diff --git a/.github/workflows/patch-v36-retail-soft.yml b/.github/workflows/patch-v36-retail-soft.yml
index 1e72fce..e7991a4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/patch-v36-retail-soft.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/patch-v36-retail-soft.yml
@@ -10,18 +10,21 @@ permissions:
 
 jobs:
   patch:
-    if: github.event.head_commit.message != 'V36: soft Retail-style JFA decode'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           ref: test/v36-retail-jfa-soft
       - name: Apply conservative V36 decode patch
-        shell: python
+        shell: bash
         run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          python3 <<'PY'
           from pathlib import Path
           p = Path('src/outline/d3d9_hook.zig')
           s = p.read_text()
+          if 'V36 RETAIL-SOFT' in s:
+              raise SystemExit(0)
 
           old = '''/// V32 POLISH: hard 3px outline, no feather.
 /// c0 = (screen_width, screen_height, radius_px=3, 0).
@@ -57,28 +60,21 @@ const jfa_decode_src =
 /// Uses the same two texture reads as V34: no 17-tap full-screen morphology.
 const jfa_decode_src =
     "ps_3_0\\n" ++
-    // c1 = zero, halo alpha, core alpha, -interior threshold
     "def c1, 0.0, 0.22, 0.82, -0.002\\n" ++
-    // pale Retail-like yellow/green target colour
     "def c2, 1.0, 0.95, 0.58, 0.0\\n" ++
     "dcl_2d s0\\n" ++
     "dcl_2d s1\\n" ++
     "dcl_texcoord0 v0\\n" ++
-    // Nearest JFA seed and pixel-space squared distance.
     "texld r0, v0, s0\\n" ++
     "sub r1.xy, v0.xy, r0.xy\\n" ++
     "mul r1.xy, r1.xy, c0.xy\\n" ++
     "dp2add r1.z, r1, r1, c1.x\\n" ++
-    // Squared core and halo radii.
     "mul r3.x, c0.z, c0.z\\n" ++
     "mul r3.y, c0.w, c0.w\\n" ++
-    // Outside halo => 0; inside halo => 0.22.
     "sub r4.x, r1.z, r3.y\\n" ++
     "cmp r6.w, r4.x, c1.x, c1.y\\n" ++
-    // Inside core => 0.82; otherwise keep halo alpha.
     "sub r4.x, r1.z, r3.x\\n" ++
     "cmp r6.w, r4.x, r6.w, c1.z\\n" ++
-    // Never paint over the original model interior.
     "texld r5, v0, s1\\n" ++
     "add r5.x, r5.a, c1.w\\n" ++
     "cmp r6.w, r5.x, c1.x, r6.w\\n" ++
@@ -97,10 +93,12 @@ const jfa_decode_src =
               raise SystemExit('Expected V34 decode constants not found')
           s = s.replace(old_cpu, new_cpu)
           p.write_text(s)
+          PY
       - name: Commit patch
         shell: bash
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
+          if git diff --quiet; then exit 0; fi
           git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
           git config user.email "41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
           git add src/outline/d3d9_hook.zig