diff --git a/.github/workflows/semver-label.yml b/.github/workflows/semver-label.yml
index 84f0fd1..2a8d2ee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/semver-label.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/semver-label.yml
@@ -10,9 +10,24 @@ name: Semver Label
 # It is wired as a required status check on main separately (branch ruleset,
 # managed in dataviking-infra) — this file only defines the check.
 #
-# `labeled` / `unlabeled` are in the trigger list so the check re-evaluates
-# immediately when labels change; the event payload's label set reflects the
-# state after the change.
+# Two design constraints, both forced by auto-tag.yml's "Verify CI checks
+# passed" step, which refuses to tag while ANY non-green check run sits on
+# the merged head SHA:
+#
+#   1. Labels are fetched fresh from the API, not read from the event
+#      payload. Label events don't move the head SHA, and reruns replay the
+#      original payload — a payload-based run that failed before the label
+#      was added could never be rerun to green, permanently poisoning the
+#      SHA for auto-tag.
+#
+#   2. Once the check passes, it re-runs any superseded non-green runs of
+#      itself on the same SHA (e.g. the `opened` run that correctly failed
+#      before the label existed, moments later). Thanks to (1), those
+#      reruns re-fetch the labels and flip green, leaving the SHA clean.
+#
+# No concurrency/cancel-in-progress: a cancelled run is just another
+# non-green conclusion parked on the SHA (this exact failure blocked the
+# v1.6.0 recovery), and runs here take ~2 seconds anyway.
 
 on:
   pull_request:
@@ -20,10 +35,7 @@ on:
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
-
-concurrency:
-  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
-  cancel-in-progress: true
+  actions: write # rerun superseded runs of this workflow (step 2)
 
 jobs:
   semver-label:
@@ -32,10 +44,12 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Require exactly one semver label
         env:
-          LABELS_JSON: ${{ toJSON(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name) }}
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          PR_NUMBER: ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
-          echo "PR labels: ${LABELS_JSON}"
+          LABELS_JSON=$(gh api "repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/issues/${PR_NUMBER}/labels?per_page=100" --jq '[.[].name]')
+          echo "PR labels (fresh fetch): ${LABELS_JSON}"
 
           SEMVER_LABELS=$(echo "$LABELS_JSON" | jq -r '.[] | select(startswith("semver:"))')
           COUNT=$(echo "$SEMVER_LABELS" | grep -c . || true)
@@ -59,3 +73,23 @@ jobs:
               exit 1
               ;;
           esac
+
+      - name: Flip superseded non-green runs of this check green
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
+          HEAD_SHA: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          RUN_IDS=$(gh api "repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/actions/workflows/semver-label.yml/runs?head_sha=${HEAD_SHA}&per_page=100" \
+            --jq ".workflow_runs[] | select(.status == \"completed\" and .conclusion != \"success\" and .id != ${GITHUB_RUN_ID}) | .id")
+
+          if [ -z "$RUN_IDS" ]; then
+            echo "No superseded non-green runs on ${HEAD_SHA} — nothing to heal."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+
+          for id in $RUN_IDS; do
+            echo "Re-running superseded run ${id} so it re-fetches labels and goes green"
+            gh api -X POST "repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/actions/runs/${id}/rerun" \
+              || echo "::warning::Could not re-run ${id} (fork PR token lacks actions:write?). Re-run it manually before merge, or Auto Semver Tag will refuse to tag this SHA."
+          done