diff --git a/bin/omarchy-update-pacman b/bin/omarchy-update-pacman
index c9273f3c..6d3a6c4c 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy-update-pacman
+++ b/bin/omarchy-update-pacman
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ query_args=()
 declare -A firmware_targets needed_options
 sync=0 upgrades=0 ask_bits=0 repair_reboot=0
 noninteractive=0
+install_operation=1
 operand="" option=""
 end_options=0
 separator_index=""
@@ -40,6 +41,9 @@ for index in "${!pacman_args[@]}"; do
     --sysupgrade) ((upgrades += 1)) ;;
     --noconfirm) noninteractive=1 ;;
     --confirm) noninteractive=0 ;;
+    --print|--downloadonly) install_operation=0 ;;
+    --print-format) install_operation=0; operand=skip ;;
+    --print-format=*) install_operation=0 ;;
     --ask) operand=ask ;;
     --ask=*)
       mask=${arg#*=}
@@ -55,6 +59,7 @@ for index in "${!pacman_args[@]}"; do
     --*) ;;
     -*)
       [[ $arg != *S* ]] || sync=1
+      [[ $arg != *p* && $arg != *w* ]] || install_operation=0
       upgrade_flags=${arg//[^u]/}
       ((upgrades += ${#upgrade_flags}))
       ;;
@@ -111,11 +116,13 @@ fi
 
 if (( repair_reboot )); then
   sudo env "${env_args[@]}" "${scope[@]}" pacman "${pacman_args[@]}" || exit $?
+  (( install_operation )) || exit 0
   cirrus_package=$(pacman "${query_args[@]}" -Q linux-firmware-cirrus 2>/dev/null || true)
   if [[ -n $cirrus_package ]] && (( $(vercmp "${cirrus_package#* }" "20260810-3") >= 0 )); then
     omarchy-state set reboot-required
   else
-    echo "Speaker firmware was not repaired; check the transaction's package exclusions." >&2
+    echo "Speaker firmware requires linux-firmware-cirrus>=20260810-3. Check package exclusions and retry the update." >&2
+    exit 1
   fi
 else
   exec sudo env "${env_args[@]}" "${scope[@]}" pacman "${pacman_args[@]}"
diff --git a/test/shell.d/xps13-ptl-firmware-retention-test.sh b/test/shell.d/xps13-ptl-firmware-retention-test.sh
index 418276eb..771d5509 100755
--- a/test/shell.d/xps13-ptl-firmware-retention-test.sh
+++ b/test/shell.d/xps13-ptl-firmware-retention-test.sh
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@ CONF
 }
 run_transaction() {
   local status=0
+  if [[ ${RETENTION_SIMULATE_SUCCESS:-0} != 1 && ${RETENTION_INSTALL_NO_CHANGE:-0} != 1 ]]; then
+    set -- --print "$@"
+  fi
   PATH="$test_tmp/bin:$PATH" "$ROOT/bin/omarchy-update-pacman" "$@" >"$test_tmp/result" 2>"$test_tmp/errors" || status=$?
   (( status == 0 )) || cat "$test_tmp/errors" >&2
   return "$status"
@@ -204,3 +207,19 @@ pass "a final --confirm keeps the interactive question policy"
 run_transaction -Su --confirm --noconfirm
 [[ $(sed -n '/^--ask$/{n;p;}' "$test_tmp/transaction-args") == 1 ]] || fail "a final --noconfirm keeps noninteractive exclusions"
 pass "a final --noconfirm keeps noninteractive exclusions"
+reset_fixture 20260810-2
+status=0
+RETENTION_INSTALL_NO_CHANGE=1 run_transaction -Su --noconfirm || status=$?
+[[ $status == 1 && ! -e $test_tmp/state && $(<"$test_tmp/errors") == *'Check package exclusions and retry'* ]] ||
+  fail "an excluded or declined installation cannot report a successful firmware repair"
+pass "an excluded or declined installation fails without bypassing exclusions or requesting reboot"
+for print_option in -Sup -Suw --print --downloadonly '--print-format=%n'; do
+  reset_fixture 20260810-2
+  if [[ $print_option == -S* ]]; then
+    RETENTION_INSTALL_NO_CHANGE=1 run_transaction "$print_option" --noconfirm
+  else
+    RETENTION_INSTALL_NO_CHANGE=1 run_transaction -Su --noconfirm "$print_option"
+  fi
+  [[ ! -e $test_tmp/state ]] || fail "non-install modes never request reboot"
+done
+pass "short, long and formatted print/download-only transactions remain successful without repair"