diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 21d2b9f..28732f2 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -39,6 +39,14 @@ REUSE_VALUES    ?= helm/reuse-surface-values.yaml
 REUSE_URL       ?= https://reuse.coulomb.social
 REUSE_CERTIFICATE ?= reuse-surface-tls
 
+POLICY_NEXUS_RAPP ?= ../rapp-policy-nexus
+POLICY_NEXUS_BINDING ?= bindings/policy-nexus-production.json
+POLICY_NEXUS_TARGET ?= railiance01
+POLICY_NEXUS_IMAGE_REPOSITORY ?= $(shell python3 -c 'import json; print(json.load(open("$(POLICY_NEXUS_BINDING)"))["image_repository"])')
+POLICY_NEXUS_IMAGE_DIGEST ?= $(shell python3 -c 'import json; print(json.load(open("$(POLICY_NEXUS_BINDING)")).get("image_digest") or "")')
+POLICY_NEXUS_PUBLICATION_DIGEST ?= $(shell python3 -c 'import json; print(json.load(open("$(POLICY_NEXUS_BINDING)")).get("publication_manifest_digest") or "")')
+POLICY_NEXUS_REVISION ?=
+
 COULOMBCORE_KUBECONFIG ?= $(HOME)/.kube/config
 RAILIANCE01_KUBECONFIG ?= $(HOME)/.kube/config-hosteurope
 PRODUCTION_KUBECONFIG ?= $(COULOMBCORE_KUBECONFIG)
@@ -577,6 +585,46 @@ reuse-runtime-es-status: check-railiance01-kubeconfig ## Show reuse-surface runt
 reuse-webhook-smoke: check-railiance01-kubeconfig ## Webhook + ESO + federated smoke (RAILIANCE-WP-0011-T04)
 	bash tools/reuse-webhook-smoke.sh
 
+##@ policy-nexus (policy.coulomb.social)
+
+policy-nexus-check-binding: ## Require a source-controlled, immutable production binding
+	@test -d "$(POLICY_NEXUS_RAPP)" || { echo "Missing sibling rApp repo: $(POLICY_NEXUS_RAPP)" >&2; exit 2; }
+	python3 tools/check-policy-nexus-binding.py "$(POLICY_NEXUS_BINDING)"
+
+policy-nexus-check-image: policy-nexus-check-binding ## Verify the bound OCI digest exists in Forgejo
+	tools/check-oci-image.sh "$(POLICY_NEXUS_IMAGE_REPOSITORY)@$(POLICY_NEXUS_IMAGE_DIGEST)"
+
+policy-nexus-render: policy-nexus-check-binding ## Render the rApp chart with the approved production binding
+	$(MAKE) -C "$(POLICY_NEXUS_RAPP)" render \
+		IMAGE_REPOSITORY="$(POLICY_NEXUS_IMAGE_REPOSITORY)" \
+		IMAGE_DIGEST="$(POLICY_NEXUS_IMAGE_DIGEST)" \
+		PUBLICATION_MANIFEST_DIGEST="$(POLICY_NEXUS_PUBLICATION_DIGEST)"
+
+policy-nexus-server-dry-run: policy-nexus-check-binding ## Validate the approved policy package against Railiance01
+	$(MAKE) -C "$(POLICY_NEXUS_RAPP)" server-dry-run TARGET="$(POLICY_NEXUS_TARGET)" \
+		IMAGE_REPOSITORY="$(POLICY_NEXUS_IMAGE_REPOSITORY)" \
+		IMAGE_DIGEST="$(POLICY_NEXUS_IMAGE_DIGEST)" \
+		PUBLICATION_MANIFEST_DIGEST="$(POLICY_NEXUS_PUBLICATION_DIGEST)"
+
+policy-nexus-deploy: policy-nexus-check-binding ## Deploy the approved policy release through its rApp package
+	$(MAKE) -C "$(POLICY_NEXUS_RAPP)" deploy TARGET="$(POLICY_NEXUS_TARGET)" \
+		IMAGE_REPOSITORY="$(POLICY_NEXUS_IMAGE_REPOSITORY)" \
+		IMAGE_DIGEST="$(POLICY_NEXUS_IMAGE_DIGEST)" \
+		PUBLICATION_MANIFEST_DIGEST="$(POLICY_NEXUS_PUBLICATION_DIGEST)"
+
+policy-nexus-status: ## Show the policy-nexus Helm release state
+	$(MAKE) -C "$(POLICY_NEXUS_RAPP)" status TARGET="$(POLICY_NEXUS_TARGET)"
+
+policy-nexus-smoke: policy-nexus-check-binding ## Verify public content, TLS, and both immutable release identities
+	$(MAKE) -C "$(POLICY_NEXUS_RAPP)" verify-live TARGET="$(POLICY_NEXUS_TARGET)" \
+		IMAGE_REPOSITORY="$(POLICY_NEXUS_IMAGE_REPOSITORY)" \
+		IMAGE_DIGEST="$(POLICY_NEXUS_IMAGE_DIGEST)" \
+		PUBLICATION_MANIFEST_DIGEST="$(POLICY_NEXUS_PUBLICATION_DIGEST)"
