diff --git a/release.md b/release.md
index bab8432..87fae5f 100644
--- a/release.md
+++ b/release.md
@@ -4,8 +4,11 @@
 - Confirm `make test` passes
   - check with multiple zsh versions
 - Update changelog.md
-- Update ./.version
-- `git tag $(<.version) && git push --tags`
-- `perl -pi -e 's/$/-dev/' ./.version`
+- Remove `-dev` suffix from `./.version`;
+  Commit that;
+  Tag it using `git tag $(<.version)`;
+  Increment `./.version` and restore the `-dev` suffix;
+  Commit that.
+- Push with `git push --tags`
 - Notify downstreams (OS packages)
   - anitya should autodetect the tag