diff --git a/.github/workflows/create-release.yml b/.github/workflows/create-release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a4b6deb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/create-release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+name: Create Release
+
+on:
+    workflow_dispatch:
+        inputs:
+            version:
+                description: "Release version (e.g., 1.2.3, without the 'v' prefix)"
+                required: true
+                type: string
+
+permissions:
+    contents: write
+
+jobs:
+    create-release:
+        name: Create Release Tag
+        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+        steps:
+            - name: Validate version format
+              env:
+                  VERSION: ${{ inputs.version }}
+              run: |
+                  if [[ ! "$VERSION" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+.*$ ]]; then
+                    echo "::error::Invalid version format '$VERSION'. Use X.X.X (e.g., 1.2.3)"
+                    exit 1
+                  fi
+
+            - name: Check out code
+              uses: actions/checkout@v5
+
+            - name: Check tag does not already exist
+              env:
+                  VERSION: ${{ inputs.version }}
+              run: |
+                  if git ls-remote --tags origin "refs/tags/v${VERSION}" | grep -q .; then
+                    echo "::error::Tag v${VERSION} already exists"
+                    exit 1
+                  fi
+
+            - name: Set up Go
+              uses: actions/setup-go@v5
+              with:
+                  go-version-file: go.mod
+
+            - name: Run tests
+              run: go test -race ./...
+
+            - name: Update manifest.json version
+              env:
+                  VERSION: ${{ inputs.version }}
+              run: |
+                  jq --arg v "$VERSION" '.version = $v' manifest.json > manifest.tmp && mv manifest.tmp manifest.json
+
+            - name: Commit, tag, and push
+              env:
+                  VERSION: ${{ inputs.version }}
+              run: |
+                  git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
+                  git config user.email "github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
+                  git add manifest.json
+                  git commit --allow-empty -m "Release v${VERSION}"
+                  git tag "v${VERSION}"
+                  git push origin main "v${VERSION}"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 254cb09..d53f4d8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,15 @@ jobs:
             - name: Check out code
               uses: actions/checkout@v5
 
+            - name: Verify manifest version matches tag
+              run: |
+                  TAG_VERSION="${GITHUB_REF_NAME#v}"
+                  MANIFEST_VERSION=$(jq -r .version manifest.json)
+                  if [ "$TAG_VERSION" != "$MANIFEST_VERSION" ]; then
+                    echo "::error::Tag version ($TAG_VERSION) does not match manifest.json version ($MANIFEST_VERSION)"
+                    exit 1
+                  fi
+
             - name: Set up Go
               uses: actions/setup-go@v5
               with:
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index db8a4cd..2a74ccb 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+SHELL := /usr/bin/env bash
 .PHONY: test build package clean
 
 PLUGIN_NAME := discord-rich-presence
@@ -15,10 +16,8 @@ package: build
 clean:
 	rm -f $(WASM_FILE) $(PLUGIN_NAME).ndp
 
-release: test
+release:
 	@if [[ ! "${V}" =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+.*$$ ]]; then echo "Usage: make release V=X.X.X"; exit 1; fi
-	go mod tidy
-	@if [ -n "`git status -s`" ]; then echo "\n\nThere are pending changes. Please commit or stash first"; exit 1; fi
-	git tag v${V}
-	git push origin v${V} --no-verify
+	gh workflow run create-release.yml -f version=${V}
+	@echo "Release v${V} workflow triggered. Check progress: gh run list --workflow=create-release.yml"
 .PHONY: release