diff --git a/.github/workflows/image-lane.yml b/.github/workflows/image-lane.yml
index ad14785..84c0700 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/image-lane.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/image-lane.yml
@@ -59,6 +59,13 @@ on:
           and refuses anything else, so mutable names like `latest` cannot be published.
         required: true
         type: string
+      source-sha:
+        description: >-
+          Exact source commit to build when a verified commit dispatches the lane after main has moved.
+          Empty uses the triggering commit. The checkout and evidence use this same revision.
+        required: false
+        type: string
+        default: ""
       lane-ref:
         description: >-
           Optional ref of this lane repository to check out for the lane's own tooling. Leave empty to use
@@ -248,7 +255,7 @@ jobs:
       # Pinned to the exact built source SHA, not the moving ref tip.
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
-          ref: ${{ github.sha }}
+          ref: ${{ inputs.source-sha || github.sha }}
           persist-credentials: false
 
       - name: Check out this lane
@@ -293,7 +300,7 @@ jobs:
           LANE_PLATFORMS: ${{ inputs.platforms }}
           LANE_DOCKERFILE: ${{ inputs.dockerfile }}
           LANE_CONTEXT: ${{ inputs.context }}
-          LANE_SOURCE_SHA: ${{ github.sha }}
+          LANE_SOURCE_SHA: ${{ inputs.source-sha || github.sha }}
           LANE_RUN_ID: ${{ github.run_id }}
           LANE_RUN_ATTEMPT: ${{ github.run_attempt }}
           LANE_EVIDENCE_TAG_PREFIX: ${{ inputs.evidence-tag-prefix }}
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 819ae4f..915e64a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ Reusable workflows are in [.github/workflows](.github/workflows); the CI fast-pa
 [disarm-auto-merge-on-push](docs/disarm-automerge-on-push.md) clears an
 arm predating a new push without dequeuing an entry already on that head.
 
+The image lane accepts `source-sha` for post-verification dispatches. Pass the
+verified commit both as `source-sha` and `tag`; checkout and build evidence bind
+that commit even when the dispatch runs after `main` advances. An omitted
+`source-sha` keeps the triggering commit as the source.
+
 ## Repository settings
 
 Company repositories delete a pull request's head branch when it merges
diff --git a/tests/test_image_lane_tools.py b/tests/test_image_lane_tools.py
index 5ed9155..f3ab84c 100644
--- a/tests/test_image_lane_tools.py
+++ b/tests/test_image_lane_tools.py
@@ -41,6 +41,16 @@ def segment(value: dict) -> str:
 
     return f"{segment({'alg': 'ES256'})}.{segment(claims)}.signature"
 
+class ImageLaneSourceContractTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_dispatched_source_binds_checkout_and_evidence(self) -> None:
+        workflow = (ROOT / ".github/workflows/image-lane.yml").read_text()
+        source = "${{ inputs.source-sha || github.sha }}"
+        self.assertIn("      source-sha:\n", workflow)
+        self.assertIn(f"          ref: {source}\n", workflow)
+        self.assertIn(f"          LANE_SOURCE_SHA: {source}\n", workflow)
+        self.assertNotIn("          LANE_SOURCE_SHA: ${{ github.sha }}", workflow)
+
+
 
 class SplitImageReferenceTests(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_splits_host_and_repository(self) -> None: