diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-x.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-x.yml
index 1872939..2b3a702 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-x.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-x.yml
@@ -105,12 +105,57 @@ jobs:
           persist-credentials: false
           fetch-depth: 0
 
+      - name: Check X publisher configuration
+        id: x_config
+        shell: bash
+        env:
+          X_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.X_API_KEY }}
+          X_API_KEY_SECRET: ${{ secrets.X_API_KEY_SECRET }}
+          X_ACCESS_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.X_ACCESS_TOKEN }}
+          X_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET: ${{ secrets.X_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET }}
+          X_ACCOUNT_USER_ID: ${{ vars.X_ACCOUNT_USER_ID }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+
+          names=(
+            X_API_KEY
+            X_API_KEY_SECRET
+            X_ACCESS_TOKEN
+            X_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET
+            X_ACCOUNT_USER_ID
+          )
+          configured=0
+          missing=()
+
+          for name in "${names[@]}"; do
+            if [[ -n "${!name:-}" ]]; then
+              ((configured += 1))
+            else
+              missing+=("$name")
+            fi
+          done
+
+          if ((configured == 0)); then
+            echo "enabled=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "::notice::X publication is disabled because its protected environment has not been configured."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+
+          if ((${#missing[@]} != 0)); then
+            printf '::error::X publisher configuration is incomplete; missing: %s.\n' "${missing[*]}"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          echo "enabled=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
       - name: Setup .NET SDK
+        if: ${{ steps.x_config.outputs.enabled == 'true' }}
         uses: actions/setup-dotnet@a98b56852c35b8e3190ac28c8c2271da59106c68 # v6.0.0
         with:
           global-json-file: global.json
 
       - name: Resolve deployed publication boundary
+        if: ${{ steps.x_config.outputs.enabled == 'true' }}
         id: publication
         shell: bash
         env:
@@ -144,6 +189,7 @@ jobs:
           echo "deployed_revision=$deployed_revision" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
       - name: Prepare durable publisher state worktree
+        if: ${{ steps.x_config.outputs.enabled == 'true' }}
         id: state
         shell: bash
         env:
@@ -161,6 +207,7 @@ jobs:
           echo "directory=$state_directory" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
       - name: Publish and record receipts
+        if: ${{ steps.x_config.outputs.enabled == 'true' }}
         env:
           X_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.X_API_KEY }}
           X_API_KEY_SECRET: ${{ secrets.X_API_KEY_SECRET }}
@@ -178,6 +225,7 @@ jobs:
           --account-id "$X_ACCOUNT_USER_ID"
 
       - name: Persist receipts and checkpoint
+        if: ${{ steps.x_config.outputs.enabled == 'true' }}
         shell: bash
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
diff --git a/X_PUBLISHING.md b/X_PUBLISHING.md
index 0d0ba7e..04d60bb 100644
--- a/X_PUBLISHING.md
+++ b/X_PUBLISHING.md
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ modify `feed.xml`.
    `automation/x-publisher-state` at the currently deployed revision. That first
    run intentionally does not backfill the existing archive.
 
+When all five settings are absent, automatic publication reports a notice and
+exits successfully so the optional integration does not make documentation
+publication appear to fail. A partially configured environment fails with the
+names of the missing settings; it never silently disables a broken live setup.
+
 Do not place OAuth credentials in repository variables, source, workflow input,
 logs, issues, or pull requests. The production API root is fixed in the tool and
 cannot be overridden by repository or workflow input.