diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 714c39e..ba2e2b8 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ The format follows [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/), and
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
-## [1.0.0-rc.1] - 2026-09-29
+## [1.0.0-rc.1] - 2026-09-30
 
 ### Added
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c0d293e..4876d45 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,12 +4,17 @@
 
 ![Maatify.dev](https://www.maatify.dev/assets/img/img/maatify_logo_white.svg)
 
-[![Status](https://img.shields.io/badge/Status-Development-blue)](README.md)
+[![Status](https://img.shields.io/badge/Status-Pre--Release-blue)](CHANGELOG.md)
+[![Version](https://img.shields.io/badge/Version-dev--main-blue)](https://packagist.org/packages/maatify/php-return-target)
 [![PHP](https://img.shields.io/badge/PHP-8.4-8892BF)](composer.json)
 [![License](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-Proprietary-green)](LICENSE)
 [![PHPStan](https://img.shields.io/badge/PHPStan-max-blue)](phpstan.neon)
 
+[![Packagist](https://img.shields.io/badge/Packagist-maatify%2Fphp--return--target-blue)](https://packagist.org/packages/maatify/php-return-target)
+[![Monthly Downloads](https://img.shields.io/packagist/dm/maatify/php-return-target)](https://packagist.org/packages/maatify/php-return-target)
+[![Total Downloads](https://img.shields.io/packagist/dt/maatify/php-return-target)](https://packagist.org/packages/maatify/php-return-target)
 [![Maatify Ecosystem](https://img.shields.io/badge/Maatify-Ecosystem-blueviolet)](https://github.com/Maatify)
+[![Install](https://img.shields.io/badge/Install-dev--main-brightgreen)](https://packagist.org/packages/maatify/php-return-target)
 
 [![Usage Guide](https://img.shields.io/badge/Usage%20Guide-current-blue)](docs/guides/USAGE_GUIDE.md)
 [![Examples](https://img.shields.io/badge/Examples-maintained-blue)](examples/)
@@ -26,9 +31,9 @@ Stateless signed internal return-target handling for framework-agnostic PHP appl
 
 ## Status
 
-**Development / Unpublished**
+**Pre-Release**
 
-The canonical Runtime API, external Consumer Verification Harness, examples, and CI gates are implemented. No externally installable release exists.
+Packagist currently exposes the development version `dev-main` and development branch versions for consumer verification. The target `v1.0.0-rc.1` is not yet published; these development versions are not the SemVer RC.
 
 ## Key Features
 
@@ -48,7 +53,13 @@ The canonical Runtime API, external Consumer Verification Harness, examples, and
 
 ## Installation
 
-There is no external installation command while the package is **Development / Unpublished**. Use the repository's Composer development setup and the documented public workflow.
+The currently published development/pre-release distribution is available through Packagist:
+
+```shell
+composer require maatify/php-return-target:dev-main
+```
+
+This installs the externally resolvable development version, not the target `v1.0.0-rc.1` RC.
 
 ## Quick Usage
 
diff --git a/RETURN_TARGET_PACKAGE_REFERENCE.md b/RETURN_TARGET_PACKAGE_REFERENCE.md
index cbeb0e7..98f95a4 100644
--- a/RETURN_TARGET_PACKAGE_REFERENCE.md
+++ b/RETURN_TARGET_PACKAGE_REFERENCE.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 ## Package Purpose
 
-The current package concern is stateless signed internal return-target handling. The package remains `Development / Unpublished`.
+The current package concern is stateless signed internal return-target handling. A Packagist development/pre-release distribution is externally resolvable, including `dev-main`; the target `v1.0.0-rc.1` SemVer RC is not yet published.
 
 ## Public Runtime Contract
 
diff --git a/SECURITY.md b/SECURITY.md
index bfe7655..fe923d8 100644
--- a/SECURITY.md
+++ b/SECURITY.md
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@
 
 ## Current Support State
 
-This package is currently **Development / Unpublished**.
+This package is currently in **Pre-Release**. Packagist exposes development versions, but the target `v1.0.0-rc.1` has not yet been published.
 
 There is currently no published Stable release, no supported Stable release
-line, and no published SemVer Release Candidate (RC). This policy does not
+line, and no published SemVer Release Candidate (RC). Development/pre-release
+distribution does not create Stable support. This policy does not
 present `1.x` or `1.0` as a supported release line.
 
 ## Reporting a Vulnerability
diff --git a/llms.txt b/llms.txt
index 0b52b56..1b5a9d2 100644
--- a/llms.txt
+++ b/llms.txt
@@ -6,14 +6,14 @@ For consumer use, follow the Package Reference for the supported Public Contract
 
 ## Primary consumer documentation
 
-- [README.md](README.md) — package overview, unpublished status, requirements, Quick Usage, and Public Runtime API overview.
+- [README.md](README.md) — package overview, current pre-release status, requirements, installation, Quick Usage, and Public Runtime API overview.
 - [RETURN_TARGET_PACKAGE_REFERENCE.md](RETURN_TARGET_PACKAGE_REFERENCE.md) — canonical public/runtime/behavioral contract and complete Public Runtime API inventory.
 - [docs/guides/USAGE_GUIDE.md](docs/guides/USAGE_GUIDE.md) — consumer integration workflows, boundaries, inputs, outputs, and rejection semantics.
 - [examples/](examples/) — maintained examples using the documented Public API and production autoload.
 
