diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-policy.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-policy.yml
index 5a0d5965..13cdb358 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-policy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-policy.yml
@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@ jobs:
         run: echo "PR metadata was validated before merge-queue entry."
 
       # pull_request_target runs trusted base-branch code. Checkout the current
-      # tip of the base branch (not a potentially stale base.sha) so the policy
-      # script is always available even when the PR was opened before the script
-      # was added to main. Never execute the PR head or persist credentials.
+      # base SHA that triggered this policy run so reruns are deterministic and
+      # cannot pick up a newer main-branch policy than the workflow event. Never
+      # execute the PR head or persist credentials.
       - name: Checkout trusted policy
         if: github.event_name == 'pull_request_target'
         uses: actions/checkout@9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0 # v7.0.0
         with:
-          ref: ${{ github.base_ref }}
+          ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.base.sha }}
           persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Validate pull request evidence
diff --git a/scripts/pr-policy.mjs b/scripts/pr-policy.mjs
index c26e0e8e..c02736b3 100644
--- a/scripts/pr-policy.mjs
+++ b/scripts/pr-policy.mjs
@@ -257,6 +257,17 @@ function selfTest() {
   const template = readFileSync(new URL("../.github/pull_request_template.md", import.meta.url), "utf8");
   for (const item of requiredClinicalGovernanceItems)
     assert.match(template, new RegExp(`- \\[ \\] ${item.replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, "\\$&")}`));
+  const workflow = readFileSync(new URL("../.github/workflows/pr-policy.yml", import.meta.url), "utf8");
+  assert.match(
+    workflow,
+    /ref:\s*\$\{\{\s*github\.event\.pull_request\.base\.sha\s*\}\}/,
+    "PR policy workflow must checkout the event base SHA, not a moving branch ref.",
+  );
+  assert.doesNotMatch(
+    workflow,
+    /ref:\s*\$\{\{\s*github\.base_ref\s*\}\}/,
+    "PR policy workflow must not checkout the moving base branch ref.",
+  );
   console.error("[pr-policy] self-test passed");
 }