diff --git a/.azure-pipelines/ci-build-production.yml b/.azure-pipelines/ci-build-production.yml
index 227c1206e..8a11e66dc 100644
--- a/.azure-pipelines/ci-build-production.yml
+++ b/.azure-pipelines/ci-build-production.yml
@@ -120,11 +120,6 @@ extends:
                 - input: pipelineArtifact
                   artifactName: sdk-build
                   targetPath: $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)/npm
-              outputs:
-                - output: pipelineArtifact
-                  displayName: Publish release-drop
-                  artifactName: release-drop
-                  targetPath: $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)/npm
             strategy:
               runOnce:
                 deploy:
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 818bace58..867d44457 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -142,15 +142,15 @@ The Azure DevOps production pipeline in `.azure-pipelines/ci-build-production.ym
 
 The release flow follows the [TypeScript SDK's Azure release pipeline](https://github.com/microsoftgraph/msgraph-sdk-typescript/blob/main/.azure-pipelines/release.yml): build and pack npm tarballs, then deploy those tarballs through ESRP. Version bumps and release tags remain explicit; this repository does not adopt the TypeScript SDK's Release Please automation.
 
-The **Build** stage tests the SDK on Windows with Node.js 22, 24, and 26, and builds the production SDK on Linux with Node.js 22. It runs `npm pack --ignore-scripts` to package the built SDK without invoking the `prepack` hook, which would otherwise reinstall dependencies, rebuild, and rerun tests. The intermediate `sdk-build` Pipeline Artifact contains the npm tarball, not a source-directory snapshot. Pushes to `main` run this stage without publishing to npm or creating `release-drop`.
+The **Build** stage tests the SDK on Windows with Node.js 22, 24, and 26, and builds the production SDK on Linux with Node.js 22. It runs `npm pack --ignore-scripts` to package the built SDK without invoking the `prepack` hook, which would otherwise reinstall dependencies, rebuild, and rerun tests. The `sdk-build` Pipeline Artifact contains the packed `.tgz` npm tarball, not a source-directory snapshot. Pushes to `main` run this stage without publishing to npm.
 
-To validate the migration before merging, manually queue **Graph JS SDK Build pipeline** against the PR branch. Manual runs never deploy to npm or publish `release-drop`, including manual runs targeting a tag. An Azure DevOps administrator may need to authorize the `1ESPipelineTemplates/1ESPipelineTemplates` repository and the `Azure-Pipelines-1ESPT-ExDShared` pool for this pipeline. Confirm that the pool provides the Windows and Ubuntu images used here, including Chrome for the Windows browser tests, and that the template's SDL checks pass. Download `sdk-build` and inspect/install the tarball in a clean consumer project before releasing.
+To validate the migration before merging, manually queue **Graph JS SDK Build pipeline** against the PR branch. Manual runs remain build-only and never deploy to npm, including manual runs targeting a tag. An Azure DevOps administrator may need to authorize the `1ESPipelineTemplates/1ESPipelineTemplates` repository and the `Azure-Pipelines-1ESPT-ExDShared` pool for this pipeline. Confirm that the pool provides the Windows and Ubuntu images used here, including Chrome for the Windows browser tests, and that the template's SDL checks pass. Download `sdk-build` and inspect/install the tarball in a clean consumer project before releasing.
 
-After a successful validation and merge to `main`, push a release tag in the `vX.X.X` format whose numeric version matches `package.json`, such as `v3.1.0`, on the intended release commit. The tag trigger uses Azure's `v*.*.*` wildcard filter, not a regular expression. A build-time equality check additionally requires the entire tag to equal `v` followed by the package version before packing. It does not independently validate semantic-version syntax. Unprefixed tag pushes do not trigger a release. The separate **Publish** stage runs only after the build and tests succeed, and only for CI runs triggered by a `v`-prefixed tag push. Its production deployment job downloads the same `sdk-build` tarball and submits it to `EsrpRelease@9` for npm package distribution. It also publishes the tarball as `release-drop`; neither packing nor building runs again during deployment. Creating or pushing a release tag is a release action; do not do so for build-only validation.
+After a successful validation and merge to `main`, push a release tag in the `vX.X.X` format whose numeric version matches `package.json`, such as `v3.1.0`, on the intended release commit. The tag trigger uses Azure's `v*.*.*` wildcard filter, not a regular expression. A build-time equality check additionally requires the entire tag to equal `v` followed by the package version before packing. It does not independently validate semantic-version syntax. Unprefixed tag pushes do not trigger a release. The separate **Publish** stage runs only after the build and tests succeed, and only for CI runs triggered by a `v`-prefixed tag push. Its production deployment job consumes the same `sdk-build` tarball and submits it to `EsrpRelease@9` for npm package distribution. The 1ES release job cannot emit artifact outputs; neither packing nor building runs again during deployment. Creating or pushing a release tag is a release action; do not do so for build-only validation.
 
 Deployment reuses the TypeScript SDK's `msgraph-npm-org` environment, federated DevX ESRP service connection, certificate references, and configured release owners/approvers. Before pushing a release tag, authorize this pipeline to use those resources, verify the environment's approval/check policies, confirm ESRP is authorized to distribute `@microsoft/microsoft-graph-client`, and confirm the intended npm dist-tag policy. The shared configuration's name alone does not establish access to this package's `@microsoft` scope. Check that the release version is not already published.
 
-Disable any legacy external npm publication trigger for this pipeline before enabling the ESRP release path, to avoid duplicate publication. `release-drop` is now a Pipeline Artifact containing the packed `.tgz`, not the previous source-directory Build Artifact. Any remaining consumers must support both the artifact type and the new contents. Do not retry publication blindly after a partial ESRP failure; first check ESRP and npm for the submitted version.
+Disable any legacy external npm publication trigger for this pipeline before enabling the ESRP release path, to avoid duplicate publication. The old `release-drop` artifact is no longer produced. Any remaining consumers must use the `sdk-build` Pipeline Artifact and support its packed `.tgz` contents instead of the previous source-directory Build Artifact. Do not retry publication blindly after a partial ESRP failure; first check ESRP and npm for the submitted version.
 
 #### Commit your changes