 ## Project history
 
-- [CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md) — factual change history; no release is currently published.
+- [CHANGELOG.md](CHANGELOG.md) — factual change history; Packagist development versions are externally resolvable, but no SemVer RC is published yet.
 
 ## Release and support
 
diff --git a/src/Validation/CanonicalReturnTargetValidator.php b/src/Validation/CanonicalReturnTargetValidator.php
index 3aba89e..8496f16 100644
--- a/src/Validation/CanonicalReturnTargetValidator.php
+++ b/src/Validation/CanonicalReturnTargetValidator.php
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ public function inspect(string $target): ?string
             return null;
         }
 
-        $decoded = $this->decodeOnce($target);
-        if (! $this->isDecodedValid($decoded)) {
+        [$decoded, $decodedPathLength] = $this->decodeOnce($target);
+        if (! $this->isDecodedValid($decoded, $decodedPathLength)) {
             return null;
         }
 
@@ -86,25 +86,38 @@ private function isRawComponentValid(string $component, bool $allowSlash, bool $
         return true;
     }
 
-    private function decodeOnce(string $target): string
+    /**
+     * @return array{0: string, 1: int}
+     */
+    private function decodeOnce(string $target): array
     {
         $decoded = '';
+        $decodedPathLength = 0;
+        $questionPosition = strpos($target, '?');
         for ($i = 0, $length = strlen($target); $i < $length; $i++) {
             if ($target[$i] !== '%') {
                 $decoded .= $target[$i];
+                if ($questionPosition === false || $i < $questionPosition) {
+                    $decodedPathLength++;
+                }
+
                 continue;
             }
 
             $decoded .= chr($this->hexValue($target[$i + 1]) * 16 + $this->hexValue($target[$i + 2]));
+            if ($questionPosition === false || $i < $questionPosition) {
+                $decodedPathLength++;
+            }
+
             $i += 2;
         }
 
-        return $decoded;
+        return [$decoded, $decodedPathLength];
     }
 
-    private function isDecodedValid(string $target): bool
+    private function isDecodedValid(string $target, int $decodedPathLength): bool
     {
-        if (! str_starts_with($target, '/') || str_starts_with($target, '//') || $this->hasDotSegment($this->pathPart($target))) {
+        if (! str_starts_with($target, '/') || str_starts_with($target, '//') || $this->hasDotSegment(substr($target, 0, $decodedPathLength))) {
             return false;
         }
 
@@ -118,13 +131,6 @@ private function isDecodedValid(string $target): bool
         return true;
     }
 
-    private function pathPart(string $target): string
-    {
-        $questionPosition = strpos($target, '?');
-
-        return $questionPosition === false ? $target : substr($target, 0, $questionPosition);
-    }
-
     private function hasDotSegment(string $path): bool
     {
         foreach (explode('/', $path) as $segment) {
diff --git a/tests/System/Service/HmacReturnTargetServiceSystemTest.php b/tests/System/Service/HmacReturnTargetServiceSystemTest.php
index 890b4a2..b3df113 100644
--- a/tests/System/Service/HmacReturnTargetServiceSystemTest.php
+++ b/tests/System/Service/HmacReturnTargetServiceSystemTest.php
@@ -170,7 +170,8 @@ public function testCanonicallyInvalidTargetDoesNotReachHostPolicy(): void
         $policy = new RecordingSystemPolicy();
         $service = $this->service(new SystemFixedClock(1790000000), $policy, 60);
 
-        self::assertFalse($service->accepts('/%2F%2Fevil.example'));
+        self::assertFalse($service->accepts('/safe%3F/%2E%2E/admin'));
+        self::assertNull($service->issue('/safe%3F/%2E%2E/admin'));
         self::assertSame([], $policy->inspectionTargets);
     }
 
@@ -248,6 +249,8 @@ public static function rejectedPathTargets(): iterable
         yield 'raw dot-dot segment' => ['target' => '/orders/../15', 'case' => 'raw dot-dot segment must be rejected'];
         yield 'encoded dot segment' => ['target' => '/orders/%2E/15', 'case' => 'encoded dot segment must be rejected'];
         yield 'encoded dot-dot segment' => ['target' => '/orders/%2E%2E/15', 'case' => 'encoded dot-dot segment must be rejected'];
+        yield 'decoded question boundary dot-dot segment' => ['target' => '/safe%3F/%2E%2E/admin', 'case' => 'decoded raw-path dot-dot segment must be rejected'];
+        yield 'decoded question boundary dot segment' => ['target' => '/safe%3F/%2E/admin', 'case' => 'decoded raw-path dot segment must be rejected'];
         yield 'second-stage percent escape' => ['target' => '/orders/%252F%252Fevil.example', 'case' => 'second-stage percent escape must be rejected'];
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/Unit/Validation/CanonicalReturnTargetValidatorTest.php b/tests/Unit/Validation/CanonicalReturnTargetValidatorTest.php
index 5081bf4..76ef584 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/Validation/CanonicalReturnTargetValidatorTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/Validation/CanonicalReturnTargetValidatorTest.php
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ public function testRejectsRawAndEncodedUnsafeForms(): void
             '/a%0Ab',
             '/a%7Fb',
             '/a%25E0%25A4%25A',
+            '/safe%3F/%2E%2E/admin',
+            '/safe%3F/%2E/admin',
             '/./orders',
             '/../orders',
             '/a/./b',