diff --git a/actions/README.md b/actions/README.md
index 8d2d126..0f75fed 100644
--- a/actions/README.md
+++ b/actions/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ renamed repository still resolves), caches the install keyed on
 `(os, rev, rust-toolchain.toml)`, and runs the `component-test pins`
 gate over every declared lockfile — the one-rev-everywhere check. The
 Cargo.lock is the single source of truth; the action cannot be pointed
-at a different rev than the workspace builds against.
+at a different rev than the workspace builds against, and when the
+action itself is referenced by a 40-hex rev, a skewed `uses:` literal
+fails the run (branch/tag refs skip with a notice).
 
 ```yaml
 - uses: polymorph-components/polymorph-test/actions/setup@<rev>
diff --git a/actions/setup/action.yml b/actions/setup/action.yml
index 5f0a884..d6bf5a6 100644
--- a/actions/setup/action.yml
+++ b/actions/setup/action.yml
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@ runs:
       env:
         INPUT_CARGO_LOCK: ${{ inputs.cargo-lock }}
         INPUT_INSTALL_ROOT: ${{ inputs.install-root }}
+        # The ref this action was referenced by (`uses: ...@<ref>`):
+        # when it is a pinned revision it must be the Cargo.lock
+        # revision — the same skew the pins gate polices, applied to
+        # the action's own literal. Branch/tag/local refs skip with a
+        # notice.
+        ACTION_REF: ${{ github.action_ref }}
       run: |
         set -euo pipefail
         src=$(grep -m1 -A2 '^name = "component-test-sdk"' "$INPUT_CARGO_LOCK" | grep '^source = "git+' || true)
@@ -60,6 +66,14 @@ runs:
         fi
         url=$(printf '%s' "$src" | sed -E 's/^source = "git\+([^?]+)\?.*/\1/')
         rev=$(printf '%s' "$src" | grep -oE '[0-9a-f]{40}' | head -n1)
+        if printf '%s' "${ACTION_REF:-}" | grep -qE '^[0-9a-f]{40}$'; then
+          if [ "$ACTION_REF" != "$rev" ]; then
+            echo "::error title=component-test setup::action ref $ACTION_REF is not the Cargo.lock pin $rev (bump the uses: ref with the pin)" >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+        else
+          echo "::notice title=component-test setup::action ref '${ACTION_REF:-<empty>}' is not a pinned revision; skipping the ref check"
+        fi
         {
           echo "rev=$rev"
           echo "url=$url"