diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs.yml b/.github/workflows/docs.yml
index c2199b6..311edb2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,17 @@ jobs:
       - name: Check out repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
 
+      - name: Set up pnpm
+        uses: pnpm/action-setup@v4
+        with:
+          version: 9
+
+      - name: Set up Node
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v6
+        with:
+          node-version: '22'
+          cache: pnpm
+
       - name: Validate docs directory
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
@@ -45,12 +56,9 @@ jobs:
             test -s "$file"
           done < markdown-files.txt
 
-      - name: Print docs customization TODO
+      - name: Run docs release-readiness check
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
 
-          if [ -f package.json ]; then
-            echo "Add docs build verification here when the repository has a docs toolchain."
-          else
-            echo "No package.json found; docs workflow is limited to markdown hygiene."
-          fi
+          pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
+          pnpm run docs:check
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c8d06c1..5d8c764 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,10 +12,11 @@
     "build": "tsc",
     "dev": "tsx src/index.ts",
     "check": "tsc --noEmit",
+    "docs:check": "node scripts/check-docs.mjs",
     "start": "node dist/index.js",
     "check:templates": "pnpm build && node scripts/check-template-registry.mjs",
     "smoke:init": "bash scripts/smoke-init.sh",
-    "release:check": "pnpm run build && pnpm test && pnpm run smoke && pnpm run package:smoke",
+    "release:check": "pnpm run docs:check && pnpm run build && pnpm test && pnpm run smoke && pnpm run package:smoke",
     "test": "pnpm run build && node scripts/check-template-registry.mjs",
     "smoke": "pnpm run smoke:init",
     "package:smoke": "npm pack --dry-run"
diff --git a/scripts/check-docs.mjs b/scripts/check-docs.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0da9adc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check-docs.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import { readFileSync, readdirSync, statSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { join, relative } from 'node:path';
+
+const root = process.cwd();
+const requiredDocs = [
+  'README.md',
+  'docs/PRD.md',
+  'docs/TASKS.md',
+  'docs/release-readiness.md',
+  'docs/release-checklist.md',
+  'docs/release-process.md',
+  'docs/github-actions.md',
+  'docs/template-variables.md',
+];
+
+const markdownFiles = [];
+
+function collectMarkdown(dir) {
+  for (const entry of readdirSync(dir)) {
+    if (entry === '.git' || entry === 'node_modules' || entry === 'dist') {
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    const path = join(dir, entry);
+    const stats = statSync(path);
+
+    if (stats.isDirectory()) {
+      collectMarkdown(path);
+    } else if (entry.endsWith('.md')) {
+      markdownFiles.push(relative(root, path));
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+for (const doc of requiredDocs) {
+  const content = readFileSync(join(root, doc), 'utf8').trim();
+
+  if (content.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error(`${doc} must not be empty`);
+  }
+}
+
+collectMarkdown(root);
+
+if (markdownFiles.length === 0) {
+  throw new Error('Expected at least one markdown file');
+}
+
+for (const file of markdownFiles) {
+  const content = readFileSync(join(root, file), 'utf8');
+
+  if (content.trim().length === 0) {
+    throw new Error(`${file} must not be empty`);
+  }
+}
+
+const docsWorkflow = readFileSync(join(root, '.github/workflows/docs.yml'), 'utf8');
+
+if (/customization TODO|Add docs build verification here/.test(docsWorkflow)) {
+  throw new Error('docs workflow still contains placeholder verification text');
+}
+
+const readme = readFileSync(join(root, 'README.md'), 'utf8');
+
+for (const doc of ['docs/release-readiness.md', 'docs/release-checklist.md', 'docs/release-process.md']) {
+  if (!readme.includes(doc)) {
+    throw new Error(`README.md must link ${doc}`);
+  }
+}
+
+console.log(`Validated ${markdownFiles.length} markdown files and ${requiredDocs.length} required docs.`);