ name: Handbook reusable CI/CD
 # Docker Hub, and tells the target server to pull + recreate the container.
 #
 # Caller (handbook-deploy.yaml) provides the per-environment parameters
-# (tag, smoke URL, deploy secrets) so the deploy logic itself lives in
-# exactly one place. The caller fans this workflow out to DEV first and
-# then PRD with `needs:` ordering.
+# (source ref, tag, smoke URL, deploy secrets) so the deploy logic itself
+# lives in exactly one place. Each pushed branch is an independent caller
+# run — staging → DEV, develop → PRD — so there is no DEV→PRD `needs:`
+# ordering here; "DEV green before PRD" comes from the staging→develop
+# promotion flow (see handbook-deploy.yaml header).
 #
 # Mirrors infrastructure/templates/ssh-deploy-*.yaml from DFXServer/server.
 
@@ -17,8 +19,12 @@ on:
         description: "Target environment label (dev | prd) — used in job name + smoke log lines"
         required: true
         type: string
+      ref:
+        description: "Git ref of THIS repo to build the handbook from — the pushed branch (staging for DEV, develop for PRD). Determines the deployed handbook 'Stand'."
+        required: true
+        type: string
       docker_tag:
-        description: "Full Docker image tag, e.g. dfxswiss/realunit-app-handbook:beta"
+        description: "Full Docker image tag, e.g. dfxswiss/realunit-app-handbook:beta (DEV) / :latest (PRD)"
         required: true
         type: string
       smoke_url:
@@ -56,16 +62,26 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          # Build the handbook from the environment's source branch: staging
+          # for DEV, develop for PRD (passed by handbook-deploy.yaml as the
+          # pushed branch). This ref governs the deployed handbook content;
+          # the DFXswiss/api checkout below is a SEPARATE, intentionally
+          # develop-pinned source for the mail previews and does not vary
+          # with this input.
+          ref: ${{ inputs.ref }}
 
       # RealUnit mail previews are the single source of truth in DFXswiss/api
       # (scripts/generate-realunit-previews.js). We pull them in at build time
       # instead of checking them into this repo, so a change to a template or
       # i18n string in the api repo flows into the handbook image on the next
-      # build without a manual sync PR. A handbook-relevant push to develop
-      # (or a manual workflow_dispatch on handbook-deploy.yaml in this repo)
-      # rebuilds the image and re-pulls api@develop here — so mail-template
-      # changes in the api repo only flow in after such a push/dispatch in
-      # this repo. There is NO auto-dispatch from the api repo.
+      # build without a manual sync PR. A handbook-relevant push to staging
+      # (→DEV) or develop (→PRD) — or a manual workflow_dispatch on
+      # handbook-deploy.yaml in this repo — rebuilds the image and re-pulls
+      # api@develop here — so mail-template changes in the api repo only flow
+      # in after such a push/dispatch in this repo. There is NO auto-dispatch
+      # from the api repo. The api ref stays `develop` for both environments
+      # (it does not track the handbook's staging/develop split).
       - name: Check out DFXswiss/api at develop into _api-checkout/
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ffaf02d9..6feaef2b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ Tier 1 specs live under `test/integration/**` and run inside the same `flutter t
 | `auto-tag.yaml`              | Push `develop`                                                | Creates the next `vX.Y.Z` patch tag (PATCH = previous + 1, MINOR/MAJOR from pubspec floor) |
 | `release.yaml`               | Tag `v*` · manual                                             | Single store-release pipeline. Guard job routes by PATCH: `vX.Y.0` → production candidate (GitHub release, prerelease: false); `vX.Y.Z` (Z >= 1) → internal release (GitHub pre-release). Both lanes deploy Android + iOS to Play Internal + TestFlight; production promotion stays manual in the store backends. |
 | `store-metadata.yaml`        | Push `main` under `*/fastlane/metadata/**` or `ios/fastlane/screenshots/**` · manual `workflow_dispatch` | Sync App Store + Play Store listing text + screenshots without rebuilding the app. A `preflight` gate rejects `FIXME-` placeholders and over-length text fields before either store upload runs. |
-| `handbook-deploy.yaml`       | Push `develop` under `docs/handbook/**`, `Dockerfile.handbook`, `handbook.nginx.conf`, `handbook.htpasswd`, or the workflow files · manual | Builds the handbook image once and rolls it out to DEV (`:beta`) then PRD (`:latest`) sequentially via the reusable `handbook.yaml` — PRD only runs after DEV is green |
+| `handbook-deploy.yaml`       | Push `staging` (→ DEV) or `develop` (→ PRD) under `docs/handbook/**`, `Dockerfile.handbook`, `handbook.nginx.conf`, `handbook.htpasswd`, or the workflow files · manual | Builds the handbook image from the pushed branch and deploys it to the matching environment via the reusable `handbook.yaml`: `staging` → DEV (`:beta`, dev-handbook.realunit.app), `develop` → PRD (`:latest`, handbook.realunit.app). Independent per-branch runs with distinct image tags; "DEV green before PRD" is enforced by the staging→develop promotion flow, not an in-run `needs:` |
 | `handbook.yaml`              | Called by `handbook-deploy.yaml` (`workflow_call`)            | Reusable build → Docker Hub push → server pull/recreate → smoke check, parameterised per environment |
 
