diff --git a/.rumdl.toml b/.rumdl.toml
index 4b71ff8b..3f92c10e 100644
--- a/.rumdl.toml
+++ b/.rumdl.toml
@@ -78,6 +78,12 @@ style = "fenced"
 "docs/designs/ui/compass-sidebar-pins/design.md" = ["MD057"]
 "docs/designs/ui/compass-sidebar-pins-unreachable-amendment/design.md" = ["MD057"]
 
+# release-please regenerates CHANGELOG.md on every release and its template
+# emits a double blank line under each version heading, tripping MD012. The
+# exemption lives here rather than in the file because any hand-fix (or
+# `rumdl fmt`) is overwritten at the next version bump.
+"CHANGELOG.md" = ["MD012"]
+
 # False: flags a list item's own continuation line (indented prose wrapping one
 # bullet) as an unpadded list — the auto-fix inserts a blank line mid-sentence.
 # 6 findings, all this pattern.