diff --git a/.ai/skills/documentation/SKILL.md b/.ai/skills/documentation/SKILL.md
index ddc4d3d1a2a..af47917c125 100644
--- a/.ai/skills/documentation/SKILL.md
+++ b/.ai/skills/documentation/SKILL.md
@@ -266,4 +266,5 @@ Data | Data
 - [In-product word list](https://spectrum.adobe.com/page/in-product-word-list/)
 - [Writing for errors](https://spectrum.adobe.com/page/writing-for-errors/)
 - [Writing for onboarding](https://spectrum.adobe.com/page/writing-for-onboarding/)
-- [Writing a changeset](https://github.com/adobe/spectrum-web-components/blob/main/.changeset/README.md)
+- [Writing a changeset (1st-gen)](https://github.com/adobe/spectrum-web-components/blob/main/1st-gen/.changeset/README.md)
+- [Writing a changeset (2nd-gen)](https://github.com/adobe/spectrum-web-components/blob/main/2nd-gen/.changeset/README.md)
diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 68ca70aff6f..a07aec5d8be 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ commands:
             # Paths that never affect either gen's tests: contributor docs, AI
             # rules/skills, changeset files, linter config, scripts, root-level
             # markdown files, and the license file.
-            DOCS_PATTERN="^(CONTRIBUTOR-DOCS/|\.ai/|\.changeset/|linters/|scripts/|[^/]+\.md$|LICENSE$)"
+            DOCS_PATTERN="^(CONTRIBUTOR-DOCS/|\.ai/|(1st-gen|2nd-gen)/\.changeset/|linters/|scripts/|[^/]+\.md$|LICENSE$)"
 
