diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index e9ee6fa17..faf8dcf3c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,14 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   build:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    environment: Release
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: true
+      matrix:
+        os: [ubuntu-18.04]
+        node:
+          - 14
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
@@ -19,20 +26,14 @@ jobs:
       # set up git since we will later push to the repo
       - run: git config --global user.name "GitHub CD bot"
       - run: git config --global user.email "npm@dfinity.org"
-      # upgrade npm version in package.json to the tag used in the release.
-      - run: npm version ${{ github.event.release.tag_name }}
       # build the project
-      - run: npm run build
+      - run: npm run build --workspaces
       # run tests just in case
       - run: npm test
-      - run: npm config set '//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken' "${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}"
-      # publish to NPM -> there is one caveat, continue reading for the fix
-      - run: npm run release --workspaces --if-present --tag ${{ github.event.release.target_commitish }}
+      - run: npm config set '//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken' "$NPM_TOKEN"
         env:
           # Use a token to publish to NPM. See below for how to set it up
           NPM_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
-      # push the version changes to GitHub
-      - run: git push
-        env:
-          # The secret is passed automatically. Nothing to configure.
-          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+      - run: npm whoami
+      # publish to NPM -> there is one caveat, continue reading for the fix
+      - run: npm publish --workspaces --access public