+
+policy-nexus-rollback: ## Roll back to a named previous Helm revision
+	@test -n "$(POLICY_NEXUS_REVISION)" || { echo "POLICY_NEXUS_REVISION is required" >&2; exit 2; }
+	$(MAKE) -C "$(POLICY_NEXUS_RAPP)" rollback TARGET="$(POLICY_NEXUS_TARGET)" REVISION="$(POLICY_NEXUS_REVISION)"
+
 ##@ Help
 
 help: ## Show this help
@@ -584,4 +632,4 @@ help: ## Show this help
 	  /^[a-zA-Z0-9_-]+:.*?##/ { printf "  \033[36m%-20s\033[0m %s\n", $$1, $$2 } \
 	  /^##@/ { printf "\n\033[1m%s\033[0m\n", substr($$0, 5) }' $(MAKEFILE_LIST)
 
-.PHONY: check-tools check-sops k8s-server-dry-run apps-pg-status apps-pg-restore-drill check-railiance01-kubeconfig check-inter-hub-image-tag check-inter-hub-image check-vergabe-image-tag check-vergabe-image vergabe-dry-run vergabe-deploy vergabe-ingress-deploy vergabe-status vergabe-migrate vergabe-seed vergabe-superuser vergabe-logs vergabe-db-url-secret check-coulomb-social-image-tag coulomb-social-dry-run coulomb-social-deploy coulomb-social-ingress-deploy coulomb-social-status coulomb-social-logs coulomb-social-env-secret coulomb-social-env-secret-dry-run eso-deploy forgejo-openbao-eso-token-apply forgejo-openbao-store-deploy forgejo-mailer-es-deploy forgejo-mailer-es-status forgejo-dry-run forgejo-server-dry-run forgejo-deploy forgejo-ingress-deploy forgejo-ssh-nodeport-deploy forgejo-status forgejo-smoke forgejo-npm-smoke forgejo-verify forgejo-operator-bootstrap forgejo-runner-registration-sops-bootstrap forgejo-secrets-check forgejo-logs forgejo-runner-registration-deploy forgejo-runner-deploy forgejo-runner-status forgejo-runner-logs inter-hub-render-baseline inter-hub-dry-run inter-hub-server-dry-run inter-hub-deploy inter-hub-status inter-hub-release-info inter-hub-smoke inter-hub-logs reuse-dry-run reuse-deploy reuse-status reuse-smoke reuse-logs reuse-forgejo-webhook reuse-openbao-eso-token-apply reuse-openbao-store-deploy reuse-runtime-es-deploy reuse-runtime-es-status reuse-webhook-smoke help
+.PHONY: check-tools check-sops k8s-server-dry-run apps-pg-status apps-pg-restore-drill check-railiance01-kubeconfig check-inter-hub-image-tag check-inter-hub-image check-vergabe-image-tag check-vergabe-image vergabe-dry-run vergabe-deploy vergabe-ingress-deploy vergabe-status vergabe-migrate vergabe-seed vergabe-superuser vergabe-logs vergabe-db-url-secret check-coulomb-social-image-tag coulomb-social-dry-run coulomb-social-deploy coulomb-social-ingress-deploy coulomb-social-status coulomb-social-logs coulomb-social-env-secret coulomb-social-env-secret-dry-run eso-deploy forgejo-openbao-eso-token-apply forgejo-openbao-store-deploy forgejo-mailer-es-deploy forgejo-mailer-es-status forgejo-dry-run forgejo-server-dry-run forgejo-deploy forgejo-ingress-deploy forgejo-ssh-nodeport-deploy forgejo-status forgejo-smoke forgejo-npm-smoke forgejo-verify forgejo-operator-bootstrap forgejo-runner-registration-sops-bootstrap forgejo-secrets-check forgejo-logs forgejo-runner-registration-deploy forgejo-runner-deploy forgejo-runner-status forgejo-runner-logs inter-hub-render-baseline inter-hub-dry-run inter-hub-server-dry-run inter-hub-deploy inter-hub-status inter-hub-release-info inter-hub-smoke inter-hub-logs reuse-dry-run reuse-deploy reuse-status reuse-smoke reuse-logs reuse-forgejo-webhook reuse-openbao-eso-token-apply reuse-openbao-store-deploy reuse-runtime-es-deploy reuse-runtime-es-status reuse-webhook-smoke policy-nexus-check-binding policy-nexus-check-image policy-nexus-render policy-nexus-server-dry-run policy-nexus-deploy policy-nexus-status policy-nexus-smoke policy-nexus-rollback help