             # Strip other-gen files and docs-only files; what remains is relevant.
             RELEVANT=$(echo "$CHANGED" | grep -v "^${EXCLUDE}" | grep -vE "${DOCS_PATTERN}" || true)
diff --git a/.github/actions/release-branch-lock/action.yml b/.github/actions/release-branch-lock/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..07293179e12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/release-branch-lock/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+name: Release branch lock
+description: >-
+  Temporarily blocks PR merges to a branch for the duration of a release run, via a
+  synthetic required status check. No-ops with a warning if the branch has no protection
+  configured, so a missing/unreadable protection rule never fails the release itself.
+inputs:
+  mode:
+    description: 'lock or unlock'
+    required: true
+  branch:
+    description: 'Branch to lock or unlock'
+    required: true
+  token:
+    description: 'Token with Administration:write on the branch protection settings'
+    required: true
+runs:
+  using: 'composite'
+  steps:
+    - name: Toggle release lock
+      shell: bash
+      env:
+        GH_TOKEN: ${{ inputs.token }}
+      run: |
+        node "${{ github.action_path }}/../../scripts/toggle-release-lock.mjs" \
+          "${{ inputs.mode }}" "${{ inputs.branch }}"
diff --git a/.github/scripts/toggle-release-lock.mjs b/.github/scripts/toggle-release-lock.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..864736b56fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/scripts/toggle-release-lock.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+
+/**
+ * Copyright 2026 Adobe. All rights reserved.
+ * This file is licensed to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy
+ * of the License at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under
+ * the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS
+ * OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language
+ * governing permissions and limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Blocks (or unblocks) PR merges into a release branch for the duration of a publish run,
+ * by adding (or removing) a synthetic required status check that never reports success.
+ * Required status checks only gate the GitHub merge button/API - they do not block a
+ * direct `git push` from an actor with push access, so this does not interfere with the
+ * release job's own commit-and-push step.
+ *
+ * NOTE: classic branch protection only; repos on the newer rulesets API instead of
+ * classic protection will get a 404 here and this no-ops with a warning rather than
+ * failing the release. Upgrade to the rulesets API if/when this repo migrates to it.
+ */
+
+import { execSync } from 'child_process';
+
+const [, , mode, branch] = process.argv;
+const LOCK_CONTEXT = 'release/in-progress';
+const repo = process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY;
+
+if (!['lock', 'unlock'].includes(mode) || !branch) {
+  console.error('Usage: toggle-release-lock.mjs <lock|unlock> <branch>');
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+function branchProtectionExists() {
+  try {
+    execSync(`gh api repos/${repo}/branches/${branch}/protection`, {
+      encoding: 'utf-8',
+    });
+    return true;
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.warn(
+      `No branch protection found for '${branch}' (or this token can't read it) - skipping ${mode}. ` +
+        `Concurrent-merge protection during this release is not active for this branch. (${err.message})`
+    );
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+if (!branchProtectionExists()) {
+  process.exit(0);
+}
+
+// Add/remove only this one context via the dedicated endpoint, rather than reading
+// the whole protection object and PUTing it back - a whole-object PUT only sends the
+// fields this script knows about, silently resetting every other configured
+// protection setting (allow_force_pushes, required_linear_history, etc.) to its API
+// default on every lock and unlock.
+const method = mode === 'lock' ? 'POST' : 'DELETE';
+execSync(
+  `gh api repos/${repo}/branches/${branch}/protection/required_status_checks/contexts -X ${method} --input -`,
+  {
+    input: JSON.stringify({ contexts: [LOCK_CONTEXT] }),
+    encoding: 'utf-8',
+  }
+);
+
+console.log(
+  `${mode === 'lock' ? 'Locked' : 'Unlocked'} '${branch}': required status check '${LOCK_CONTEXT}' ${
+    mode === 'lock' ? 'added' : 'removed'
+  }.`
+);
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-2nd-gen.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-2nd-gen.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d7d38513394
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-2nd-gen.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,242 @@
+name: Publish Packages (2nd-gen)
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      tag:
+        description: 'NPM dist-tag for the planned release'
+        required: false
+        default: 'beta'
+      dry_run:
+        description: 'Version packages and report the diff, but do not publish or push'
+        type: boolean
+        required: false
+        default: false
+  pull_request:
+    types: [labeled, synchronize]
+  # Every push to main auto-publishes the `next` dist-tag: a continuous, throwaway snapshot
+  # of main (no commit back, no branch lock) so consumers can always pull the latest main
+  # build. Planned `beta` releases are cut manually via workflow_dispatch (pre-release mode,
+  # changelog, commit back to main). Per-step conditions below implement that split.
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+
+# Shares the exact group string with publish.yml (1st-gen) so the two release workflows
+# stay mutually exclusive on any shared ref: on a push to main both compute
+# publish-refs/heads/main, so one runs while the other queues. cancel-in-progress: false
+# queues rather than cancels; no ordering guarantee.
+concurrency:
+  group: publish-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: false
+
+jobs:
+  check-changesets:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # push to main -> auto `next` snapshot. workflow_dispatch -> planned `beta`, allowed
+    # only from main (a dispatch against any other ref is skipped). pull_request -> only
+    # via the snapshot-release label.
+    if: >-
+      github.event_name == 'push' ||
+      (github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main') ||
+      (github.event_name == 'pull_request' &&
+      contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'snapshot-release'))
+    outputs:
+      has_changesets: ${{ steps.check.outputs.has_changesets }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Check for 2nd-gen changesets
+        id: check
+        run: |
+          # Independent of 1st-gen in every trigger - this workflow never reads
+          # 1st-gen/.changeset/, including for its own snapshot-release PR path.
+          COUNT=$(ls -1 2nd-gen/.changeset/*.md 2>/dev/null | grep -v README | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
+          if [ "$COUNT" -eq 0 ]; then
+            echo "has_changesets=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "No 2nd-gen changesets found - skipping publish"
+          else
+            echo "has_changesets=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "Found $COUNT 2nd-gen changeset(s)"
+          fi
+
+  publish:
+    needs: check-changesets
+    if: needs.check-changesets.outputs.has_changesets == 'true'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    environment: npm-publish
+    permissions:
+      contents: write # Required for git push (via RELEASE_BOT_TOKEN below)
+    env:
+      YARN_ENABLE_IMMUTABLE_INSTALLS: false
+      DRY_RUN: ${{ github.event.inputs.dry_run || 'false' }}
+    steps:
+      # Locked before checkout via a raw gh api call (not the composite action - `uses:`
+      # doesn't support expressions, so it can't be pinned to github.sha, and a literal
+      # @main ref would 404 until this action is merged there; a raw call needs no repo
+      # checkout at all) so the race window is closed from the very start of the job,
+      # not just from after checkout + dependency install.
+      - name: Lock main during release
+        # Only the planned beta release writes to main, so only it needs the lock.
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && env.DRY_RUN != 'true'
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_BOT_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          gh api "repos/${{ github.repository }}/branches/main/protection/required_status_checks/contexts" \
+            -X POST --input - <<< '{"contexts":["release/in-progress"]}' \
+            || echo "No branch protection on main (or insufficient access) - skipping lock. Concurrent-merge protection during this release is not active."
+
+      # head.ref (no repository:) resolves against the base repo - fine for same-repo
+      # snapshot-release PRs, which is the only way this workflow's pull_request
+      # trigger fires; would need a fork-aware checkout if that ever changes.
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' && github.event.pull_request.head.ref || 'main' }}
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Setup job and install dependencies
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-job
+
+      - name: Set Git identity
+        run: |
+          git config --global user.email "support+actions@github.com"
+          git config --global user.name "github-actions-bot"
+
+      - name: Determine release tag
+        id: extract-tag
+        env:
+          EVENT_NAME: ${{ github.event_name }}
+          INPUT_TAG: ${{ github.event.inputs.tag }}
+        run: |
+          if [ "$EVENT_NAME" == "pull_request" ]; then
+            # snapshot-release PRs: throwaway snapshot under the snapshot-test tag.
+            WORKFLOW_TAG="snapshot-test"
+          elif [ "$EVENT_NAME" == "push" ]; then
+            # every push to main: continuous throwaway snapshot under the next tag.
+            WORKFLOW_TAG="next"
+          else
+            # manual workflow_dispatch: planned pre-release, beta by default.
+            WORKFLOW_TAG="${INPUT_TAG:-beta}"
+          fi
+          echo "tag=$WORKFLOW_TAG" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "Using npm tag: $WORKFLOW_TAG"
+
+      # Only the planned beta path (workflow_dispatch) enters persistent pre-release mode.
+      # push->next and PR->snapshot-test use --snapshot instead and never touch pre.json.
+      - name: Enter changesets pre-release mode
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && !hashFiles('2nd-gen/.changeset/pre.json')
+        env:
+          TAG: ${{ steps.extract-tag.outputs.tag }}
+        working-directory: 2nd-gen
+        run: yarn changeset pre enter $TAG
+
+      - name: Verify NPM authentication
+        id: npm-auth
+        # setup-node (in setup-job) already wrote an .npmrc that npm reads via
+        # NPM_CONFIG_USERCONFIG and that authenticates through ${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN};
+        # just point that at the real token. Writing ~/.npmrc here is a no-op because
+        # the userconfig override wins.
+        env:
+          NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.ADOBE_BOT_NPM_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          npm whoami --registry=https://registry.npmjs.org
+          echo "✓ NPM authentication configured for 2nd-gen (Adobe namespace)"
+
+      - name: Build all packages
+        run: yarn build
+
+      - name: Version packages
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          EVENT_NAME: ${{ github.event_name }}
+          TAG: ${{ steps.extract-tag.outputs.tag }}
+        working-directory: 2nd-gen
+        run: |
+          if [ "$EVENT_NAME" == "workflow_dispatch" ]; then
+            # Planned beta: pre-release versioning (beta.N) against the persistent pre.json.
+            yarn changeset version
+          else
+            # push->next and PR->snapshot-test: throwaway snapshot version ({tag}.{datetime}),
+            # never entering the persistent pre-release state.
+            yarn changeset version --snapshot $TAG
+          fi
+
+      - name: Capture released versions
+        id: versions
+        run: |
+          CORE_VERSION=$(node -p "require('./2nd-gen/packages/core/package.json').version")
+          SWC_VERSION=$(node -p "require('./2nd-gen/packages/swc/package.json').version")
+          echo "core=$CORE_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "swc=$SWC_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Report dry-run diff
+        if: env.DRY_RUN == 'true'
+        run: |
+          echo "## Dry run - 2nd-gen version diff" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo '```diff' >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          git diff --stat -- 2nd-gen/ >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo '```' >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "Dry run requested - no packages were published and main was not modified." >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+
+      - name: Refresh lockfile and rebuild
+        if: env.DRY_RUN != 'true'
+        run: |
+          yarn install --refresh-lockfile
+          yarn build
+
+      - name: Publish all packages
+        if: env.DRY_RUN != 'true' && steps.npm-auth.outcome == 'success'
+        env:
+          NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.ADOBE_BOT_NPM_TOKEN }}
+          TAG: ${{ steps.extract-tag.outputs.tag }}
+        working-directory: 2nd-gen
+        run: yarn changeset publish --no-git-tag --tag $TAG
+
+      - name: Commit and push changes
+        # Only the planned beta release commits version bumps back to main.
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && env.DRY_RUN != 'true'
+        env:
+          RELEASE_BOT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_BOT_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          git add 2nd-gen yarn.lock
+          git commit --no-verify -m "chore: release 2nd-gen packages #publish" || echo "No changes to commit"
+          git remote set-url origin "https://x-access-token:${RELEASE_BOT_TOKEN}@github.com/${{ github.repository }}.git"
+          git pull --rebase origin main
+          git push origin HEAD:main
+
+      - name: Publish summary
+        if: always()
+        env:
+          TAG: ${{ steps.extract-tag.outputs.tag }}
+          EVENT_NAME: ${{ github.event_name }}
+          CORE_VERSION: ${{ steps.versions.outputs.core }}
+          SWC_VERSION: ${{ steps.versions.outputs.swc }}
+          AUTH_OUTCOME: ${{ steps.npm-auth.outcome }}
+        run: |
+          echo "## Publish summary (2nd-gen)" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "| Field | Value |" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "|-------|-------|" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "| **Trigger** | \`${EVENT_NAME}\` |" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "| **NPM tag** | \`${TAG}\` |" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          echo "| **Dry run** | \`${DRY_RUN}\` |" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          [ -n "$CORE_VERSION" ] && echo "| **@adobe/spectrum-wc-core** | \`${CORE_VERSION}\` |" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          [ -n "$SWC_VERSION" ] && echo "| **@adobe/spectrum-wc** | \`${SWC_VERSION}\` |" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+
+          if [ "$DRY_RUN" == "true" ]; then
+            echo "🔎 Dry run only — nothing published or pushed" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          elif [ "$AUTH_OUTCOME" == "success" ]; then
+            echo "✅ Publish completed with tag \`${TAG}\`" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          else
+            echo "❌ Publish failed — NPM authentication did not succeed" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+          fi
+
+      - name: Unlock main after release
+        if: always() && github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && env.DRY_RUN != 'true'
+        uses: ./.github/actions/release-branch-lock
+        with:
+          mode: unlock
+          branch: main
+          token: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_BOT_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index c8bd031f91d..d7aedcf852a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Publish Packages
+name: Publish Packages (1st-gen)
 
