diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-nuget.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-nuget.yml
index dca2ba7..0052a94 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-nuget.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-nuget.yml
@@ -44,7 +44,13 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Verify physical compatibility matrix
         shell: pwsh
-        run: .\build\Verify-CompatibilityMatrix.ps1
+        run: |
+          if ("${{ github.event_name }}" -eq "release" -and "${{ github.event.release.prerelease }}" -eq "true") {
+            .\build\Verify-CompatibilityMatrix.ps1 -AllowPending
+          }
+          else {
+            .\build\Verify-CompatibilityMatrix.ps1
+          }
 
       - name: Pack
         run: dotnet pack src\HyperVConsoleKit\HyperVConsoleKit.csproj --configuration Release --no-build --output artifacts\packages
diff --git a/build/Verify-CompatibilityMatrix.ps1 b/build/Verify-CompatibilityMatrix.ps1
index 2083fcf..2a3b740 100644
--- a/build/Verify-CompatibilityMatrix.ps1
+++ b/build/Verify-CompatibilityMatrix.ps1
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 param(
-    [string]$MatrixPath = 'validation\compatibility-matrix.json'
+    [string]$MatrixPath = 'validation\compatibility-matrix.json',
+
+    [switch]$AllowPending
 )
 
 $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
@@ -8,6 +10,11 @@ $matrix = Get-Content -LiteralPath $MatrixPath -Raw | ConvertFrom-Json
 $pending = @($matrix.required | Where-Object { $_.status -ne 'Pass' })
 if ($pending.Count -gt 0) {
     $names = $pending | ForEach-Object { "$($_.operatingSystem) $($_.architecture): $($_.status)" }
+    if ($AllowPending) {
+        Write-Warning "Publishing an explicitly unvalidated prerelease with pending physical compatibility results: $($names -join '; ')"
+        return
+    }
+
     throw "Physical compatibility validation is incomplete: $($names -join '; ')"
 }
 
diff --git a/docs/COMPATIBILITY_VALIDATION.md b/docs/COMPATIBILITY_VALIDATION.md
index 6685b62..fd4366a 100644
--- a/docs/COMPATIBILITY_VALIDATION.md
+++ b/docs/COMPATIBILITY_VALIDATION.md
@@ -49,3 +49,7 @@ Repeat the probe under `LocalSystem`, using the same files and VM. Retain the JS
 process architecture, package version, per-check results, loaded managed assemblies, and loaded native modules.
 
 CI success is not a substitute for these physical-host results.
+
+An explicitly approved GitHub prerelease may be published while matrix entries remain pending so the exact package
+can be deployed for compatibility testing. Stable releases and manual publish-workflow dispatches remain blocked
+until every required matrix entry passes.