diff --git a/WORK-RECORDS.md b/WORK-RECORDS.md
index 610c468..4f7f5d1 100644
--- a/WORK-RECORDS.md
+++ b/WORK-RECORDS.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
 | workplan | RAILIANCE-WP-0015 | finished | — | workplans/RAILIANCE-WP-0015-cnpg-backup-scheduledbackup-coverage.md |
 | workplan | RAILIANCE-WP-0016 | finished | — | workplans/RAILIANCE-WP-0016-railiance01-activity-core-backup-automation.md |
+| workplan | RAILIANCE-WP-0018 | active | — | workplans/RAILIANCE-WP-0018-policy-nexus-production-binding.md |
 | task | RAILIANCE-WP-0015-T01 | done | — | workplans/RAILIANCE-WP-0015-cnpg-backup-scheduledbackup-coverage.md |
 | task | RAILIANCE-WP-0015-T02 | done | — | workplans/RAILIANCE-WP-0015-cnpg-backup-scheduledbackup-coverage.md |
 | task | RAILIANCE-WP-0015-T03 | done | — | workplans/RAILIANCE-WP-0015-cnpg-backup-scheduledbackup-coverage.md |
@@ -22,3 +23,7 @@
 | task | RAILIANCE-WP-0016-T05 | done | — | workplans/RAILIANCE-WP-0016-railiance01-activity-core-backup-automation.md |
 | task | RAILIANCE-WP-0016-T06 | done | — | workplans/RAILIANCE-WP-0016-railiance01-activity-core-backup-automation.md |
 | task | RAILIANCE-WP-0016-T07 | done | — | workplans/RAILIANCE-WP-0016-railiance01-activity-core-backup-automation.md |
+| task | RAILIANCE-WP-0018-T01 | done | — | workplans/RAILIANCE-WP-0018-policy-nexus-production-binding.md |
+| task | RAILIANCE-WP-0018-T02 | done | — | workplans/RAILIANCE-WP-0018-policy-nexus-production-binding.md |
+| task | RAILIANCE-WP-0018-T03 | done | — | workplans/RAILIANCE-WP-0018-policy-nexus-production-binding.md |
+| task | RAILIANCE-WP-0018-T04 | progress | — | workplans/RAILIANCE-WP-0018-policy-nexus-production-binding.md |
diff --git a/bindings/policy-nexus-production.json b/bindings/policy-nexus-production.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85ec028
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bindings/policy-nexus-production.json
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{
+  "schema_version": "policy-nexus-production-binding/v1",
+  "status": "release-approved",
+  "approved_on": "2026-08-18",
+  "rapp_repo": "rapp-policy-nexus",
+  "reef": "reef-railiance",
+  "rail": "rail-kubernetes",
+  "namespace": "policy-nexus",
+  "release": "policy-nexus",
+  "hostname": "policy.coulomb.social",
+  "image_repository": "forgejo.coulomb.social/coulomb/policy-nexus",
+  "image_digest": "sha256:23318442d1b3a5bdced54f0b407fa5b32834020b80c60d72dea04c03bfbf51e7",
+  "publication_manifest_digest": "1d8ae5cd683e385d82d29a78729948f7be95d902401a5fbdcfb5e8230cdbfee6",
+  "residual_risk_owner": "the-custodian"
+}
diff --git a/docs/policy-nexus-production.md b/docs/policy-nexus-production.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab435a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/policy-nexus-production.md
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+# policy-nexus production release
+
+`railiance-apps` owns only the approved production binding for
+`policy.coulomb.social`. Policy sources and the OCI artifact belong to
+`policy-nexus`; the Helm chart, hardening, verification, and rollback belong to
+`rapp-policy-nexus`. This repository must not copy either the generated site or