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
@@ -35,33 +35,20 @@ jobs:
       - name: Check for changesets
         id: check
         run: |
-          if [ -z "$(ls -A .changeset/*.md 2>/dev/null | grep -v README)" ]; then
+          # This workflow is 1st-gen only, always - independent of 2nd-gen in every
+          # trigger (push, manual dispatch, and snapshot-release PRs). 2nd-gen has its
+          # own changesets setup in 2nd-gen/.changeset/ and its own workflow,
+          # publish-2nd-gen.yml, including its own snapshot-release PR path.
+          GEN1_COUNT=$(ls -1 1st-gen/.changeset/*.md 2>/dev/null | grep -v README | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
+
+          if [ "$GEN1_COUNT" -eq 0 ]; then
             echo "has_changesets=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
             echo "has_1st_gen_changesets=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
             echo "No changesets found - skipping publish"
           else
             echo "has_changesets=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-            CHANGESET_COUNT=$(ls -1 .changeset/*.md 2>/dev/null | grep -v README | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
-            echo "Found $CHANGESET_COUNT changesets"
-
-            # Check if any changeset mentions 1st-gen packages
-            # 1st-gen packages are @spectrum-web-components/*
-            HAS_1ST_GEN=false
-            for file in .changeset/*.md; do
-              if [ "$(basename "$file")" != "README.md" ]; then
-                if grep -qP "@spectrum-web-components/[a-z-]+" "$file"; then
-                  HAS_1ST_GEN=true
-                  break
-                fi
-              fi
-            done
-
-            echo "has_1st_gen_changesets=$HAS_1ST_GEN" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-            if [ "$HAS_1ST_GEN" = "true" ]; then
-              echo "Found 1st-gen changesets - React wrappers will be built and published"
-            else
-              echo "No 1st-gen changesets found - React wrappers will be skipped"
-            fi
+            echo "has_1st_gen_changesets=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "Found $GEN1_COUNT 1st-gen changeset(s) - React wrappers will be built and published"
           fi
 
