diff --git a/.github/workflows/agent-marketplace-release.yaml b/.github/workflows/agent-marketplace-release.yaml
index 05ba511..dc7c805 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/agent-marketplace-release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/agent-marketplace-release.yaml
@@ -107,8 +107,9 @@ on:
         default: false
       npm_package_name:
         description: >-
-          Scoped npm package name, for example `@acme/agent-skills`. The scope must
-          match the registry owner. Required when publish_npm is enabled.
+          Scoped npm package name, for example `@acme/agent-skills`. A scope is
+          required because it is what routes installs to the registry, but it does
+          not have to match the registry owner. Required when publish_npm is enabled.
         required: false
         type: string
         default: ""
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2176d03..d23d7cf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@ Notes:
   the two can never drift apart
 - `package.json` is generated at publish time with the release version, which
   keeps it in step with the plugin manifest versions that release-please bumps
-- `npm_package_name` must be scoped, and the scope must match the registry owner
+- `npm_package_name` must be scoped, because the scope is what routes installs to
+  the registry in `.npmrc`. The scope does not have to match the registry owner:
+  Gitea's own example maps an `@test` scope to a `testuser` registry URL
 - `NPM_TOKEN` is used when set; otherwise `GITEA_TOKEN` is reused
 - publishing fails if any released path is absent from the packed tarball, which
   guards against npm's ignore rules silently dropping `.agents/` or