diff --git a/tools/publish_gitea.py b/tools/publish_gitea.py
index eff1bba..62d2628 100755
--- a/tools/publish_gitea.py
+++ b/tools/publish_gitea.py
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ def check_bundle(args, source):
     refs = remote_refs()
     require(refs.get("refs/heads/main") == args.old_commit, "Canonical main changed; review before publishing")
     require("refs/tags/" + args.tag not in refs, "Release tag already exists; never overwrite")
+    if args.ops_branch:
+        require(re.fullmatch(r"ops/[a-z0-9][a-z0-9/-]*", args.ops_branch), "Invalid operations branch")
+        require("refs/heads/" + args.ops_branch not in refs, "Operations branch already exists; do not overwrite")
+        run(["git", "--git-dir", source, "merge-base", "--is-ancestor", args.commit, "refs/heads/" + args.ops_branch])
     return refs
 
 def record(path, state):
@@ -165,14 +169,22 @@ def publish(args):
             server, stop, thread, client = askpass_server(directory, token)
             env = dict(os.environ, GIT_ASKPASS=str(client), GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT="0", LC_ALL="C")
             # No force flag. The normal receive-pack checks and Gitea hooks run.
+            refspecs = [args.commit + ":refs/heads/main", "refs/tags/" + args.tag]
+            if args.ops_branch:
+                refspecs.append("refs/heads/" + args.ops_branch + ":refs/heads/" + args.ops_branch)
             run(["git", "--git-dir", source, "-c", "credential.helper=", "push", "--atomic",
-                 REPOSITORY, args.commit + ":refs/heads/main", "refs/tags/" + args.tag], env=env, timeout=120)
+                 REPOSITORY, *refspecs], env=env, timeout=120)
             state["push_performed"] = True
             state["phase"] = "PUSH_COMPLETED"
             after = remote_refs()
             require(after.get("refs/heads/main") == args.commit, "Main ref readback mismatch")
             resolved_tag = after.get("refs/tags/" + args.tag + "^{}", after.get("refs/tags/" + args.tag))
             require(resolved_tag == args.commit, "Release tag readback mismatch")
+            if args.ops_branch:
+                expected = run(["git", "--git-dir", source, "rev-parse", "refs/heads/" + args.ops_branch]).stdout.decode().strip()
+                require(after.get("refs/heads/" + args.ops_branch) == expected, "Operations ref readback mismatch")
+                state["ops_branch"] = args.ops_branch
+                state["ops_commit"] = expected
             state["refs_verified"] = True
             record(args.journal, state)
         except Exception as error:
@@ -213,6 +225,7 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument("--commit", required=True)
     parser.add_argument("--old-commit", required=True)
     parser.add_argument("--tag", required=True)
+    parser.add_argument("--ops-branch", help="Publish one new operations branch atomically with the release")
     parser.add_argument("--journal", type=Path)
     parser.add_argument("--apply", action="store_true")
     args = parser.parse_args()