   publish:
@@ -75,6 +62,21 @@ jobs:
     env:
       YARN_ENABLE_IMMUTABLE_INSTALLS: false
     steps:
+      # Locked before checkout via a raw gh api call (not the composite action - `uses:`
+      # doesn't support expressions, so it can't be pinned to github.sha, and a literal
+      # @main ref would 404 until this action is merged there; a raw call needs no repo
+      # checkout at all) so the race window is closed from the very start of the job,
+      # not just from after checkout + dependency install. Only main@latest ever locks;
+      # every other trigger (push to next, snapshot-test) never reaches tag == 'latest'.
+      - name: Lock main during release
+        if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && github.event.inputs.tag == 'latest'
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_BOT_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          gh api "repos/${{ github.repository }}/branches/main/protection/required_status_checks/contexts" \
+            -X POST --input - <<< '{"contexts":["release/in-progress"]}' \
+            || echo "No branch protection on main (or insufficient access) - skipping lock. Concurrent-merge protection during this release is not active."
+
       - name: Checkout repository
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
@@ -142,47 +144,41 @@ jobs:
       - name: Confirm build artifacts
         run: yarn workspace @spectrum-web-components/1st-gen build:confirm
 
-      - name: Version packages
+      - name: Version 1st-gen packages
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           TAG: ${{ steps.extract-tag.outputs.tag }}
         run: |
           if [ "$TAG" == "latest" ]; then
             yarn workspace @spectrum-web-components/1st-gen changelog:global
-            yarn changeset version
+            (cd 1st-gen && yarn changeset version)
           else
-            yarn changeset version --snapshot $TAG
+            (cd 1st-gen && yarn changeset version --snapshot $TAG)
           fi
 
       - name: Capture released versions
         id: versions
         run: |
-          CORE_VERSION=$(node -p "require('./2nd-gen/packages/core/package.json').version")
           BUNDLE_VERSION=$(node -p "require('./1st-gen/tools/bundle/package.json').version")
-          SWC_VERSION=$(node -p "require('./2nd-gen/packages/swc/package.json').version")
-          echo "core=$CORE_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           echo "bundle=$BUNDLE_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          echo "swc=$SWC_VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
       - name: Refresh lockfile and rebuild
         run: |
           yarn install --refresh-lockfile
           yarn build
 
-      - name: Publish all packages
+      - name: Publish 1st-gen packages
         if: steps.npm-auth.outcome == 'success'
         env:
           NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.ADOBE_BOT_NPM_TOKEN }}
           TAG: ${{ steps.extract-tag.outputs.tag }}
         run: |
-          # Changeset publishes all packages (1st-gen, core, and 2nd-gen)
-          # npm CLI automatically uses:
-          # - OIDC trusted publishing for 1st-gen packages (configured on npmjs.com)
-          # - Token authentication for 2nd-gen (from .npmrc)
+          # npm CLI automatically uses OIDC trusted publishing for 1st-gen packages
+          # (configured on npmjs.com).
           if [ "$TAG" == "latest" ]; then
-            yarn changeset publish --no-git-tag
+            (cd 1st-gen && yarn changeset publish --no-git-tag)
           else
-            yarn changeset publish --no-git-tag --tag $TAG
+            (cd 1st-gen && yarn changeset publish --no-git-tag --tag $TAG)
           fi
 
       - name: Build React wrappers
@@ -205,7 +201,7 @@ jobs:
             local dir=$1
             local max_attempts=3
             local attempt=1
-            
+
             while [ $attempt -le $max_attempts ]; do
               echo "Publishing $dir (attempt $attempt/$max_attempts)..."
               if (cd "$dir" && $PUBLISH_CMD); then
@@ -244,9 +240,7 @@ jobs:
           ACTOR: ${{ github.actor }}
           COMMIT_SHA: ${{ github.sha }}
           AUTH_OUTCOME: ${{ steps.npm-auth.outcome }}
-          CORE_VERSION: ${{ steps.versions.outputs.core }}
           BUNDLE_VERSION: ${{ steps.versions.outputs.bundle }}
-          SWC_VERSION: ${{ steps.versions.outputs.swc }}
         run: |
           echo "## Publish summary" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
           echo "" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
@@ -275,14 +269,12 @@ jobs:
             echo "| **Commit** | \`${COMMIT_SHA}\` |" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
           fi
 
-          if [ -n "$CORE_VERSION" ] || [ -n "$BUNDLE_VERSION" ] || [ -n "$SWC_VERSION" ]; then
+          if [ -n "$BUNDLE_VERSION" ]; then
             echo "## Versions released" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
             echo "" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
             echo "| Generation | Package | Version |" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
             echo "|------------|---------|---------|" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-            [ -n "$CORE_VERSION" ]   && echo "| Core    | \`@adobe/spectrum-wc-core\`   | \`${CORE_VERSION}\`   |" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-            [ -n "$BUNDLE_VERSION" ] && echo "| 1st gen | \`@spectrum-web-components/bundle\` | \`${BUNDLE_VERSION}\` |" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
-            [ -n "$SWC_VERSION" ]    && echo "| 2nd gen | \`@adobe/spectrum-wc\`               | \`${SWC_VERSION}\`    |" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
+            echo "| 1st gen | \`@spectrum-web-components/bundle\` | \`${BUNDLE_VERSION}\` |" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
             echo "" >> $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
           fi
 
