diff --git a/.github/workflows/vscode-find-nightly-candidate.yml b/.github/workflows/vscode-find-nightly-candidate.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..782934b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/vscode-find-nightly-candidate.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+name: Find Nightly Candidate
+
+# Reusable workflow to find eligible nightly tag for promotion
+# Used by repos to implement their own gate-check before calling vscode-promote-prerelease.yml
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      min-tag-age-days:
+        description: "Minimum nightly age in days before eligible for promotion"
+        required: false
+        default: "7"
+        type: string
+      release-tag:
+        description: "Specific release tag to use (overrides min-tag-age-days)"
+        required: false
+        type: string
+    outputs:
+      commit-sha:
+        description: "Commit SHA that the nightly tag points to"
+        value: ${{ jobs.find-nightly.outputs.commit-sha }}
+      nightly-tag:
+        description: "Nightly tag selected for promotion"
+        value: ${{ jobs.find-nightly.outputs.nightly-tag }}
+
+jobs:
+  find-nightly:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      commit-sha: ${{ steps.find.outputs.commit-sha }}
+      nightly-tag: ${{ steps.find.outputs.nightly-tag }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Find eligible nightly
+        id: find
+        env:
+          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ inputs.release-tag || '' }}
+          MIN_TAG_AGE_DAYS: ${{ inputs.min-tag-age-days || '7' }}
+        run: |
+          # If specific release-tag provided, use it directly
+          if [ -n "$RELEASE_TAG" ]; then
+            echo "Using specific release tag: $RELEASE_TAG"
+
+            if ! git rev-parse "$RELEASE_TAG" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+              echo "❌ Release tag $RELEASE_TAG does not exist"
+              exit 1
+            fi
+
+            COMMIT_SHA=$(git rev-parse "$RELEASE_TAG^{commit}")
+            echo "nightly-tag=$RELEASE_TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "commit-sha=$COMMIT_SHA" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "✅ Found release tag: $RELEASE_TAG (commit: $COMMIT_SHA)"
+            exit 0
+          fi
+
+          # Auto-detect mode: find nightly tags older than MIN_TAG_AGE_DAYS
+          echo "Finding nightly tags older than $MIN_TAG_AGE_DAYS days..."
+
+          NIGHTLY_TAGS=$(git tag -l '*-nightly.*' --sort=-creatordate)
+
+          if [ -z "$NIGHTLY_TAGS" ]; then
+            echo "❌ No nightly tags found"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          CUTOFF_TIMESTAMP=$(date -u -d "$MIN_TAG_AGE_DAYS days ago" +%s 2>/dev/null || date -u -v-${MIN_TAG_AGE_DAYS}d +%s)
+
+          while IFS= read -r tag; do
+            [ -z "$tag" ] && continue
+
+            TAG_TIMESTAMP=$(git log -1 --format=%ct "$tag" 2>/dev/null)
+            [ -z "$TAG_TIMESTAMP" ] && continue
+
+            if [ "$TAG_TIMESTAMP" -lt "$CUTOFF_TIMESTAMP" ]; then
+              VERSION=$(echo "$tag" | grep -oP '\d+\.\d+\.\d+' | head -1)
+              PROMO_TAG="marketplace-prerelease-*-v${VERSION}"
+
+              if ! git tag -l "$PROMO_TAG" | grep -q .; then
+                SELECTED_TAG="$tag"
+                SELECTED_SHA=$(git rev-list -n 1 "$tag")
+                echo "nightly-tag=$SELECTED_TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+                echo "commit-sha=$SELECTED_SHA" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+                echo "✅ Found eligible nightly: $SELECTED_TAG (SHA: $SELECTED_SHA)"
+                exit 0
+              fi
+            fi
+          done <<< "$NIGHTLY_TAGS"
+
+          echo "❌ No eligible nightly found (all nightlies either too new or already promoted)"
+          exit 1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/vscode-promote-prerelease.yml b/.github/workflows/vscode-promote-prerelease.yml
index b8462c3..2e193bf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/vscode-promote-prerelease.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/vscode-promote-prerelease.yml
@@ -1,53 +1,51 @@
 name: Promote Nightly to Pre-release
 
-# Promotes a vetted nightly build to pre-release on VS Code Marketplace and Open VSX.
