diff --git a/packages/gittensory-miner/package.json b/packages/gittensory-miner/package.json
index 8281d9d470..0bfdac0b17 100644
--- a/packages/gittensory-miner/package.json
+++ b/packages/gittensory-miner/package.json
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@
   "files": [
     "bin",
     "lib",
+    "docs",
+    "schema",
+    "DEPLOYMENT.md",
+    "Dockerfile",
     "expected-engine.version"
   ],
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/scripts/check-miner-package.mjs b/scripts/check-miner-package.mjs
index 3c3dfabb5f..3ab81c3313 100644
--- a/scripts/check-miner-package.mjs
+++ b/scripts/check-miner-package.mjs
@@ -11,8 +11,20 @@ const ALLOWED = [
   /^package\.json$/,
   /^README\.md$/,
   /^expected-engine\.version$/,
+  // Operational material shipped for `npm install -g` users so the quickstart doesn't require a repo visit (#4874):
+  /^DEPLOYMENT\.md$/,
+  /^Dockerfile$/,
+  /^docs\/[a-z0-9-]+\.md$/,
+  /^schema\/[a-z0-9.-]+\.json$/,
+];
+const REQUIRED = [
+  "bin/gittensory-miner.js",
+  "package.json",
+  // The operational files #4874 shipped — asserted present so they can never silently drop out of the package again.
+  "DEPLOYMENT.md",
+  "Dockerfile",
+  "schema/miner-goal-spec.schema.json",
 ];
-const REQUIRED = ["bin/gittensory-miner.js", "package.json"];
 const FORBIDDEN_PATH = /(^|\/)(\.dev\.vars|\.env|\.npmrc|.*\.pem|.*private.*key.*|.*secret.*)$/i;
 const FORBIDDEN_CONTENT =
   /(BEGIN (RSA |EC |OPENSSH )?PRIVATE KEY|github_pat_[A-Za-z0-9_]+|gh[pousr]_[A-Za-z0-9_]+|gts_[0-9a-f]{64}|[A-Z0-9_]*(TOKEN|SECRET|PRIVATE_KEY)=)/;
@@ -31,6 +43,9 @@ export function validateMinerPackFileList(files, readContent) {
   if (!paths.some((file) => /^lib\/([a-z0-9-]+\/)?[a-z0-9-]+\.js$/.test(file))) {
     throw new Error("Miner package is missing lib/*.js artifacts");
   }
+  if (!paths.some((file) => /^docs\/[a-z0-9-]+\.md$/.test(file))) {
+    throw new Error("Miner package is missing docs/*.md operational documentation");
+  }
   return paths;
 }
 
diff --git a/test/unit/check-miner-package.test.ts b/test/unit/check-miner-package.test.ts
index 62cf075027..eb228ab1cb 100644
--- a/test/unit/check-miner-package.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/check-miner-package.test.ts
@@ -85,7 +85,14 @@ describe("check-miner-package script", () => {
 
   it("rejects a package missing lib artifacts", () => {
     const result = runChecker({
-      CHECK_MINER_PACK_TEST_FILES: JSON.stringify(["package.json", "bin/gittensory-miner.js"]),
+      // Every REQUIRED file present so the check reaches (and fails on) the lib-artifacts guard specifically.
+      CHECK_MINER_PACK_TEST_FILES: JSON.stringify([
+        "package.json",
+        "bin/gittensory-miner.js",
+        "DEPLOYMENT.md",
+        "Dockerfile",
+        "schema/miner-goal-spec.schema.json",
+      ]),
       CHECK_MINER_PACK_TEST_CONTENT: "{}",
     });
     expect(result.status).toBe(1);
@@ -101,4 +108,64 @@ describe("check-miner-package script", () => {
     expect(result.status).toBe(1);
     expect(result.out).toContain("Secret-like content found in miner package file:");
   });
+
+  describe("operational files (#4874)", () => {
+    // A complete, valid package including the operational material — DEPLOYMENT.md, the Dockerfile, a docs/*.md,
+    // and the schema — is accepted.
+    const FULL_PACKAGE = [
+      "package.json",
+      "bin/gittensory-miner.js",
+      "lib/cli.js",
+      "DEPLOYMENT.md",
+      "Dockerfile",
+      "docs/coding-agent-driver.md",
+      "schema/miner-goal-spec.schema.json",
+    ];
+
+    it("accepts DEPLOYMENT.md, the Dockerfile, docs/*.md, and schema/*.json", () => {
+      const result = runChecker({
+        CHECK_MINER_PACK_TEST_FILES: JSON.stringify(FULL_PACKAGE),
+        CHECK_MINER_PACK_TEST_CONTENT: "operational docs, nothing secret",
+      });
+      expect(result.status).toBe(0);
+      expect(result.out).toMatch(/^Miner package dry-run ok:/);
+      expect(result.out).toContain("DEPLOYMENT.md");
+      expect(result.out).toContain("docs/coding-agent-driver.md");
+      expect(result.out).toContain("schema/miner-goal-spec.schema.json");
+    });
+
+    it("requires DEPLOYMENT.md to be published (regression guard for #4874)", () => {
+      const result = runChecker({
+        CHECK_MINER_PACK_TEST_FILES: JSON.stringify(FULL_PACKAGE.filter((f) => f !== "DEPLOYMENT.md")),
+        CHECK_MINER_PACK_TEST_CONTENT: "ok",
+      });
+      expect(result.status).toBe(1);
+      expect(result.out).toContain("Miner package is missing required file: DEPLOYMENT.md");
+    });
+
+    it("requires at least one docs/*.md file to be published", () => {
+      const result = runChecker({
+        CHECK_MINER_PACK_TEST_FILES: JSON.stringify(FULL_PACKAGE.filter((f) => !f.startsWith("docs/"))),
+        CHECK_MINER_PACK_TEST_CONTENT: "ok",
+      });
+      expect(result.status).toBe(1);
+      expect(result.out).toContain("Miner package is missing docs/*.md operational documentation");
+    });
+
+    it("keeps the docs allowlist tight — a non-.md or nested docs file is still rejected", () => {
+      const nonMarkdown = runChecker({
+        CHECK_MINER_PACK_TEST_FILES: JSON.stringify([...FULL_PACKAGE, "docs/notes.txt"]),
+        CHECK_MINER_PACK_TEST_CONTENT: "ok",
+      });
+      expect(nonMarkdown.status).toBe(1);
+      expect(nonMarkdown.out).toContain("Unexpected file in miner package: docs/notes.txt");
+
+      const nested = runChecker({
+        CHECK_MINER_PACK_TEST_FILES: JSON.stringify([...FULL_PACKAGE, "docs/nested/guide.md"]),
+        CHECK_MINER_PACK_TEST_CONTENT: "ok",
+      });
+      expect(nested.status).toBe(1);
+      expect(nested.out).toContain("Unexpected file in miner package: docs/nested/guide.md");
+    });
+  });
 });