@@ -294,12 +286,23 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Commit and push changes
         if: steps.extract-tag.outputs.tag == 'latest'
+        env:
+          RELEASE_BOT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_BOT_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          git add .
+          git add 1st-gen yarn.lock
           git commit --no-verify -m "chore: release packages #publish" || echo "No changes to commit"
+          git remote set-url origin "https://x-access-token:${RELEASE_BOT_TOKEN}@github.com/${{ github.repository }}.git"
           git pull --rebase origin main
           git push
 
       - name: Create git tag
         if: steps.extract-tag.outputs.tag == 'latest'
         run: node ./1st-gen/scripts/create-git-tag.js
+
+      - name: Unlock main after release
+        if: always() && steps.extract-tag.outputs.tag == 'latest'
+        uses: ./.github/actions/release-branch-lock
+        with:
+          mode: unlock
+          branch: main
+          token: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_BOT_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-branch-unlock.yml b/.github/workflows/release-branch-unlock.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f2e6f1dbb43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-branch-unlock.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+name: Force unlock release branch
+
+# Manual recovery for a stuck release lock. `if: always()` on the unlock step in
+# publish.yml / publish-2nd-gen.yml covers a failed step, but not a cancelled run or a
+# dead runner - in either of those cases the release/in-progress required status check
+# is left on the branch forever, blocking every PR merge into it until removed by hand.
+# Run this workflow manually to clear it.
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      branch:
+        description: 'Branch to unlock'
+        type: choice
+        required: true
+        options:
+          - main
+
+jobs:
+  unlock:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    environment: npm-publish
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Unlock
+        uses: ./.github/actions/release-branch-lock
+        with:
+          mode: unlock
+          branch: ${{ github.event.inputs.branch }}
+          token: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_BOT_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.changeset/README.md b/1st-gen/.changeset/README.md
similarity index 88%
rename from .changeset/README.md
rename to 1st-gen/.changeset/README.md
index ef01193317e..4ebcc914a9d 100644
--- a/.changeset/README.md
+++ b/1st-gen/.changeset/README.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # Changesets
 
+> **1st-gen only.** This folder holds changesets for `@spectrum-web-components/*` packages, released from `main`. It has its own independent `@changesets/cli` setup (this `README.md` + `config.json`), separate from 2nd-gen's. For `@adobe/spectrum-wc` / `@adobe/spectrum-wc-core` (2nd-gen) changes, use [`2nd-gen/.changeset/`](../../2nd-gen/.changeset/README.md) (`yarn changeset:2nd-gen`) instead.
+
 Hello and welcome! This folder has been automatically generated by `@changesets/cli`, a build tool that works
 with multi-package repos, or single-package repos to help you version and publish your code. You can
 find the full documentation for it [in our repository](https://github.com/changesets/changesets)
diff --git a/1st-gen/.changeset/config.json b/1st-gen/.changeset/config.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ee36868e395
--- /dev/null
+++ b/1st-gen/.changeset/config.json
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+{
+  "$schema": "https://unpkg.com/@changesets/config@3.0.0/schema.json",
+  "access": "public",
+  "baseBranch": "main",
+  "changelog": [
+    "@changesets/changelog-github",
+    {
+      "disableThanks": true,
+      "repo": "adobe/spectrum-web-components"
+    }
+  ],
+  "commit": false,
+  "fixed": [["@spectrum-web-components/*"]],
+  "ignore": [],
+  "snapshot": {
+    "prereleaseTemplate": "{tag}.{datetime}",
+    "useCalculatedVersion": true
+  },
+  "updateInternalDependencies": "patch"
+}
diff --git a/.changeset/quiet-owls-whisper.md b/1st-gen/.changeset/quiet-owls-whisper.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/quiet-owls-whisper.md
rename to 1st-gen/.changeset/quiet-owls-whisper.md
diff --git a/1st-gen/scripts/escape-changelog-tags.js b/1st-gen/scripts/escape-changelog-tags.js
index 63d121615f6..d0b4a9a56e1 100644
--- a/1st-gen/scripts/escape-changelog-tags.js
+++ b/1st-gen/scripts/escape-changelog-tags.js
@@ -14,17 +14,20 @@ import { replaceInFile } from 'replace-in-file';
 
 // make sure inline tags are escaped
 const tagOptions = {
-  files: '.changeset/*.md',
+  files: '{1st-gen,2nd-gen}/.changeset/*.md',
   from: /(?<=\n\s*-\s.*)`?(<\w+(-\w+)*[^>]*>)`?/g,
   to: '`$1`',
 };
 
 try {
   const results = await replaceInFile(tagOptions);
-  console.log('Replaced unescaped tags in .changeset/*.md:', results);
+  console.log(
+    'Replaced unescaped tags in {1st-gen,2nd-gen}/.changeset/*.md:',
+    results
+  );
 } catch (error) {
   console.error(
-    'Error occurred replacing unescaped tags in .changeset/*.md:',
+    'Error occurred replacing unescaped tags in {1st-gen,2nd-gen}/.changeset/*.md:',
     error
   );
 }
diff --git a/1st-gen/scripts/test-changes.js b/1st-gen/scripts/test-changes.js
index aa8e1e1936f..5369ed16077 100644
--- a/1st-gen/scripts/test-changes.js
+++ b/1st-gen/scripts/test-changes.js
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ const { browser = 'chrome' } = yargs(hideBin(process.argv)).argv;
  */
 export const getChangedPackages = () => {
   let changedPackages = [];
-  const changesetDir = '../.changeset';
+  const changesetDir = '.changeset';
 
   try {
     // Check if .changeset directory exists
diff --git a/1st-gen/scripts/update-global-changelog.js b/1st-gen/scripts/update-global-changelog.js
index 5b167927de7..26b9f397098 100644
--- a/1st-gen/scripts/update-global-changelog.js
+++ b/1st-gen/scripts/update-global-changelog.js
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ function extractChanges(frontmatter, description, pattern, prefix = '') {
  * @returns {Promise<object>} Object containing categorized changes for both 1st-gen and core
  */
 async function processChangesets() {
-  const changesetDir = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../.changeset');
+  const changesetDir = path.resolve(__dirname, '../.changeset');
 
