He is BDFL. No, these changes do not belong into this part of our release window. No pull. End of discussion. Instead he always talked and caved and pulled. And of course situation repeated, as they do...
Perhaps as BDFL he let it slip a few too many times, but that's generally the way you want to go - as a leader, you want to trust your subordinates are doing the right thing; which means that you'll get burned a few times until you have to take action (like this).
The only other option makes you into a micromanager, which doesn't scale.
> He is BDFL.
As far as I remember, "B" in "BFDL" stands for "benevolent". This usually might mean give a couple of warnings, give a benefit of doubt, extend some credit, and if that doesn't help, invoke the "D".