diff --git a/.github/workflows/images.yml b/.github/workflows/images.yml
index 510b85f99..8fc78eb19 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/images.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/images.yml
@@ -229,6 +229,22 @@ jobs:
           cp "$SRC" "deploy/digests/${SHA}.json"
           echo "Recorded digest manifest: deploy/digests/${SHA}.json"
           chmod +x deploy/scripts/promote.sh
+          # Snapshot the full current staging release once. Sequential
+          # promote.sh calls overwrite `previous` per service and would
+          # otherwise leave a mixed rollback (new images + one old).
+          python3 -c '
+          import json
+          p = json.load(open("deploy/pins/staging.json"))
+          prev = {
+              "commit_sha": p.get("commit_sha"),
+              "services": p.get("services") or {},
+              "updated_at": p.get("updated_at"),
+          }
+          with open("/tmp/staging-previous.json", "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+              json.dump(prev, f, indent=2, sort_keys=True)
+              f.write("\n")
+          print("captured previous staging release", prev.get("commit_sha"))
+          '
           # Pin services only (validator/gateway/updater/live challenges).
           # --skip-backup: this job records CI digests; Spaces/PG backup runs at
           # prod promote (deploy-prod.yml, fail-closed).
@@ -250,11 +266,18 @@ jobs:
           python3 -c '
           import json, sys
           p = json.load(open("deploy/pins/staging.json"))
+          prev = json.load(open("/tmp/staging-previous.json"))
+          p["previous"] = prev
+          with open("deploy/pins/staging.json", "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+              json.dump(p, f, indent=2, sort_keys=True)
+              f.write("\n")
           assert p["commit_sha"] == sys.argv[1], (p["commit_sha"], sys.argv[1])
           for s in ("validator", "gateway", "updater", "bounty-challenge", "proof-challenge"):
               assert s in p["services"], s
               assert p["services"][s]["digest"].startswith("sha256:")
-          print("staging pins ok", p["commit_sha"])
+              assert s in prev["services"], s
+              assert prev["services"][s]["digest"].startswith("sha256:")
+          print("staging pins ok", p["commit_sha"], "previous", prev.get("commit_sha"))
           ' "$SHA"
 
       - name: Commit and push staging pins
diff --git a/deploy/digests/a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63.json b/deploy/digests/a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..44dc74293
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deploy/digests/a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63.json
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+{
+  "commit_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63",
+  "created_at": "2026-09-09T16:02:23Z",
+  "images": {
+    "base-attest-helper": {
+      "commit_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63",
+      "digest": "sha256:505d9f2d9dfbbc3e0cf0a8c7593cb1c5b563417af30ac2467340759c1029f190",
+      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/base-attest-helper@sha256:505d9f2d9dfbbc3e0cf0a8c7593cb1c5b563417af30ac2467340759c1029f190",
+      "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/base-attest-helper",
+      "service": "base-attest-helper",
+      "tag_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63"
+    },
+    "bounty-challenge": {
+      "commit_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63",
+      "digest": "sha256:cdc9696f7eb3b43942f4744aa2b6fbbc0a225b85ae3347288b2c5a970f18a1ad",
+      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/bounty-challenge@sha256:cdc9696f7eb3b43942f4744aa2b6fbbc0a225b85ae3347288b2c5a970f18a1ad",
+      "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/bounty-challenge",
+      "service": "bounty-challenge",
+      "tag_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63"
+    },
+    "gateway": {
+      "commit_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63",
+      "digest": "sha256:17ded01be2d0142e970341a394fc405ad0759687b86cd3ed851e1cbee0e4f3c2",
+      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/gateway@sha256:17ded01be2d0142e970341a394fc405ad0759687b86cd3ed851e1cbee0e4f3c2",
+      "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/gateway",
+      "service": "gateway",
+      "tag_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63"
+    },
+    "proof-challenge": {
+      "commit_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63",
+      "digest": "sha256:b7a33f892c995a5a49f9b7a6f0de0bf8dbeeff741641fa587372c70804ea22b6",
+      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/proof-challenge@sha256:b7a33f892c995a5a49f9b7a6f0de0bf8dbeeff741641fa587372c70804ea22b6",
+      "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/proof-challenge",
+      "service": "proof-challenge",
+      "tag_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63"
+    },
+    "updater": {
+      "commit_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63",
+      "digest": "sha256:e42a763e175cc0aa92fb9398bcba1457f4120d7f0aba7c8c87f9b1024ea011d4",