   // Use non-blocking I/O for directory read
   const files = await fsPromises.readdir(changesetDir);
diff --git a/2nd-gen/.changeset/README.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3328e253f5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/2nd-gen/.changeset/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# Changesets (2nd-gen)
+
+This folder is an independent `@changesets/cli` setup for 2nd-gen packages only (`@adobe/spectrum-wc`, `@adobe/spectrum-wc-core`), with its own `config.json`. 1st-gen (`@spectrum-web-components/*`) has its own separate setup in [`1st-gen/.changeset/`](../../1st-gen/.changeset/README.md) — the two do not share a config, a folder, or a versioning run.
+
+## Why a separate setup
+
+1st-gen ships to `next`/`latest` from `main`. 2nd-gen ships to `beta` from `main` on its own cadence, using changesets pre-release mode. `@changesets/cli` resolves `.changeset/` relative to wherever it's invoked from, so each generation gets its own instance by living in its own package directory (`2nd-gen/`) rather than sharing one at the repo root.
+
+## Adding a changeset for a 2nd-gen change
+
+```bash
+yarn changeset:2nd-gen
+```
+
+This runs `yarn changeset` from within `2nd-gen/`, so the file lands here automatically — no manual routing needed. Follow the usual prompts: pick the affected package(s) (`@adobe/spectrum-wc` and/or `@adobe/spectrum-wc-core`), choose `major`/`minor`/`patch`, and write a summary.
+
+## Important: `@adobe/spectrum-wc-core` and component updates
+
+When a change touches `@adobe/spectrum-wc-core`, include the corresponding `@adobe/spectrum-wc` bump in the same changeset so the change shows up in the component-facing changelog — core changes are internal and don't otherwise surface there.
+
+## Example changeset
+
+```markdown
+---
+'@adobe/spectrum-wc-core': patch
+'@adobe/spectrum-wc': minor
+---
+
+- **Added**: Added new variant `tertiary` to `<swc-button>` [#9999](https://github.com/adobe/spectrum-web-components/pull/9999)
+```
+
+## Publishing process
+
+1. Changesets accumulate here as gen2 PRs merge to `main`.
+2. `publish-2nd-gen.yml` (triggered on push to `main`, or manually) runs changesets from within `2nd-gen/` in pre-release mode and publishes to the `beta` npm tag.
+3. Consumed changesets are removed as part of that release commit on `main`.
+
+See [Changesets documentation](https://github.com/changesets/changesets) for details on the underlying tool.
diff --git a/.changeset/close-button-2nd-gen-migration.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/close-button-2nd-gen-migration.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/close-button-2nd-gen-migration.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/close-button-2nd-gen-migration.md
diff --git a/.changeset/color-handle-migration.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/color-handle-migration.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/color-handle-migration.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/color-handle-migration.md
diff --git a/.changeset/color-loupe-adaptive-border.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/color-loupe-adaptive-border.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/color-loupe-adaptive-border.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/color-loupe-adaptive-border.md
diff --git a/.changeset/config.json b/2nd-gen/.changeset/config.json
similarity index 66%
rename from .changeset/config.json
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/config.json
index 5af48256ab5..c059464688c 100644
--- a/.changeset/config.json
+++ b/2nd-gen/.changeset/config.json
@@ -10,17 +10,6 @@
     }
   ],
   "commit": false,
-  "fixed": [
-    [
-      "@spectrum-web-components/*",
-      "!@spectrum-web-components/1st-gen",
-      "!@spectrum-web-components/2nd-gen"
-    ]
-  ],
-  "ignore": [
-    "@spectrum-web-components/1st-gen",
-    "@spectrum-web-components/2nd-gen"
-  ],
   "linked": [["@adobe/spectrum-wc", "@adobe/spectrum-wc-core"]],
   "snapshot": {
     "prereleaseTemplate": "{tag}.{datetime}",
diff --git a/.changeset/feat-live-selection-controller.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/feat-live-selection-controller.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/feat-live-selection-controller.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/feat-live-selection-controller.md
diff --git a/.changeset/fix-global-link-css-import-path.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/fix-global-link-css-import-path.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/fix-global-link-css-import-path.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/fix-global-link-css-import-path.md
diff --git a/.changeset/fix-illustrated-message-actions-slot-alignment.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/fix-illustrated-message-actions-slot-alignment.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/fix-illustrated-message-actions-slot-alignment.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/fix-illustrated-message-actions-slot-alignment.md
diff --git a/.changeset/fix-popover-trigger-pointer-active-stuck.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/fix-popover-trigger-pointer-active-stuck.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/fix-popover-trigger-pointer-active-stuck.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/fix-popover-trigger-pointer-active-stuck.md
diff --git a/.changeset/fix-slot-attribute-propagation-controller-optional-attributes.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/fix-slot-attribute-propagation-controller-optional-attributes.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/fix-slot-attribute-propagation-controller-optional-attributes.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/fix-slot-attribute-propagation-controller-optional-attributes.md
diff --git a/.changeset/fix-tabs-keyboard-activation-default.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/fix-tabs-keyboard-activation-default.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/fix-tabs-keyboard-activation-default.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/fix-tabs-keyboard-activation-default.md
diff --git a/.changeset/pending-reusable-primitives.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/pending-reusable-primitives.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/pending-reusable-primitives.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/pending-reusable-primitives.md
diff --git a/.changeset/publish-custom-elements-manifest.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/publish-custom-elements-manifest.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/publish-custom-elements-manifest.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/publish-custom-elements-manifest.md
diff --git a/.changeset/soft-ravens-think.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/soft-ravens-think.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/soft-ravens-think.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/soft-ravens-think.md
diff --git a/.changeset/spicy-melon-parade.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/spicy-melon-parade.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/spicy-melon-parade.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/spicy-melon-parade.md
diff --git a/.changeset/tabs-focusgroup-controller.md b/2nd-gen/.changeset/tabs-focusgroup-controller.md
similarity index 100%
rename from .changeset/tabs-focusgroup-controller.md
rename to 2nd-gen/.changeset/tabs-focusgroup-controller.md
diff --git a/2nd-gen/package.json b/2nd-gen/package.json
index 5c8d5b9d963..5de50711881 100644
--- a/2nd-gen/package.json
+++ b/2nd-gen/package.json
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
     "packages/*"
   ],
   "devDependencies": {
+    "@changesets/changelog-github": "0.5.1",
+    "@changesets/cli": "2.29.7",
     "@storybook/addon-vitest": "10.3.5",
     "eslint": "9.39.2",
     "eslint-plugin-simple-import-sort": "12.1.1",
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTOR-DOCS/01_contributor-guides/06_releasing-swc.md b/CONTRIBUTOR-DOCS/01_contributor-guides/06_releasing-swc.md
index 3d503a7506a..30758f129de 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTOR-DOCS/01_contributor-guides/06_releasing-swc.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTOR-DOCS/01_contributor-guides/06_releasing-swc.md
@@ -28,9 +28,18 @@
 
