diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/python-publish.yml
index d91bb058b..048e70707 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-publish.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     paths:
       - .github/workflows/python-publish.yml
+      - ci/check_wheel.py
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       mode:
@@ -18,12 +19,13 @@ on:
           - dry_run
           - release
 
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
 jobs:
-  publish:
+  build-linux:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    permissions:
-      id-token: write
-      contents: read
+    timeout-minutes: 60
     env:
       CARGO_TERM_COLOR: always
       RUSTFLAGS: "-C debuginfo=1"
@@ -64,13 +66,83 @@ jobs:
       - name: Upload distributions
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
-          name: python-dist
+          name: python-dist-linux
           path: python/dist
+          if-no-files-found: error
 
-      - name: Publish to PyPI
-        if: >
-          (github.event_name == 'release' && github.event.action == 'released') ||
-          (github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && github.event.inputs.mode == 'release')
-        working-directory: python
+  build-macos:
+    # Same native Apple Silicon runner used by pylance.
+    runs-on: warp-macos-14-arm64-6x
+    timeout-minutes: 60
+    env:
+      CARGO_TERM_COLOR: always
+      CARGO_INCREMENTAL: "0"
+      MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET: "11.0"
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.13"
+
+      - name: Install system dependencies
+        run: brew install protobuf
+
+      - name: Install uv
+        uses: astral-sh/setup-uv@v4
+
+      - name: Build Apple Silicon wheel
+        # Match pylance's native macOS build action.
+        uses: PyO3/maturin-action@04ac600d27cdf7a9a280dadf7147097c42b757ad # v1
+        with:
+          command: build
+          rust-toolchain: stable
+          args: --release --strip --target aarch64-apple-darwin --interpreter python --out dist
+          working-directory: python
+
+      - name: Test installed wheel without Rust
+        shell: bash
         run: |
-          uv publish --trusted-publishing always
+          # Match the test-data writer to the Rust reader; constrain CI only.
+          UV_BIN="$(command -v uv)"
+          for version in 3.11 3.12; do
+            environment="$RUNNER_TEMP/wheel-test-$version"
+            "$UV_BIN" venv --python "$version" "$environment"
+            PATH="$environment/bin:/usr/bin:/bin" "$UV_BIN" pip install \
+              --python "$environment/bin/python" --only-binary=:all: \
+              python/dist/*.whl "pylance>=1.0.0,<2"
+            PATH="$environment/bin:/usr/bin:/bin" "$environment/bin/python" \
+              -I ci/check_wheel.py
+          done
+
+      - name: Upload distributions
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: python-dist-macos-aarch64
+          path: python/dist/*.whl
+          if-no-files-found: error
+
+  publish:
+    needs: [build-linux, build-macos]
+    if: >
+      (github.event_name == 'release' && github.event.action == 'released') ||
+      (github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && github.event.inputs.mode == 'release')
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      id-token: write
+      contents: read
+    steps:
+      - name: Download distributions
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          pattern: python-dist-*
+          path: dist
+          merge-multiple: true
+
+      - name: Install uv
+        uses: astral-sh/setup-uv@v4
+
+      - name: Publish to PyPI
+        run: uv publish --trusted-publishing always
diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-test.yml b/.github/workflows/python-test.yml
index ee5c92d85..70f3fbe52 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-test.yml
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ jobs:
           source .venv/bin/activate
           uv pip install maturin[patchelf]
           # Install test dependencies only (skip editable install to avoid double-building Rust)
-          uv pip install pytest pyarrow pandas ruff
+          # Match test-data writers to the Rust Lance 1.x reader.
+          uv pip install pytest pyarrow pandas ruff "pylance>=1.0.0,<2"
       - name: Build Python extension
         working-directory: python
         run: |
diff --git a/ci/check_wheel.py b/ci/check_wheel.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1c7460c17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/check_wheel.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright The Lance Authors
+
+"""Exercise the installed binary wheel outside the source tree, without Rust."""
+
+import importlib.metadata
+import shutil
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory
+
+import pyarrow as pa
+from lance import write_dataset
+from lance_graph import CypherQuery, DirNamespace, GraphConfig, SqlQuery, _internal
+
+
+def main():
+    assert sys.prefix != sys.base_prefix, "Use a clean virtual environment"
+    assert shutil.which("cargo") is None, "Remove Cargo from the smoke-test PATH"
+    assert shutil.which("rustc") is None, "Remove rustc from the smoke-test PATH"
+    extension = Path(_internal.__file__).resolve()
+    assert extension.is_relative_to(Path(sys.prefix).resolve()), extension
+    assert extension.suffix == ".so", "Expected the installed native extension"
+
+    people = pa.table({"id": [1, 2, 3], "name": ["Alice", "Bob", "Carol"]})
+    knows = pa.table({"source": [1, 2], "target": [2, 3]})
+    config = (
+        GraphConfig.builder()
+        .with_node_label("Person", "id")
+        .with_relationship("KNOWS", "source", "target")
+        .build()
+    )
+    query = CypherQuery(
+        "MATCH (a:Person)-[:KNOWS]->(b:Person)-[:KNOWS]->(c:Person) "
+        "WHERE a.id = 1 RETURN b.name AS friend, c.name AS friend_of_friend"
+    ).with_config(config)
+    expected = [{"friend": "Bob", "friend_of_friend": "Carol"}]
+    assert query.execute({"Person": people, "KNOWS": knows}).to_pylist() == expected
+    with TemporaryDirectory() as root:
+        write_dataset(people, Path(root) / "Person.lance")
+        write_dataset(knows, Path(root) / "KNOWS.lance")
+        assert query.execute_with_namespace(DirNamespace(root)).to_pylist() == expected
+    assert SqlQuery("SELECT COUNT(*) AS count FROM people").execute(
+        {"people": people}
+    ).to_pylist() == [{"count": 3}]
+    print(
+        f"Installed lance-graph {importlib.metadata.version('lance-graph')} wheel "
+        f"passed Cypher and SQL checks on Python {sys.version.split()[0]} without Rust"
+    )
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/python/README.md b/python/README.md
index 520d8f279..b4d2cc87a 100644
--- a/python/README.md
+++ b/python/README.md
@@ -15,6 +15,26 @@ Lance Graph combines a Rust-powered Cypher query engine with Python APIs for:
 pip install lance-graph
 ```
 
+The Python release workflow builds Linux x86-64 and native Apple Silicon wheels.
+Installing a version with a wheel for your platform does not require Rust:
+
+```bash
+pip install --only-binary=:all: lance-graph
+```
+
+The binary-only option fails if that version has no compatible wheel, rather than
+compiling during installation. Earlier releases may not include the Apple Silicon
+wheel; check the selected release's files on PyPI. Rust and maturin are needed
+only when building from source.
+
+Release-workflow pull requests and manual `dry_run` builds produce downloadable
+workflow artifacts without publishing. Release runs publish the Linux distributions
+and the tested Apple Silicon wheel together after both builds succeed. The macOS wheel is tested
+in clean Python 3.11 and 3.12 environments with Rust absent from PATH, using actual
+in-memory and disk-backed Cypher traversal and SQL execution from the installed
+extension. CI uses a Lance 1.x test-data writer to match the embedded Rust reader;
+this test constraint does not change the package runtime requirements.
+
 ## Quick Start
 
 ### 1. Simple Cypher Query