+the chart.
+
+## Binding a release
+
+The source-controlled binding is
+`bindings/policy-nexus-production.json`. Before deployment, replace both null
+values and set `status` to `release-approved`:
+
+- `image_digest`: the registry-resolved `sha256:...` digest of the image
+  published by `policy-nexus`;
+- `publication_manifest_digest`: the 64-hex SHA-256 printed by the release
+  verifier for the exact `publication-manifest.json` in that image.
+
+Tags are not accepted as production identity. The image digest and publication
+digest must be reviewed in the same change; this binds runtime bytes to policy
+source provenance without making this repository a second policy authority.
+
+## Preflight and deployment
+
+With sibling checkouts of `railiance-apps` and `rapp-policy-nexus`:
+
+```sh
+make policy-nexus-check-binding
+make policy-nexus-check-image
+make policy-nexus-render
+make policy-nexus-server-dry-run
+make policy-nexus-deploy
+make policy-nexus-status
+make policy-nexus-smoke
+```
+
+Production deployment is an operator action. The current Forgejo build runner
+has registry-publication authority but intentionally has no cluster-deploy
+authority, kubeconfig, or SSH lane. Do not add those credentials to make this
+release automatic. The guarded Make targets refuse the current
+`approved-awaiting-artifact` binding and provide the reviewed execution path
+from an authorized operator workstation.
+
+## Rollback
+
+Find the last known-good Helm revision with `make policy-nexus-status`, then:
+
+```sh
+make policy-nexus-rollback POLICY_NEXUS_REVISION=<revision>
+make policy-nexus-smoke
+```
+
+After an emergency rollback, restore the binding file to the two immutable
+identities actually serving and capture the smoke output. The package promises
+restart recovery on the single-node reef, not multi-node high availability.
diff --git a/tools/check-policy-nexus-binding.py b/tools/check-policy-nexus-binding.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98af389
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/check-policy-nexus-binding.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""Validate the source-controlled policy-nexus production release identity."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+import re
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument("binding", type=Path)
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+    binding = json.loads(args.binding.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+
+    if binding.get("schema_version") != "policy-nexus-production-binding/v1":
+        parser.error("unsupported policy-nexus binding schema")
+    if binding.get("status") != "release-approved":
+        parser.error("binding status must be release-approved")
+    if not re.fullmatch(r"sha256:[a-f0-9]{64}", binding.get("image_digest") or ""):
+        parser.error("binding image_digest must be sha256:<64 lowercase hex>")
+    if not re.fullmatch(
+        r"[a-f0-9]{64}", binding.get("publication_manifest_digest") or ""
+    ):
+        parser.error("binding publication_manifest_digest must be 64 lowercase hex")
+    if binding.get("hostname") != "policy.coulomb.social":
+        parser.error("binding hostname must be policy.coulomb.social")
+
+    print("policy-nexus production binding is complete")
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())