diff --git a/.github/workflows/openclaw-stable-main-closeout.yml b/.github/workflows/openclaw-stable-main-closeout.yml
index d827ccfb2786..cd0d154cc5fe 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/openclaw-stable-main-closeout.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/openclaw-stable-main-closeout.yml
@@ -210,8 +210,11 @@ jobs:
           fi
           evidence_dir="$RUNNER_TEMP/release-postpublish-evidence"
           mkdir -p "$evidence_dir"
-          if ! gh_with_retry release download "$evidence_source_tag" --repo "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" \
-            --pattern "$evidence_asset" --pattern "$evidence_checksum_asset" --dir "$evidence_dir"; then
+          gh_with_retry release download "$evidence_source_tag" --repo "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" \
+            --pattern "$evidence_asset" --pattern "$evidence_checksum_asset" --dir "$evidence_dir" || true
+          evidence_path="$evidence_dir/$evidence_asset"
+          evidence_checksum_path="$evidence_dir/$evidence_checksum_asset"
+          if [[ ! -f "$evidence_path" || ! -f "$evidence_checksum_path" ]]; then
             if [[ "$EVENT_NAME" == "push" ]]; then
               echo "Stable closeout skipped: $evidence_source_tag predates immutable postpublish evidence." >&2
               echo "should_closeout=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
@@ -220,7 +223,6 @@ jobs:
             echo "Stable closeout is required for $tag, but immutable postpublish evidence from $evidence_source_tag is missing." >&2
             exit 1
           fi
-          evidence_path="$evidence_dir/$evidence_asset"
           if ! (
             cd "$evidence_dir"
             sha256sum --strict --status -c "$evidence_checksum_asset"
@@ -433,8 +435,9 @@ jobs:
             local asset_name="$2"
             local existing_dir="$CLOSEOUT_DIR/existing-${asset_name}"
             mkdir -p "$existing_dir"
-            if gh_with_retry release download "$RELEASE_TAG" --repo "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" \
-              --pattern "$asset_name" --dir "$existing_dir"; then
+            gh_with_retry release download "$RELEASE_TAG" --repo "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" \
+              --pattern "$asset_name" --dir "$existing_dir" || true
+            if [[ -f "$existing_dir/$asset_name" ]]; then
               cmp --silent "$source_path" "$existing_dir/$asset_name" || {
                 echo "Existing release asset $asset_name differs from closeout evidence." >&2
                 exit 1