 ## Release versioning
diff --git a/docs/handbook/README.md b/docs/handbook/README.md
index c882ed19..4dd4951c 100644
--- a/docs/handbook/README.md
+++ b/docs/handbook/README.md
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ Workflow:
    regeneriert auf dfx01 und committet die neuen PNGs als
    `github-actions[bot]` zurück auf den Branch (siehe
    [`../visual-regression-tests.md`](../visual-regression-tests.md))
-4. Pullen → Handbook-Deploy pickt die neue Baseline beim nächsten
-   develop-Push automatisch auf.
+4. Pullen → der nächste Handbook-Deploy zeigt die neue Baseline automatisch
+   (Push auf `staging` → DEV bzw. `develop` → PRD).
 
 ## Selektive Läufe (Teilmenge)
 
@@ -113,12 +113,16 @@ divergieren Image-Stand und Source-of-Truth.
 
 ### Trigger
 
-Der Handbook-Deploy läuft bei einem `push` auf `develop` mit Änderungen
-unter handbook-relevanten Pfaden (siehe `handbook-deploy.yaml`) oder bei
-einem manuellen `workflow_dispatch` auf `handbook-deploy.yaml` in
-**diesem** Repo. Eine reine Mail-Template-, i18n- oder Generator-Änderung
-im api-Repo löst **keinen** automatischen Rebuild aus — sie fliesst erst
-mit dem nächsten Handbook-Deploy hier rein.
+Der Handbook-Deploy läuft pro Branch in genau ein Environment: ein `push`
+auf `staging` deployt nach **DEV** (`dev-handbook.realunit.app`), ein `push`
+auf `develop` nach **PRD** (`handbook.realunit.app`) — jeweils mit Änderungen
+unter handbook-relevanten Pfaden (siehe `handbook-deploy.yaml`) oder per
+manuellem `workflow_dispatch` auf `handbook-deploy.yaml` in **diesem** Repo
+(das Ziel-Environment richtet sich nach dem dispatchten Branch). DEV und PRD
+nutzen getrennte Image-Tags (`:beta` bzw. `:latest`), damit sich staging- und
+develop-Builds nicht gegenseitig überschreiben. Eine reine Mail-Template-,
+i18n- oder Generator-Änderung im api-Repo löst **keinen** automatischen
+Rebuild aus — sie fliesst erst mit dem nächsten Handbook-Deploy hier rein.
 
 Wer eine reine Mail-Änderung sofort live haben will, hat zwei Optionen
 im realunit-app-Repo:
diff --git a/docs/handbook/de/index.html b/docs/handbook/de/index.html
index ac69db45..85887157 100644
--- a/docs/handbook/de/index.html
+++ b/docs/handbook/de/index.html
@@ -897,10 +897,11 @@ <h3 style="margin-top: 0">Single Source of Truth</h3>
           <div class="callout info">
             <p>
               <b>Pipeline:</b> Page-Edit → <code>flutter test --update-goldens test/goldens/screens/&lt;feature&gt;</code>
-              auf dfx01 (Hardware-Determinismus) → neue Baseline committen → Push auf
-              <code>develop</code> triggert <code>handbook-deploy.yaml</code> → Docker-Build
-              assembliert die 52 Slots aus <code>test/goldens/screens/</code> → DEV-Image,
-              dann PRD-Image, beide via Cloudflare Tunnel.
+              auf dfx01 (Hardware-Determinismus) → neue Baseline committen →
+              <code>handbook-deploy.yaml</code> baut das Docker-Image aus dem gepushten Branch
+              und assembliert die 52 Slots aus <code>test/goldens/screens/</code> → Push auf
+              <code>staging</code> deployt das DEV-Image, Push auf <code>develop</code> das
+              PRD-Image, beide via Cloudflare Tunnel.
             </p>
           </div>
         </section>
@@ -2407,10 +2408,10 @@ <h2><span class="num">M</span>E-Mails</h2>
             Eine Änderung an Mail-Vorlage, i18n-Übersetzung oder
             Generator-Skript im api-Repo löst hier <b>keinen</b> automatischen
             Rebuild aus. Die neue Version wird mit dem nächsten
-            Handbook-Deploy (Push auf <code>develop</code> mit
-            handbook-relevanten Pfaden oder manueller
-            <code>workflow_dispatch</code> auf <code>handbook-deploy.yaml</code>
-            im realunit-app-Repo) reingezogen.
+            Handbook-Deploy (Push auf <code>staging</code> → DEV bzw.
+            <code>develop</code> → PRD mit handbook-relevanten Pfaden oder
+            manueller <code>workflow_dispatch</code> auf
+            <code>handbook-deploy.yaml</code> im realunit-app-Repo) reingezogen.
           </p>
         </details>