diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 60b14c9..a4638cb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -672,6 +672,11 @@ npm pack --dry-run
 <details>
 <summary><strong>v7.x</strong></summary>
 
+### v7.0.23
+- Bumped `@imdeadpool/guardex` from `7.0.22` to `7.0.23` so GitHub release and npm can advance together after `7.0.22` reached npm without a matching published GitHub release.
+- Active Agents stays easier to scan and more truthful: the package repo remains the canonical source, inspect/install paths stay loadable across VS Code churn, and session rows group under worktrees with clearer merged-cleanup truth.
+- Guardex prompt and finish guidance now pushes faster phase-based execution, keeps helper behavior single-sourced, and avoids fragmented probe loops when cleanup or branch-deletion races appear.
+
 ### v7.0.22
 - Bumped `@imdeadpool/guardex` from `7.0.21` to `7.0.22` so npm can publish the next release from the current merged mainline.
 - The shipped `main` payload already includes lower-token prompt slices, SCM-selected lane visibility, truthful merged-cleanup evidence, the Active Agents brand/icon refresh, and the remaining CLI extraction cleanups without changing Guardex behavior.
diff --git a/openspec/changes/agent-codex-release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22/.openspec.yaml b/openspec/changes/agent-codex-release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22/.openspec.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..25345f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openspec/changes/agent-codex-release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22/.openspec.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+schema: spec-driven
+created: 2026-04-22
diff --git a/openspec/changes/agent-codex-release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22/notes.md b/openspec/changes/agent-codex-release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22/notes.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ab531b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openspec/changes/agent-codex-release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22/notes.md
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# agent-codex-release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22 (minimal / T1)
+
+Branch: `agent/codex/release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22`
+
+Bump `@imdeadpool/guardex` from `7.0.22` to `7.0.23`, add the matching `README.md` release notes entry, and cut the corresponding GitHub release so the published package version and GitHub release history move back in sync.
+
+Scope:
+- Update `package.json` and `package-lock.json` to `7.0.23`.
+- Add `README.md -> Release notes -> v7.0.23`.
+- Finish through PR merge, then run `gx release` from `main` and verify GitHub release plus npm registry version.
+
+Verification:
+- `node -p "require('./package.json').version"`
+- `node -p "require('./package-lock.json').version"`
+- `gx release`
+- `gh release view v7.0.23 --repo recodeee/gitguardex`
+- `npm view @imdeadpool/guardex version dist-tags --json`
+
+## Handoff
+
+- Handoff: change=`agent-codex-release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22`; branch=`agent/codex/release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22`; scope=`package.json, package-lock.json, README.md, openspec/changes/agent-codex-release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22/*`; action=`finish this sandbox via PR merge + cleanup, then create GitHub release v7.0.23 from main and verify npm registry truth`.
+- Copy prompt: Continue `agent-codex-release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22` on branch `agent/codex/release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22`. Work inside the existing sandbox, review `openspec/changes/agent-codex-release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22/notes.md`, continue from the current state instead of creating a new sandbox, and when the work is done run `gx branch finish --branch agent/codex/release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22 --base main --via-pr --wait-for-merge --cleanup`.
+
+## Cleanup
+
+- [ ] Run: `gx branch finish --branch agent/codex/release-7-0-23-2026-04-22-23-22 --base main --via-pr --wait-for-merge --cleanup`
+- [ ] Run: `gx release`
+- [ ] Record PR URL + `MERGED` state and release URL in the completion handoff.
+- [ ] Confirm sandbox worktree is gone (`git worktree list`, `git branch -a`).
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index c9da059..cb53f2d 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "@imdeadpool/guardex",
-  "version": "7.0.22",
+  "version": "7.0.23",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "@imdeadpool/guardex",
-      "version": "7.0.22",
+      "version": "7.0.23",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "jsonc-parser": "^3.3.1",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c9cdc50..fd30c71 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@imdeadpool/guardex",
-  "version": "7.0.22",
+  "version": "7.0.23",
   "description": "Guardian T-Rex for your multi-agent repo. Isolated worktrees, file locks, and PR-only merges stop parallel Codex & Claude agents from overwriting each other's work. Auto-wires Oh My Codex, Oh My Claude, OpenSpec, and Caveman.",
   "license": "MIT",
   "preferGlobal": true,