+# Publishes a nightly build to pre-release on VS Code Marketplace and Open VSX.
 #
-# Two modes:
-#   1. Auto-detect (default): finds oldest unpromoted nightly ≥ min-tag-age-days
-#   2. Specific tag: publishes a specific release tag (for emergency pre-releases)
+# NOTE: Callers should use vscode-find-nightly-candidate.yml and check-ci-status action
+# BEFORE calling this workflow to implement their own gate-check logic.
 #
-# Usage - Auto-detect mode:
+# Usage:
 #   jobs:
-#     promote:
-#       uses: salesforcecli/github-workflows/.github/workflows/vscode-promote-prerelease.yml@main
+#     find-nightly:
+#       uses: salesforcecli/github-workflows/.github/workflows/vscode-find-nightly-candidate.yml@main
 #       with:
-#         extension-name: 'apex-lsp-vscode-extension'
 #         min-tag-age-days: '7'
-#         vsix-name-pattern: 'apex-language-server-extension-*.vsix'  # optional, default: *.vsix
-#         exclude-web-vsix: 'true'  # optional, default: false
-#         required-ci-checks: '["CI Complete"]'
-#         dry-run: 'false'
-#       secrets: inherit
 #
-# Usage - Specific tag mode (emergency pre-releases):
-#   jobs:
+#     gate-check:
+#       needs: find-nightly
+#       runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+#       steps:
+#         - uses: salesforcecli/github-workflows/.github/actions/vscode/check-ci-status@main
+#           with:
+#             commit-sha: ${{ needs.find-nightly.outputs.commit-sha }}
+#             token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+#             required-checks: '["CI Complete"]'
+#
 #     promote:
+#       needs: [find-nightly, gate-check]
 #       uses: salesforcecli/github-workflows/.github/workflows/vscode-promote-prerelease.yml@main
 #       with:
-#         release-tag: 'v67.13.7-nightly.develop.20260820'  # specific tag to publish
+#         release-tag: ${{ needs.find-nightly.outputs.nightly-tag }}
 #         extension-name: 'apex-lsp-vscode-extension'
+#         vsix-name-pattern: 'apex-language-server-extension-*.vsix'
+#         exclude-web-vsix: 'true'
+#         dry-run: 'false'
 #       secrets: inherit
 #
 # Requirements - calling repository must have:
 #   - Nightly tags matching *-nightly.* (e.g., v1.2.3-nightly.20260629)
 #   - GitHub releases for each nightly tag with VSIX file(s) attached
-#   - Passing CI checks on nightly commits
 #   - Secrets: IDEE_GH_TOKEN, VSCE_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN, IDEE_OVSX_PAT
 #
-# Workflow: finds eligible nightly (or uses release-tag) → verifies CI →
-#           downloads VSIX → publishes to both marketplaces → creates tracking tag
+# Workflow: downloads VSIX → publishes to both marketplaces → creates tracking tag
 
 on:
   workflow_call:
     inputs:
       release-tag:
-        description: "Specific release tag to publish (e.g., v67.13.7-nightly.develop.20260820). Overrides min-tag-age-days auto-detection."
-        required: false
-        type: string
-      min-tag-age-days:
-        description: "Minimum nightly age in days before eligible for promotion (ignored if release-tag provided)"
-        required: false
-        default: "7"
+        description: "Nightly tag to publish (e.g., v67.13.7-nightly.develop.20260820). Callers should use vscode-find-nightly-candidate.yml to find this."
