diff --git a/apps/macos/Scripts/manual-release-evidence-template.sh b/apps/macos/Scripts/manual-release-evidence-template.sh
index 5aada34..a127fdd 100755
--- a/apps/macos/Scripts/manual-release-evidence-template.sh
+++ b/apps/macos/Scripts/manual-release-evidence-template.sh
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ if [[ ! -f "$DMG_PATH" ]]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
+if [[ -z "$RELEASE_TAG" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: RELEASE_TAG is required for artifact-bound manual release evidence" >&2
+    echo "Run: make manual-release-evidence-template RELEASE_TAG=\"v<app-version>\"" >&2
+    exit 2
+fi
+
 DMG_FILENAME="$(basename "$DMG_PATH")"
 DMG_SHA256="$(shasum -a 256 "$DMG_PATH" | awk '{print $1}')"
 MOUNT_DIR=""
diff --git a/apps/macos/Tests/PointerDesignerTests/IdentityTests.swift b/apps/macos/Tests/PointerDesignerTests/IdentityTests.swift
index 7952e46..8ab6e50 100644
--- a/apps/macos/Tests/PointerDesignerTests/IdentityTests.swift
+++ b/apps/macos/Tests/PointerDesignerTests/IdentityTests.swift
@@ -809,6 +809,9 @@ final class IdentityTests: XCTestCase {
         XCTAssertTrue(checker.contains("Blocker disposition must be None"))
         XCTAssertTrue(makefile.contains("manual-release-evidence-template:"))
         XCTAssertTrue(template.contains("Release tag:"))
+        XCTAssertTrue(template.contains("ERROR: RELEASE_TAG is required for artifact-bound manual release evidence"))
+        XCTAssertTrue(template.contains("make manual-release-evidence-template RELEASE_TAG="))
+        XCTAssertTrue(template.contains("v<app-version>"))
         XCTAssertTrue(template.contains("Commit:"))
         XCTAssertTrue(template.contains("DMG SHA-256:"))
         XCTAssertTrue(template.contains("App bundle ID:"))