diff --git a/.github/actions/get-release-notes/action.yml b/.github/actions/get-release-notes/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..846aa45c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/get-release-notes/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+name: Return the release notes extracted from the PR body
+
+#
+# Returns the release notes from the content of a pull request linked to a release branch. It expects the branch name to be in the format release/vX.Y.Z, release/X.Y.Z, release/vX.Y.Z-beta.N. etc.
+#
+# TODO: Remove once the common repo is public.
+#
+inputs:
+  version :
+    required: true
+  repo_name:
+    required: false
+  repo_owner:
+    required: true
+  token:
+    required: true
+
+runs:
+  using: composite
+
+  steps:
+    - uses: actions/github-script@v7
+      id: get_release_notes
+      with:
+        result-encoding: string
+        script: |
+          const { data: pulls } = await github.rest.pulls.list({
+            owner: process.env.REPO_OWNER,
+            repo: process.env.REPO_NAME,
+            state: 'all',
+            head: `${process.env.REPO_OWNER}:release/${process.env.VERSION}`,
+          });
+          core.exportVariable('RELEASE_NOTES', pulls[0].body)
+      env:
+        GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ inputs.token }}
+        REPO_OWNER: ${{ inputs.repo_owner }}
+        REPO_NAME: ${{ inputs.repo_name }}
+        VERSION: ${{ inputs.version }}
diff --git a/.github/actions/get-version/action.yml b/.github/actions/get-version/action.yml
index 387fdba67..9440ec920 100644
--- a/.github/actions/get-version/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/get-version/action.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 name: Return the version extracted from the branch name
 
 #
-# Returns the version from a branch name of a pull request. It expects the branch name to be in the format release/vX.Y.Z, release/X.Y.Z, release/vX.Y.Z-beta.N. etc.
+# Returns the version from the .version file.
 #
 # TODO: Remove once the common repo is public.
 #
@@ -17,7 +17,5 @@ runs:
     - id: get_version
       shell: bash
       run: |
-        VERSION=$(echo ${BRANCH_NAME} | sed -r 's#release/+##g')
+        VERSION=$(head -1 .version)
         echo "VERSION=${VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-      env:
-        BRANCH_NAME: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}
diff --git a/.github/actions/tag-create/action.yml b/.github/actions/tag-create/action.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 727df4854..000000000
--- a/.github/actions/tag-create/action.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,33 +0,0 @@
-name: Create a repository tag
-
-#
-# Creates a tag with the given version.
-#
-# TODO: Remove once the common repo is public.
-#
-
-inputs:
-  token:
-    required: true
-  tag:
-    required: true
-
-runs:
-  using: composite
-
-  steps:
-    - shell: bash
-      run: |
-        git config user.name "${AUTHOR_USERNAME}"
-        git config user.email "${AUTHOR_EMAIL}"
-      env:
-        AUTHOR_USERNAME: ${{ github.event.pull_request.user.login }}
-        AUTHOR_EMAIL: ${{ github.event.pull_request.user.email }}
-
-    - shell: bash
-      run: |
-        git tag -a ${TAG_NAME} -m "Version ${TAG_NAME}"
-        git push --follow-tags
-      env:
-        TAG_NAME: ${{ inputs.tag }}
-        GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ inputs.token }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index b11376ffe..e01357bc7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ on:
   pull_request:
     types:
       - closed
+  workflow_dispatch:
 
 permissions:
   contents: write
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ env:
 
 jobs:
   release:
-    if: github.event.pull_request.merged && startsWith(github.event.pull_request.head.ref, 'release/')
+    if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     environment: release
 
@@ -35,6 +36,16 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/get-prerelease
         with:
           version: ${{ steps.get_version.outputs.version }}
+      
+      # Get the release notes
+      # This will expose the release notes as env.RELEASE_NOTES
+      - id: get_release_notes
+        uses: ./.github/actions/get-release-notes
+        with:
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          version: ${{ steps.get_version.outputs.version }}
+          repo_owner: ${{ github.repository_owner }}
+          repo_name: ${{ github.event.repository.name }}
 
       # Check if the tag already exists
       - id: tag_exists
@@ -53,18 +64,12 @@ jobs:
           node-version: ${{ env.NODE_VERSION }}
           npm-token: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
 
-      # Create a tag for the release
-      - uses: ./.github/actions/tag-create
-        with:
-          tag: ${{ steps.get_version.outputs.version }}
-          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-
       # Create a release for the tag
       - uses: ./.github/actions/release-create
         with:
           token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           name: ${{ steps.get_version.outputs.version }}
-          body: ${{ github.event.pull_request.body }}
+          body: ${{ env.RELEASE_NOTES }}
           tag: ${{ steps.get_version.outputs.version }}
           commit: ${{ github.sha }}
           prerelease: ${{ steps.get_prerelease.outputs.prerelease }}
diff --git a/.shiprc b/.shiprc
index 5215f1661..17e66ff1b 100644
--- a/.shiprc
+++ b/.shiprc
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 {
     "files": {
         "src/version.ts": [],
-        "README.md": ["{MAJOR}.{MINOR}"],
-        "FAQ.md": ["{MAJOR}.{MINOR}.{PATCH}"]
+        ".version": [],
+        "README.md": [
+            "{MAJOR}.{MINOR}"
+        ],
+        "FAQ.md": [
+            "{MAJOR}.{MINOR}.{PATCH}"
+        ]
     },
     "postbump": "npm run docs"
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.version b/.version
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..18f3fb198
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.version
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+v2.1.2
\ No newline at end of file