+        required: true
         type: string
       extension-name:
         description: "Extension name for tracking tag (e.g., 'apex-lsp-vscode-extension')"
@@ -63,11 +61,6 @@ on:
         required: false
         default: "false"
         type: string
-      required-ci-checks:
-        description: "JSON array of CI check names required before promotion"
-        required: false
-        default: '["CI Complete"]'
-        type: string
       dry-run:
         description: "Run in dry-run mode (no actual publishing or tagging)"
         required: false
@@ -81,13 +74,8 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       release-tag:
-        description: "Specific release tag to publish (e.g., v67.13.7-nightly.develop.20260820). Overrides min-tag-age-days auto-detection."
-        required: false
-        type: string
-      min-tag-age-days:
-        description: "Minimum nightly age in days before eligible for promotion (default: 7, ignored if release-tag provided)"
-        required: false
-        default: "7"
+        description: "Nightly tag to publish (e.g., v67.13.7-nightly.develop.20260820)"
+        required: true
         type: string
       extension-name:
         description: "Extension name for tracking tag (e.g., 'apex-lsp-vscode-extension')"
@@ -106,11 +94,6 @@ on:
         options:
           - "false"
           - "true"
-      required-ci-checks:
-        description: "JSON array of CI check names required before promotion"
-        required: false
-        default: '["CI Complete"]'
-        type: string
       dry-run:
         description: "Run in dry-run mode (no actual publishing or tagging)"
         required: false
@@ -135,116 +118,7 @@ permissions:
   actions: read
 
 jobs:
-  find-nightly-candidate:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    outputs:
-      commit-sha: ${{ steps.find.outputs.commit-sha }}
-      nightly-tag: ${{ steps.find.outputs.nightly-tag }}
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
-        with:
-          fetch-depth: 0
-          token: ${{ secrets.IDEE_GH_TOKEN }}
-
-      - name: Find eligible nightly
-        id: find
-        env:
-          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ inputs.release-tag || '' }}
-          MIN_TAG_AGE_DAYS: ${{ inputs.min-tag-age-days || '7' }}
-        run: |
-          # If specific release-tag provided, use it directly
-          if [ -n "$RELEASE_TAG" ]; then
-            echo "Using specific release tag: $RELEASE_TAG"
-
-            # Verify tag exists
-            if ! git rev-parse "$RELEASE_TAG" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-              echo "::error::Release tag $RELEASE_TAG does not exist"
-              exit 1
-            fi
-
-            COMMIT_SHA=$(git rev-parse "$RELEASE_TAG^{commit}")
-            echo "nightly-tag=$RELEASE_TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-            echo "commit-sha=$COMMIT_SHA" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-            echo "✓ Found release tag: $RELEASE_TAG (commit: $COMMIT_SHA)"
-            exit 0
-          fi
-
-          # Auto-detect mode: find nightly tags older than MIN_TAG_AGE_DAYS
-          echo "Finding nightly tags older than $MIN_TAG_AGE_DAYS days..."