+      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/updater@sha256:e42a763e175cc0aa92fb9398bcba1457f4120d7f0aba7c8c87f9b1024ea011d4",
+      "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/updater",
+      "service": "updater",
+      "tag_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63"
+    },
+    "validator": {
+      "commit_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63",
+      "digest": "sha256:650bfe48be60fb0007992eb26ce3e908b14e43212b88da0c180c73f71e041bad",
+      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/validator@sha256:650bfe48be60fb0007992eb26ce3e908b14e43212b88da0c180c73f71e041bad",
+      "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/validator",
+      "service": "validator",
+      "tag_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63"
+    }
+  },
+  "registry": "ghcr.io"
+}
diff --git a/deploy/pins/staging.json b/deploy/pins/staging.json
index 83f7d768f..3f0ffe260 100644
--- a/deploy/pins/staging.json
+++ b/deploy/pins/staging.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "commit_sha": "1dd07f7484bb6a2bab6f9fcd7c9348f95fec1927",
+  "commit_sha": "a8b9018134a3e7b5446514ab48a937882b0f0a63",
   "env": "staging",
   "previous": {
     "commit_sha": "1dd07f7484bb6a2bab6f9fcd7c9348f95fec1927",
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
         "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/gateway"
       },
       "proof-challenge": {
-        "digest": "sha256:5bd900e46503f8054f75e15b01324f2bfb472eb1feab90ada173b250270f77d3",
-        "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/proof-challenge@sha256:5bd900e46503f8054f75e15b01324f2bfb472eb1feab90ada173b250270f77d3",
+        "digest": "sha256:2541d0afd0fc492b031bc472756555f13957f6c8d1a85a9ab7f5902cdc639821",
+        "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/proof-challenge@sha256:2541d0afd0fc492b031bc472756555f13957f6c8d1a85a9ab7f5902cdc639821",
         "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/proof-challenge"
       },
       "updater": {
@@ -30,34 +30,34 @@
         "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/validator"
       }
     },
-    "updated_at": "2026-09-05T08:09:25Z"
+    "updated_at": "2026-09-05T08:09:26Z"
   },
   "services": {
     "bounty-challenge": {
-      "digest": "sha256:624c1d1e98605d1885460a90373351d49c4a5f6ed242827a4d2673124e7a75d3",
-      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/bounty-challenge@sha256:624c1d1e98605d1885460a90373351d49c4a5f6ed242827a4d2673124e7a75d3",
+      "digest": "sha256:cdc9696f7eb3b43942f4744aa2b6fbbc0a225b85ae3347288b2c5a970f18a1ad",
+      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/bounty-challenge@sha256:cdc9696f7eb3b43942f4744aa2b6fbbc0a225b85ae3347288b2c5a970f18a1ad",
       "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/bounty-challenge"
     },
     "gateway": {
-      "digest": "sha256:fa8b73b7f696a18cbda31db76ee2524eb95e97a44316be6109a000316ef662a1",
-      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/gateway@sha256:fa8b73b7f696a18cbda31db76ee2524eb95e97a44316be6109a000316ef662a1",
+      "digest": "sha256:17ded01be2d0142e970341a394fc405ad0759687b86cd3ed851e1cbee0e4f3c2",
+      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/gateway@sha256:17ded01be2d0142e970341a394fc405ad0759687b86cd3ed851e1cbee0e4f3c2",
       "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/gateway"
     },
     "proof-challenge": {
-      "digest": "sha256:2541d0afd0fc492b031bc472756555f13957f6c8d1a85a9ab7f5902cdc639821",
-      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/proof-challenge@sha256:2541d0afd0fc492b031bc472756555f13957f6c8d1a85a9ab7f5902cdc639821",
+      "digest": "sha256:b7a33f892c995a5a49f9b7a6f0de0bf8dbeeff741641fa587372c70804ea22b6",
+      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/proof-challenge@sha256:b7a33f892c995a5a49f9b7a6f0de0bf8dbeeff741641fa587372c70804ea22b6",
       "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/proof-challenge"
     },
     "updater": {
-      "digest": "sha256:4f0cf422dc8be9f96b31d1c470e302da97a0054e812815ac444c5593a0006c02",
-      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/updater@sha256:4f0cf422dc8be9f96b31d1c470e302da97a0054e812815ac444c5593a0006c02",
+      "digest": "sha256:e42a763e175cc0aa92fb9398bcba1457f4120d7f0aba7c8c87f9b1024ea011d4",
+      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/updater@sha256:e42a763e175cc0aa92fb9398bcba1457f4120d7f0aba7c8c87f9b1024ea011d4",
       "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/updater"
     },
     "validator": {
-      "digest": "sha256:1b95fe826688313d895cd7fe8e635f3e44f3a1bbcd7aa8b6664f23ba8973f9e5",
-      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/validator@sha256:1b95fe826688313d895cd7fe8e635f3e44f3a1bbcd7aa8b6664f23ba8973f9e5",
+      "digest": "sha256:650bfe48be60fb0007992eb26ce3e908b14e43212b88da0c180c73f71e041bad",
+      "image": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/validator@sha256:650bfe48be60fb0007992eb26ce3e908b14e43212b88da0c180c73f71e041bad",
       "repository": "ghcr.io/cortexlm/cortex/validator"
     }
   },
-  "updated_at": "2026-09-05T08:09:26Z"
+  "updated_at": "2026-09-09T16:08:05Z"
 }