diff --git a/.github/workflows/_build-platform.yml b/.github/workflows/_build-platform.yml
index 9812dc2..e8993c0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/_build-platform.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/_build-platform.yml
@@ -1717,8 +1717,13 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           mkdir -p tools
-          gh release download v0.1.9 --repo tamatebako/tebako \
-            --pattern 'tfs-0.1.9-windows-ucrt64.exe' --output tools/tfs.exe --clobber
+          # release-asset GETs are transient-prone under publish load —
+          # bounded retry, same contract as scripts/sign_release.rb.
+          for attempt in 1 2 3 4; do
+            gh release download v0.1.9 --repo tamatebako/tebako \
+              --pattern 'tfs-0.1.9-windows-ucrt64.exe' --output tools/tfs.exe --clobber && break
+            [ "$attempt" -lt 4 ] && sleep $((2 ** attempt)) || exit 1
+          done
       - name: Run the spec22-gems acceptance (msys)
         shell: msys2 {0}
         env:
diff --git a/scripts/sign_release.rb b/scripts/sign_release.rb
index 0667151..375aad3 100755
--- a/scripts/sign_release.rb
+++ b/scripts/sign_release.rb
@@ -325,14 +325,26 @@ def listed_sha(asset)
   # The default command seam: argv in, stdout out, named failure on a
   # non-zero exit. Specs inject a recording stand-in.
   class ShellExecutor
+    # gh's release-asset edges are transient-prone under release-storm
+    # load: the 5xx class and the intermediary 403 clear on a re-ask (the
+    # 0.16.24 publish lost a signing leg to an HTTP 500 on a manifest
+    # download — after every asset had already converged). Deterministic
+    # failures (404s, auth, usage) raise at once. Bounded, with backoff.
+    TRANSIENT = /HTTP 5\d\d|intermediary/i
+    ATTEMPTS = 4
+
     def run(*argv, chdir: ".")
-      out, err, status = Open3.capture3(*argv, chdir: chdir)
-      unless status.success?
-        raise SigningGateError,
-              "NAMED FAILURE: `#{argv.join(" ")}` exited #{status.exitstatus}: #{err.strip}"
-      end
+      attempts = 0
+      loop do
+        out, err, status = Open3.capture3(*argv, chdir: chdir)
+        break out if status.success?
 
-      out
+        unless err =~ TRANSIENT && (attempts += 1) < ATTEMPTS
+          raise SigningGateError,
+                "NAMED FAILURE: `#{argv.join(" ")}` exited #{status.exitstatus}: #{err.strip}"
+        end
+        sleep(2**attempts)
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/sign_release_spec.rb b/spec/sign_release_spec.rb
index bbb714d..beef116 100644
--- a/spec/sign_release_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/sign_release_spec.rb
@@ -327,3 +327,42 @@ def client.upload_asset(_url, _path, content_type:, name:)
       .to raise_error(ReleaseSigner::SigningGateError, /did not converge/)
   end
 end
+
+# The real executor's transient class: 5xx and the intermediary 403 earn
+# a bounded re-ask (0.16.24's publish lost a signing leg to an HTTP 500
+# after every asset had converged); deterministic failures raise at once.
+RSpec.describe ReleaseSigner::ShellExecutor do
+  subject(:executor) { described_class.new }
+
+  def capture3_queue(*results)
+    calls = []
+    allow(Open3).to receive(:capture3) do |*argv, **|
+      calls << argv
+      out, err, code = results[[calls.length - 1, results.length - 1].min]
+      [out, err, instance_double(Process::Status, success?: code.zero?, exitstatus: code)]
+    end
+    calls
+  end
+
+  it "retries a 5xx and returns the first success" do
+    calls = capture3_queue(["", "HTTP 500", 1], ["ok-bytes", "", 0])
+    allow(executor).to receive(:sleep)
+    expect(executor.run("gh", "release", "download", "vX")).to eq("ok-bytes")
+    expect(calls.length).to eq(2)
+  end
+
+  it "raises immediately on a deterministic failure (no retry budget spent)" do
+    calls = capture3_queue(["", "HTTP 404 Not Found", 1])
+    expect { executor.run("gh", "release", "download", "vX") }
+      .to raise_error(ReleaseSigner::SigningGateError, /NAMED FAILURE.*404/)
+    expect(calls.length).to eq(1)
+  end
+
+  it "spends the whole budget on a persistent transient, then names it" do
+    calls = capture3_queue(["", "Error from intermediary with HTTP status code 403", 1])
+    allow(executor).to receive(:sleep)
+    expect { executor.run("gh", "release", "download", "vX") }
+      .to raise_error(ReleaseSigner::SigningGateError, /NAMED FAILURE.*intermediary/)
+    expect(calls.length).to eq(ReleaseSigner::ShellExecutor::ATTEMPTS)
+  end
+end