 <!-- Document content (editable) -->
 
+> ⚠️ **This page is out of date and pending a rewrite.** It still describes a single combined release workflow. As of the gen1/gen2 release-architecture split, 1st-gen and 2nd-gen release from **two separate workflows** with their own changeset folders:
+>
+> | | Workflow | Changesets | Branch | Ships to |
+> |---|---|---|---|---|
+> | 1st-gen | `.github/workflows/publish.yml` | `1st-gen/.changeset/` | `main` | `next` / `latest` |
+> | 2nd-gen | `.github/workflows/publish-2nd-gen.yml` | `2nd-gen/.changeset/` | `gen2-beta` | `beta` (pre-release mode) |
+>
+> The sections below (package groups, versioning strategy, release types) still describe the old single-workflow model and should not be relied on until this page is rewritten to match.
+
 ## Overview
 
-Releases are fully automated through a GitHub Actions workflow (`.github/workflows/publish-1st-gen.yml`). There is no manual command to run locally — you trigger the release from GitHub and the workflow handles building, versioning, and publishing.
+Releases are fully automated through GitHub Actions workflows — see the table above for which workflow covers which generation. There is no manual command to run locally — you trigger the release from GitHub and the workflow handles building, versioning, and publishing.
 
 The workflow publishes four package groups:
 
@@ -51,14 +60,15 @@ The workflow publishes four package groups:
 
 > For the 2nd-gen changeset format and how entries flow into the CHANGELOG, see the [Changelog strategy](15_changelog-strategy.md).
 
-The workflow only publishes if there are pending changesets in `.changeset/*.md`. If no changesets exist, the publish job is skipped automatically.
+Each workflow only publishes if there are pending changesets in its own folder — `1st-gen/.changeset/*.md` for `publish.yml`, `2nd-gen/.changeset/*.md` for `publish-2nd-gen.yml`. If no changesets exist for that generation, its publish job is skipped automatically.
 
-To check what's pending, look at the `.changeset/` directory (exclude `README.md`). Each changeset file lists the packages it affects and the bump type (`patch`, `minor`, or `major`).
+To check what's pending, look at the relevant `.changeset/` directory (exclude `README.md`). Each changeset file lists the packages it affects and the bump type (`patch`, `minor`, or `major`).
 
 **If changesets are missing for packages you expected to update**, add them before triggering the release:
 
 ```bash
-yarn changeset
+yarn changeset:1st-gen
+yarn changeset:2nd-gen
 ```
 
 Follow the prompts to select packages and bump type.
@@ -67,11 +77,10 @@ Follow the prompts to select packages and bump type.
 
 ### Understand the versioning strategy
 
-The `.changeset/config.json` defines how packages version together:
+Each generation has its own `config.json` (`1st-gen/.changeset/config.json`, `2nd-gen/.changeset/config.json`) defining how its own packages version together:
 
-- **Fixed group** – All `@spectrum-web-components/*` packages (except Core) always version together at the same number.
-- **Linked group** – `@adobe/spectrum-wc` and `@adobe/spectrum-wc-core` receive the same bump type when either changes.
-- **Ignored** – The workspace root packages (`@spectrum-web-components/1st-gen`, `@spectrum-web-components/2nd-gen`) are never published.
+- **Fixed group** (1st-gen) – All `@spectrum-web-components/*` packages always version together at the same number.
+- **Linked group** (2nd-gen) – `@adobe/spectrum-wc` and `@adobe/spectrum-wc-core` receive the same bump type when either changes.
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTOR-DOCS/01_contributor-guides/15_changelog-strategy.md b/CONTRIBUTOR-DOCS/01_contributor-guides/15_changelog-strategy.md
index e969efc9d77..9fe44d05d0e 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTOR-DOCS/01_contributor-guides/15_changelog-strategy.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTOR-DOCS/01_contributor-guides/15_changelog-strategy.md
@@ -42,14 +42,14 @@ That's it. Component name in backticks, em dash, consumer-facing description. Yo
 
