diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 311ffca87..471c1cf12 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 name: Create a new release
 
-on:
-  push:
-    tags:
-      - '*.*.*'
+on: workflow_dispatch
+inputs:
+  version:
+    description: 'Version to release (tag name)'
+    required: true
+    type: string
 
 permissions:
   contents: write
@@ -16,7 +18,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           # Workaround for https://github.com/actions/checkout/issues/882
-          ref: ${{ github.ref }}
+          ref: ${{ inputs.version }}
       - name: Check if the pushed tag looks like a release
         run: |
           set -x
@@ -36,7 +38,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           # Workaround for https://github.com/actions/checkout/issues/882
-          ref: ${{ github.ref }}
+          ref: ${{ inputs.version }}
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: sudo apt install cmake gettext ninja-build python3-pip python3-sphinx
       - name: Create tarball
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: source-tarball
           path: |
-            /tmp/fish-built/fish-${{ github.ref_name }}.tar.xz
+            /tmp/fish-built/fish-${{ inputs.version }}.tar.xz
             /tmp/fish-built/release-notes.md
           if-no-files-found: error
 
@@ -99,7 +101,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           # Workaround for https://github.com/actions/checkout/issues/882
-          ref: ${{ github.ref }}
+          ref: ${{ inputs.version }}
       - name: Install Rust Stable
         uses: ./.github/actions/rust-toolchain@stable
         with:
@@ -125,7 +127,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: Static builds for Linux
-          path: fish-${{ github.ref_name }}-linux-*.tar.xz
+          path: fish-${{ inputs.version }}-linux-*.tar.xz
           if-no-files-found: error
 
   create-draft-release:
@@ -139,7 +141,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           # Workaround for https://github.com/actions/checkout/issues/882
-          ref: ${{ github.ref }}
+          ref: ${{ inputs.version }}
       - name: Download all artifacts
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
@@ -150,13 +152,13 @@ jobs:
       - name: Create draft release
         uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
         with:
-          tag_name: ${{ github.ref_name }}
-          name: fish ${{ github.ref_name }}
+          tag_name: ${{ inputs.version }}
+          name: fish ${{ inputs.version }}
           body_path: /tmp/artifacts/release-notes.md
           draft: true
           files: |
-            /tmp/artifacts/fish-${{ github.ref_name }}.tar.xz
-            /tmp/artifacts/fish-${{ github.ref_name }}-linux-*.tar.xz
+            /tmp/artifacts/fish-${{ inputs.version }}.tar.xz
+            /tmp/artifacts/fish-${{ inputs.version }}-linux-*.tar.xz
 
   packages-for-macos:
     needs: [is-release-tag, create-draft-release]
@@ -167,7 +169,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           # Workaround for https://github.com/actions/checkout/issues/882
-          ref: ${{ github.ref }}
+          ref: ${{ inputs.version }}
       - name: Install Rust
         uses: ./.github/actions/rust-toolchain@oldest-supported
         with:
diff --git a/build_tools/release.sh b/build_tools/release.sh
index 9f9dd7a64..81f28b953 100755
--- a/build_tools/release.sh
+++ b/build_tools/release.sh
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ integration_branch=$(
 [ -n "$integration_branch" ] ||
     git merge-base --is-ancestor $remote/master HEAD
 
+release_flow=.github/workflows/release.yml
+git diff --exit-code -- :/$release_flow $remote/master:$release_flow
+
 sed -n 1p CHANGELOG.rst | grep -q '^fish .*(released .*)$'
 sed -n 2p CHANGELOG.rst | grep -q '^===*$'
 
@@ -83,6 +86,8 @@ gh() {
     command gh --repo "$repository_owner/fish-shell" "$@"
 }
 
+gh workflow run release.yml --raw-field "version=$version"
+
 run_id=
 while [ -z "$run_id" ] && sleep 5
 do