diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c9fbc4e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+version: 2
+updates:
+  - package-ecosystem: 'gradle'
+    directory: '/'
+    schedule:
+      interval: 'daily'
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index e0eede83..e29b632f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@ env:
 
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      release:
+        type: boolean
+        default: false
+        description: Whether to make a release
   pull_request:
   push:
     paths-ignore:
@@ -19,3 +24,50 @@ jobs:
       - name: Gradle Build and Test
         run: |
           ./gradlew build test --info --stacktrace
+
+      - name: VERSION file changed
+        id: version-file-changed
+        uses: tj-actions/changed-files@v42
+        with:
+          files: VERSION
+
+      - name: Should make release?
+        if: |
+          github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && 
+            ((github.event.inputs.release && github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch') ||
+              (github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && steps.version-file-changed.outputs.any_changed == 'true'))
+        run: echo make_release=true >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
+      - name: Get version (release)
+        if: env.make_release
+        run: |
+          export VERSION="$(head VERSION)"
+          echo version="$VERSION" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
+      - name: Release (GitHub)
+        if: env.make_release
+        id: github_release
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v1
+        with:
+          name: ${{ env.version }}
+          tag_name: ${{ env.version }}
+
+      - name: Prepare PGP Keyring file
+        if: env.make_release
+        env:
+          GPG_KEY_CONTENTS: ${{ secrets.GPG_KEY_CONTENTS }}
+        run: |
+          echo "${GPG_KEY_CONTENTS}" | base64 -d > signing-key.gpg
+        shell: bash
+
+      - name: Publish to Maven Central
+        if: env.make_release
+        run: |
+          ./gradlew publishReleasePublicationToSonatypeRepository closeAndReleaseSonatypeStagingRepository --info --stacktrace
+        env:
+          OSSRH_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
+          OSSRH_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
+          SIGNING_KEY_ID: ${{ secrets.SIGNING_KEY_ID }}
+          SIGNING_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.SIGNING_PASSWORD }}
+          SONATYPE_STAGING_PROFILE_ID: ${{ secrets.SONATYPE_STAGING_PROFILE_ID }}
+  
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index a5905f56..00000000
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-name: release
-env:
-  BRANCH_NAME: ${{ github.head_ref || github.ref_name }}
-  IS_SNAPSHOT: ${{ github.ref_name != 'main' }}
-on:
-  workflow_dispatch:
-
-jobs:
-  publish:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    permissions:
-      contents: read
-      packages: write
-    steps:
-      - name: Exits if invoked with tag but not from main
-        if: ${{ github.ref_name != 'main' &&  github.event_name == 'tags' }}
-        run: exit -1
-
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-
-      - uses: actions/setup-java@v4
-        with:
-          distribution: "temurin"
-          java-version: "17"
-
-      - name: Gradle Build and Test
-        run: |
-          ./gradlew build test --info --stacktrace
-
-      - name: Prepare PGP Keyring file
-        env:
-          GPG_KEY_CONTENTS: ${{ secrets.GPG_KEY_CONTENTS }}
-        run: |
-          echo "${GPG_KEY_CONTENTS}" | base64 -d > signing-key.gpg
-        shell: bash
-
-      - name: Publish to MavenCentral
-        run: |
-          ./gradlew publishReleasePublicationToSonatypeRepository closeAndReleaseSonatypeStagingRepository --info --stacktrace -Psnapshot=${{ env.IS_SNAPSHOT }}
-        env:
-          OSSRH_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
-          OSSRH_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_PASSWORD }}
-          SIGNING_KEY_ID: ${{ secrets.SIGNING_KEY_ID }}
-          SIGNING_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.SIGNING_PASSWORD }}
-          SONATYPE_STAGING_PROFILE_ID: ${{ secrets.SONATYPE_STAGING_PROFILE_ID }}
diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cccf2b5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# Releases
+
+To make a release, make a pull request that bumps the `VERSION` file.
+
+The release workflow will run on merge.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2151dbda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+5.9.2
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 3e9034fd..b23bf838 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import java.time.Duration
+
 buildscript {
     repositories {
         maven { url 'https://plugins.gradle.org/m2' }
@@ -99,4 +101,8 @@ nexusPublishing {
             snapshotRepositoryUrl.set(uri("https://s01.oss.sonatype.org/content/repositories/snapshots/"))
         }
     }
+    transitionCheckOptions {
+        maxRetries = 120
+        delayBetween = Duration.ofSeconds(10)
+    }
 }
diff --git a/gradle/artifact-settings.gradle b/gradle/artifact-settings.gradle
index b44f4a88..0838f7c2 100644
--- a/gradle/artifact-settings.gradle
+++ b/gradle/artifact-settings.gradle
@@ -18,9 +18,8 @@ ext {
 }
 