 ## Writing a changeset
 
-Run `yarn changeset` to start the interactive CLI. It will list every package in the monorepo. For 2nd-gen work, select one of these two packages:
+Run `yarn changeset:2nd-gen` to start the interactive CLI, scoped to 2nd-gen's own changesets folder (`2nd-gen/.changeset/`). It will list 2nd-gen's packages; select one of these two:
 
 | Package | When to select |
 |---|---|
 | `@adobe/spectrum-wc` | Any component change (new component, feature, bug fix) |
 | `@adobe/spectrum-wc-core` | Changes to shared core logic (mixins, controllers, base classes) |
 
-Skip all `@spectrum-web-components/*` 1st-gen packages — those follow a separate process. If your PR changes both core and a component, run `yarn changeset` twice and create one changeset for each package.
+1st-gen (`@spectrum-web-components/*`) has its own separate changesets setup in `1st-gen/.changeset/` (`yarn changeset:1st-gen`) and follows a separate process. If your PR changes both core and a component, run `yarn changeset:2nd-gen` twice and create one changeset for each package.
 
 After selecting the package, choose a bump type, then write the body using the format above.
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ Bump types follow [semantic versioning](https://semver.org/) — the version num
 ### Rules
 
 - **One changeset per PR** is the default. Most PRs touch a single component and need a single changeset. Create multiple changesets only when the PR contains changes with different bump types (e.g., a minor addition and a patch fix).
-- **Select the right package** in the changeset frontmatter. The `linked` config in `.changeset/config.json` keeps `@adobe/spectrum-wc` and `@adobe/spectrum-wc-core` at the same version automatically — you only need to list the one you touched:
+- **Select the right package** in the changeset frontmatter. The `linked` config in `2nd-gen/.changeset/config.json` keeps `@adobe/spectrum-wc` and `@adobe/spectrum-wc-core` at the same version automatically — you only need to list the one you touched:
 
   | What changed | Frontmatter |
   |---|---|
@@ -169,6 +169,6 @@ Each entry is automatically prefixed with the PR link and commit reference by `@
 
 ## How it works
 
-`.changeset/config.json` uses `@changesets/changelog-github` with `disableThanks: true`. This is the standard changesets GitHub changelog generator — it auto-prepends the PR link and commit reference to each entry, groups entries by bump type (`### Minor Changes`, `### Patch Changes`), and handles version headings. The `disableThanks` option suppresses the `Thanks @author!` attribution so entries stay focused on the change itself.
+`2nd-gen/.changeset/config.json` uses `@changesets/changelog-github` with `disableThanks: true`. This is the standard changesets GitHub changelog generator — it auto-prepends the PR link and commit reference to each entry, groups entries by bump type (`### Minor Changes`, `### Patch Changes`), and handles version headings. The `disableThanks` option suppresses the `Thanks @author!` attribution so entries stay focused on the change itself.
 
 No custom scripts are involved. The changeset body you write is preserved as-is; changesets handles all formatting and collation.
diff --git a/lint-staged.config.js b/lint-staged.config.js
index 7fc3a6d2767..ea0294dd608 100644
--- a/lint-staged.config.js
+++ b/lint-staged.config.js
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ export default {
     'yarn install --refresh-lockfile',
     'git add 1st-gen/tools/base/src/version.ts 2nd-gen/packages/core/element/version.ts yarn.lock',
   ],
-  '.changeset/*.md': ['node 1st-gen/scripts/escape-changelog-tags.js'],
+  '{1st-gen,2nd-gen}/.changeset/*.md': [
+    'node 1st-gen/scripts/escape-changelog-tags.js',
+  ],
   '!(*.css|*.ts)': [
     'prettier --cache --no-error-on-unmatched-pattern --ignore-unknown --log-level silent --write',
   ],
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 61b121fcb5f..baee4a307b7 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
     "lint:eslint": "echo 'Linting with ESLint...' && eslint ${LINT_PATH:-.} --cache",
     "lint:prettier": "echo 'Linting with Prettier...' && prettier ${LINT_PATH:-.} --cache --check",
     "lint:styles": "echo 'Linting with Stylelint...' && stylelint '${LINT_PATH:+$LINT_PATH/**/*.css}${LINT_PATH:-**/*.css}' --cache --allow-empty-input",
+    "changeset:1st-gen": "cd 1st-gen && yarn changeset",
+    "changeset:2nd-gen": "cd 2nd-gen && yarn changeset",
     "postinstall": "husky || true",
     "publish": "node ./scripts/publish.js",
     "publish:snapshot": "node ./scripts/publish.js --tag snapshot",
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 8c97fe53871..2062248edd6 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -6775,6 +6775,8 @@ __metadata:
   version: 0.0.0-use.local
   resolution: "@spectrum-web-components/2nd-gen@workspace:2nd-gen"
   dependencies:
+    "@changesets/changelog-github": "npm:0.5.1"
+    "@changesets/cli": "npm:2.29.7"
     "@storybook/addon-vitest": "npm:10.3.5"
     eslint: "npm:9.39.2"
     eslint-plugin-simple-import-sort: "npm:12.1.1"