diff --git a/tests/test_release_console_security.py b/tests/test_release_console_security.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..451e61b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_release_console_security.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import sys
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+
+
+META_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+RELEASE_ROOT = META_ROOT / "tools" / "release"
+if str(RELEASE_ROOT) not in sys.path:
+    sys.path.insert(0, str(RELEASE_ROOT))
+
+from server.app import create_app  # noqa: E402
+
+
+class ReleaseConsoleSecurityTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_api_token_is_accepted_only_from_header(self) -> None:
+        with TestClient(create_app(workspace_root=META_ROOT, token="test-console-token")) as client:
+            query_response = client.get("/api/health?token=test-console-token")
+            header_response = client.get(
+                "/api/health",
+                headers={"X-Release-Console-Token": "test-console-token"},
+            )
+
+        self.assertEqual(query_response.status_code, 401)
+        self.assertEqual(header_response.status_code, 200)
+
+    def test_bootstrap_token_uses_and_clears_url_fragment(self) -> None:
+        launcher = (RELEASE_ROOT / "release-console.py").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        webui = (RELEASE_ROOT / "webui" / "index.html").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+
+        self.assertIn("#token={token}", launcher)
+        self.assertNotIn("?token={token}", launcher)
+        self.assertIn("window.location.hash.slice(1)", webui)
+        self.assertIn("history.replaceState", webui)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/tools/release/release-console.py b/tools/release/release-console.py
index 5d6eeb9..afc93fc 100644
--- a/tools/release/release-console.py
+++ b/tools/release/release-console.py
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@ def main() -> int:
     app = create_app(workspace_root=workspace_root, token=token)
     url = f"http://{args.host}:{args.port}/"
     if token:
-        url = f"{url}?token={token}"
+        # URL fragments are never sent in HTTP requests. The WebUI transfers
+        # this one-time bootstrap token to sessionStorage and clears the hash.
+        url = f"{url}#token={token}"
     print("GovOPlaN release console")
     print(f"  workspace: {workspace_root}")
     print(f"  url:       {url}")
diff --git a/tools/release/server/app.py b/tools/release/server/app.py
index bd34fd1..2f17154 100644
--- a/tools/release/server/app.py
+++ b/tools/release/server/app.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def create_app(*, workspace_root: Path = DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_ROOT, token: str | No
     @app.middleware("http")
     async def require_token(request: Request, call_next):  # type: ignore[no-untyped-def]
         if token and request.url.path.startswith("/api/"):
-            provided = request.headers.get("x-release-console-token") or request.query_params.get("token")
+            provided = request.headers.get("x-release-console-token")
             if provided != token:
                 return JSONResponse({"detail": "release console token required"}, status_code=401)
         return await call_next(request)
diff --git a/tools/release/webui/index.html b/tools/release/webui/index.html
index ca9dd08..7ada4dd 100644
--- a/tools/release/webui/index.html
+++ b/tools/release/webui/index.html
@@ -768,11 +768,15 @@
     </div>
 
     <script>
-      const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
-      const token = params.get("token") || sessionStorage.getItem("releaseConsoleToken") || "";
+      const fragmentParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.hash.slice(1));
+      const fragmentToken = fragmentParams.get("token") || "";
+      const token = fragmentToken || sessionStorage.getItem("releaseConsoleToken") || "";
       if (token) {
         sessionStorage.setItem("releaseConsoleToken", token);
       }
+      if (fragmentToken) {
+        history.replaceState(null, document.title, `${window.location.pathname}${window.location.search}`);
+      }
 
       const elements = {
         channel: document.getElementById("channel"),