 def getVersionName() {
-    def cmd = "git describe --tag --abbrev=0"
-    def version = cmd.execute().text.trim()
-    def deducedVersion = isSnapshot() ? getSnapshotVersion(version) : getReleaseVersion(version)
+    def version = System.getenv('VERSION')
+    def deducedVersion = isSnapshot() ? getSnapshotVersion(version) : version
     project.logger.info("Project version detected: ${deducedVersion}")
     return deducedVersion
 }
@@ -30,14 +29,6 @@ def isSnapshot() {
     return snapshotProp ? snapshotProp.asBoolean() : false
 }
 
-private static def getReleaseVersion(String version) {
-    if (version && version.length() > 1) {
-        return version.substring(1)
-    } else {
-        return "Unknown"
-    }
-}
-
 private static def getSnapshotVersion(String version) {
     def matcher = version =~ /^[v|V](\d+).(\d+)?.*/
     def major = (matcher[0][1] as Integer)
diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index 8fff058c..ca10939d 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ supportAnnotation = "1.0.0"
 okhttp3Mockwebserver = "3.12.7"
 gson = "2.8.6"
 
-gradleNexus = "1.1.0"
+gradleNexus = "1.3.0"
 
 [libraries]
 junit = { group = "junit", name = "junit", version.ref = "junit" }
diff --git a/gradle/publish-root.gradle b/gradle/publish-root.gradle
index 467ecfa1..a2e7dbfb 100644
--- a/gradle/publish-root.gradle
+++ b/gradle/publish-root.gradle
@@ -1,21 +1,6 @@
-ext["signing.keyId"] = ''
-ext["signing.password"] = ''
+ext["signing.keyId"] = System.getenv('SIGNING_KEY_ID')
+ext["signing.password"] = System.getenv('SIGNING_PASSWORD')
 ext["signing.secretKeyRingFile"] = "${projectDir}/../signing-key.gpg"
-ext["ossrhUsername"] = ''
-ext["ossrhPassword"] = ''
-ext["sonatypeStagingProfileId"] = ''
-
-File secretPropsFile = project.rootProject.file('local.properties')
-if (secretPropsFile.exists()) {
-    // Read local.properties file first if it exists
-    Properties p = new Properties()
-    new FileInputStream(secretPropsFile).withCloseable { is -> p.load(is) }
-    p.each { name, value -> ext[name] = value }
-} else {
-    // Use system environment variables
-    ext["ossrhUsername"] = System.getenv('OSSRH_USERNAME')
-    ext["ossrhPassword"] = System.getenv('OSSRH_PASSWORD')
-    ext["sonatypeStagingProfileId"] = System.getenv('SONATYPE_STAGING_PROFILE_ID')
-    ext["signing.keyId"] = System.getenv('SIGNING_KEY_ID')
-    ext["signing.password"] = System.getenv('SIGNING_PASSWORD')
-}
+ext["ossrhUsername"] = System.getenv('OSSRH_USERNAME')
+ext["ossrhPassword"] = System.getenv('OSSRH_PASSWORD')
+ext["sonatypeStagingProfileId"] = System.getenv('SONATYPE_STAGING_PROFILE_ID')
\ No newline at end of file