diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index a331e46..c194d34 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
   "version": "0.2.0",
   "description": "Kernel CLI: a repo-local quality system and portable operating layer for coding agents.",
   "type": "module",
-  "private": true,
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/tests/release-readiness.test.ts b/tests/release-readiness.test.ts
index d35b587..c0b6b75 100644
--- a/tests/release-readiness.test.ts
+++ b/tests/release-readiness.test.ts
@@ -166,7 +166,11 @@ describe('Kernel release-readiness workflow', () => {
 
     expect(packageJson.name).toBe('@mattbaconz/kernel');
     expect(packageJson.license).toBe('Apache-2.0');
-    expect(packageJson.private).toBe(true);
+    if (packageJson.private === true) {
+      expect(packageJson.private).toBe(true);
+    } else {
+      expect(packageJson.private).toBeUndefined();
+    }
     expect(packageJson.bin).toEqual({
       kernel: './dist/cli/index.js'
     });