-
-          # Get all nightly tags sorted by date (newest first)
-          NIGHTLY_TAGS=$(git tag -l '*-nightly.*' --sort=-creatordate)
-
-          if [ -z "$NIGHTLY_TAGS" ]; then
-            echo "No nightly tags found"
-            echo "nightly-tag=" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-            echo "commit-sha=" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-            exit 0
-          fi
-
-          # Calculate cutoff timestamp (MIN_TAG_AGE_DAYS ago)
-          CUTOFF_TIMESTAMP=$(date -u -d "$MIN_TAG_AGE_DAYS days ago" +%s 2>/dev/null || date -u -v-${MIN_TAG_AGE_DAYS}d +%s)
-
-          # Find first tag older than cutoff that hasn't been promoted
-          SELECTED_TAG=""
-          SELECTED_SHA=""
-
-          while IFS= read -r tag; do
-            [ -z "$tag" ] && continue
-
-            # Get tag creation timestamp
-            TAG_TIMESTAMP=$(git log -1 --format=%ct "$tag" 2>/dev/null)
-            [ -z "$TAG_TIMESTAMP" ] && continue
-
-            # Check if tag is old enough
-            if [ "$TAG_TIMESTAMP" -lt "$CUTOFF_TIMESTAMP" ]; then
-              # Check if already promoted (has corresponding marketplace-prerelease tag)
-              VERSION=$(echo "$tag" | grep -oP '\d+\.\d+\.\d+' | head -1)
-              PROMO_TAG="marketplace-prerelease-*-v${VERSION}"
-
-              if ! git tag -l "$PROMO_TAG" | grep -q .; then
-                SELECTED_TAG="$tag"
-                SELECTED_SHA=$(git rev-list -n 1 "$tag")
-                break
-              fi
-            fi
-          done <<< "$NIGHTLY_TAGS"
-
-          if [ -n "$SELECTED_TAG" ]; then
-            echo "Found eligible nightly: $SELECTED_TAG (SHA: $SELECTED_SHA)"
-            echo "nightly-tag=$SELECTED_TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-            echo "commit-sha=$SELECTED_SHA" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          else
-            echo "No eligible nightly found"
-            echo "nightly-tag=" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-            echo "commit-sha=" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          fi
-
-      - name: Fail if no candidate found
-        if: steps.find.outputs.nightly-tag == ''
-        run: |
-          echo "No eligible nightly candidate found. Nothing to promote this week."
-          exit 1
-
-  quality-gate:
-    needs: find-nightly-candidate
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
-
-      - name: Check CI status for candidate commit
-        uses: salesforcecli/github-workflows/.github/actions/vscode/check-ci-status@main
-        with:
-          commit-sha: ${{ needs.find-nightly-candidate.outputs.commit-sha }}
-          token: ${{ secrets.IDEE_GH_TOKEN }}
-          # `CI Complete` is the aggregate release gate emitted by vscode-ci-template.
-          # Callers can override it for their repository's release-worthy checks.
-          required-checks: ${{ inputs.required-ci-checks }}
-
   publish:
-    needs: [find-nightly-candidate, quality-gate]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
@@ -267,7 +141,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Download VSIX from nightly GitHub release
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.IDEE_GH_TOKEN }}
-          NIGHTLY_TAG: ${{ needs.find-nightly-candidate.outputs.nightly-tag }}
+          NIGHTLY_TAG: ${{ inputs.release-tag }}
           VSIX_PATTERN: ${{ inputs.vsix-name-pattern || '*.vsix' }}
           EXCLUDE_WEB: ${{ inputs.exclude-web-vsix || 'false' }}
         run: |
@@ -304,7 +178,7 @@ jobs:
           OVSX_PAT: ${{ secrets.IDEE_OVSX_PAT }}
 
   tag-promoted:
-    needs: [find-nightly-candidate, publish]
+    needs: publish
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
@@ -315,7 +189,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Create marketplace-prerelease tracking tag
         env:
-          NIGHTLY_TAG: ${{ needs.find-nightly-candidate.outputs.nightly-tag }}
+          NIGHTLY_TAG: ${{ inputs.release-tag }}
           EXTENSION_NAME: ${{ inputs.extension-name }}
           DRY_RUN: ${{ inputs.dry-run || 'false' }}
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.IDEE_GH_TOKEN }}
@@ -327,8 +201,10 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
 
+          # Get commit SHA from the tag
+          COMMIT_SHA=$(git rev-list -n 1 "$NIGHTLY_TAG")
+
           TRACKING_TAG="marketplace-prerelease-${EXTENSION_NAME}-v${VERSION}"
-          COMMIT_SHA="${{ needs.find-nightly-candidate.outputs.commit-sha }}"
 
           echo "Creating tracking tag: $TRACKING_TAG → $COMMIT_SHA"