diff --git a/packages/gatekeeper/package.json b/packages/gatekeeper/package.json
index df340d8..359dfdd 100644
--- a/packages/gatekeeper/package.json
+++ b/packages/gatekeeper/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@mintel/gatekeeper",
-  "version": "1.7.11",
+  "version": "1.7.12",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/packages/gatekeeper/src/app/api/verify/route.ts b/packages/gatekeeper/src/app/api/verify/route.ts
index 3eb13f7..fcafa22 100644
--- a/packages/gatekeeper/src/app/api/verify/route.ts
+++ b/packages/gatekeeper/src/app/api/verify/route.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ export async function GET(req: NextRequest) {
 
   // 1. URL Parameter Bypass (for automated tests/staging)
   const originalUrl = req.headers.get("x-forwarded-uri") || "/";
+
+  console.log(`[Verify] Check: ${originalUrl} | Cookie: ${session ? "Found" : "Missing"}`);
   const host =
     req.headers.get("x-forwarded-host") || req.headers.get("host") || "";
   const proto = req.headers.get("x-forwarded-proto") || "https";
@@ -54,15 +56,17 @@ export async function GET(req: NextRequest) {
   if (session?.value) {
     if (session.value === password) {
       isAuthenticated = true;
+      console.log(`[Verify] Legacy password match`);
     } else {
       try {
         const payload = JSON.parse(session.value);
         if (payload.identity) {
           isAuthenticated = true;
           identity = payload.identity;
+          console.log(`[Verify] Identity verified: ${identity}`);
         }
       } catch (_e) {
-        // Fallback or old format
+        console.log(`[Verify] JSON Parse failed for cookie: ${session.value.substring(0, 10)}...`);
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/gatekeeper/src/app/login/page.tsx b/packages/gatekeeper/src/app/login/page.tsx
index 6d901fa..b343825 100644
--- a/packages/gatekeeper/src/app/login/page.tsx
+++ b/packages/gatekeeper/src/app/login/page.tsx
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ export default async function LoginPage({ searchParams }: LoginPageProps) {
     }
 
     if (userIdentity) {
+      console.log(`[Login] Success: ${userIdentity} | Redirect: ${targetRedirect}`);
       const cookieStore = await cookies();
       // Store identity in the cookie (simplified for now, ideally signed)
       const sessionValue = JSON.stringify({
@@ -126,6 +127,8 @@ export default async function LoginPage({ searchParams }: LoginPageProps) {
 
       const isDev = process.env.NODE_ENV === "development";
 
+      console.log(`[Login] Setting Cookie: ${authCookieName} | Domain: ${cookieDomain || "Default"}`);
+
       cookieStore.set(authCookieName, sessionValue, {
         httpOnly: true,
         secure: !isDev,
@@ -136,6 +139,7 @@ export default async function LoginPage({ searchParams }: LoginPageProps) {
       });
       redirect(targetRedirect);
     } else {
+      console.log(`[Login] Failed for inputs. Redirecting back with error.`);
       redirect(`/login?error=1&redirect=${encodeURIComponent(targetRedirect)}`);
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/infra/scripts/wait-for-upstream.sh b/packages/infra/scripts/wait-for-upstream.sh
index 6643078..e5fd763 100755
--- a/packages/infra/scripts/wait-for-upstream.sh
+++ b/packages/infra/scripts/wait-for-upstream.sh
@@ -28,20 +28,35 @@ echo "🔎 Searching for upstream release $TAG in $REPO..."
 # We look for runs on the specific ref (refs/tags/vX.Y.Z)
 RUN_QUERY=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: token $GITEA_TOKEN" "$GITEA_API/repos/$REPO/actions/runs?ref=refs/tags/$TAG")
 
-# Gitea returns a list of runs. We take the latest one.
-RUN_ID=$(echo "$RUN_QUERY" | jq -r '.workflow_runs[0].id')
+# Gitea returns a list of runs. We take the latest one by creation date.
+RUN_ID=$(echo "$RUN_QUERY" | jq -r '.workflow_runs | sort_by(.created_at) | last | .id // empty')
 
-if [[ "$RUN_ID" == "null" ]]; then
-  echo "⚠️ Warning: No active run found for tag $TAG in $REPO yet. Upstream might be lagging."
-  echo "   If this is a new tag, it might take a few seconds to appear."
-  # Optional: Wait a bit and try once more before failing
-  sleep 10
-  RUN_QUERY=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: token $GITEA_TOKEN" "$GITEA_API/repos/$REPO/actions/runs?ref=refs/tags/$TAG")
-  RUN_ID=$(echo "$RUN_QUERY" | jq -r '.workflow_runs[0].id')
+if [[ -z "$RUN_ID" || "$RUN_ID" == "null" ]]; then
+  echo "ℹ️ No recent action run found for tag $TAG in $REPO."
+  echo "🔎 Checking if tag $TAG exists in the repository..."
   
-  if [[ "$RUN_ID" == "null" ]]; then
-     echo "❌ Error: Could not find any action run for $TAG. Proceeding blindly or failing?"
-     # For safety, we fail if we explicitly requested a version that isn't building
+  TAG_EXISTS=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" -H "Authorization: token $GITEA_TOKEN" "$GITEA_API/repos/$REPO/tags/$TAG")
+  
+  if [[ "$TAG_EXISTS" == "200" ]]; then
+    echo "✅ Tag $TAG exists. Assuming it was released successfully in the past."
+    exit 0
+  fi
+
+  echo "⚠️ Warning: Tag $TAG not found either. Upstream might be lagging or the version is invalid."
+  echo "   Waiting 15s to see if it appears..."
+  sleep 15
+  
+  RUN_QUERY=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: token $GITEA_TOKEN" "$GITEA_API/repos/$REPO/actions/runs?ref=refs/tags/$TAG")
+  RUN_ID=$(echo "$RUN_QUERY" | jq -r '.workflow_runs[0].id // empty')
+  
+  if [[ -z "$RUN_ID" || "$RUN_ID" == "null" ]]; then
+     # Final check for tag
+     TAG_EXISTS=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" -H "Authorization: token $GITEA_TOKEN" "$GITEA_API/repos/$REPO/tags/$TAG")
+     if [[ "$TAG_EXISTS" == "200" ]]; then
+       echo "✅ Tag $TAG finally detected. Proceeding."
+       exit 0
+     fi
+     echo "❌ Error: Could not find any action run OR tag for $TAG in $REPO."
      exit 1
   fi
 fi