diff --git a/PRODUCTION_READINESS.md b/PRODUCTION_READINESS.md
index 9c6fe470..b26e4bd6 100644
--- a/PRODUCTION_READINESS.md
+++ b/PRODUCTION_READINESS.md
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ Date: 2026-06-08.
 - Windows local autostart was repaired on 2026-06-10 with `scripts/repair-windows-autostart.ps1 -Launch`: the HKCU Run key `QSfera` points to the Craft runtime `bin\qsfera.exe`, required Qt6 runtime DLLs are present there, and `qsfera.exe` started from that path.
 - Windows tray "Show" now brings the settings window to the foreground after restoring it to an available screen. The same `Application::showSettings()` path is used by tray menu actions and `qsfera.exe --show`, and Win32 window enumeration on 2026-06-10 reported `Visible=True`, `Foreground=True`, title `КуСфера`.
 - Windows Desktop now has repeatable local packaging and feed-publication scripts. `scripts/package-windows-desktop.ps1` produced a smoke-tested `4.0.0` x64 package with Qt/MSVC runtime files; `scripts/publish-windows-desktop.ps1` generated a valid local `stable.xml` feed for that MSI and refuses remote publication unless the MSI is Authenticode-signed.
+- Windows Desktop packaging now fails before ZIP/MSI creation if the staged app is missing critical Qt6/MSVC/OpenSSL DLLs, the Qt platform plugin, QSfera VFS plugins, QML import manifests, or `qt.conf` runtime path entries; it also smoke-starts the staged `qsfera.exe --version` from the staged working directory.
 - Added `scripts/verify-production-state.ps1` as a repeatable live production endpoint gate for the public server status, Android Argus manifest/download, and Desktop update feed.
 - `scripts/verify-production-state.ps1 -VerifyAndroidDownload` passed on 2026-06-10: server `edition=stable`/`productversion=7.0.0`, Android `1.3.12`/`40`, downloaded APK size `12237552`, APK SHA-256 `279d00c6a43072caa0b26269f547fb0dc3268088aae5cd9f4ccfbbb485c35ded`, and valid Desktop no-update feed.
 - `scripts/verify-production-state.ps1 -VerifyAndroidDownload` passed on 2026-06-12: server `edition=stable`/`productversion=7.0.0`, Android `1.3.13`/`41`, downloaded APK size `12261408`, APK SHA-256 `f065e6584e6a09999e72ba0eeeaae903e93fb8980a0426e4b39b5e2366bf6611`, and valid Desktop no-update feed.
diff --git a/scripts/package-windows-desktop.ps1 b/scripts/package-windows-desktop.ps1
index 57fd5d72..aea5a381 100644
--- a/scripts/package-windows-desktop.ps1
+++ b/scripts/package-windows-desktop.ps1
@@ -63,6 +63,64 @@ function Copy-DirectoryIfPresent([string]$Source, [string]$Destination) {
     Copy-Item -Path (Join-Path $Source "*") -Destination $Destination -Recurse -Force
 }
 
+function Assert-StageFile([string]$StageDirectory, [string]$RelativePath) {
+    $path = Join-Path $StageDirectory $RelativePath
+    if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $path)) {
+        Fail "Packaged runtime file is missing: $path"
+    }
+
+    if ((Get-Item -LiteralPath $path).Length -le 0) {
+        Fail "Packaged runtime file is empty: $path"
+    }
+}
+
+function Assert-WindowsRuntimeStage([string]$StageDirectory) {
+    $criticalFiles = @(
+        "qsfera.exe",
+        "qt.conf",
+        "Qt6Core.dll",
+        "Qt6Gui.dll",
+        "Qt6Widgets.dll",
+        "Qt6Network.dll",
+        "Qt6Qml.dll",
+        "Qt6Quick.dll",
+        "Qt6QuickControls2.dll",
+        "qt6keychain.dll",
+        "kdsingleapplication-qt6.dll",
+        "libcrypto-3-x64.dll",
+        "libssl-3-x64.dll",
+        "plugins\platforms\qwindows.dll",
+        "plugins\tls\qschannelbackend.dll",
+        "plugins\QSfera_vfs_cfapi.dll",
+        "plugins\QSfera_vfs_off.dll",
+        "qml\eu\QSfera\gui\qmldir",
+        "qml\QtQuick\Controls\qmldir"
+    )
+
+    foreach ($file in $criticalFiles) {
+        Assert-StageFile -StageDirectory $StageDirectory -RelativePath $file
+    }
+
+    $qtConf = Get-Content -LiteralPath (Join-Path $StageDirectory "qt.conf") -Raw -Encoding ASCII
+    foreach ($entry in @("Plugins=plugins", "Qml2Imports=qml", "Translations=translations")) {
+        if (-not $qtConf.Contains($entry)) {
+            Fail "qt.conf does not contain required entry '$entry'."
+        }
+    }
+
+    Push-Location $StageDirectory
+    try {
+        $versionOutput = & (Join-Path $StageDirectory "qsfera.exe") --version 2>&1
+        if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+            Fail "Packaged qsfera.exe failed to start from the staging directory. Output: $($versionOutput | Out-String)"
+        }
+    } finally {
+        Pop-Location
+    }
+
+    Write-Output "OK: packaged Windows runtime contains required Qt/MSVC/OpenSSL files and qsfera.exe --version starts from the staging directory."
+}
+
 function ConvertTo-WixIdentifier([string]$Prefix, [string]$Value) {
     $normalized = ($Value -replace '[^A-Za-z0-9_]', '_')
     if ($normalized.Length -gt 60) {
@@ -312,6 +370,8 @@ Qml2Imports=qml
 Translations=translations
 "@ | Set-Content -LiteralPath (Join-Path $StageDirectory "qt.conf") -Encoding ASCII
 
+Assert-WindowsRuntimeStage -StageDirectory $StageDirectory
+
 Remove-PathWithRetry $zipPath
 Compress-ArchiveWithRetry -SourcePath (Join-Path $StageDirectory "*") -DestinationPath $zipPath