diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml
index 7ceaf9fe..3d0bdc21 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ name: Pull request
 on:
   pull_request:
     types: [ opened, reopened, synchronize ]
+  workflow_dispatch:
 jobs:
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 7010a978..e40d5577 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 name: Release
-on: [ workflow_dispatch ]
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      version:
+        description: Version to release, e.g. 14.3.0
+        required: true
 permissions:
   contents: read
 jobs:
@@ -20,6 +25,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: build
     permissions:
+      actions: write
       contents: write
       pull-requests: write
     steps:
@@ -43,6 +49,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Publish release
         run: bash github-build.sh
         env:
+          RELEASE_VERSION: ${{ inputs.version }}
           MAVEN_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.OSS_USER_TOKEN_KEY }}
           MAVEN_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.OSS_USER_TOKEN_PASS }}
           GPG_PASSPHRASE: ${{ secrets.GPG_SIGNING_PASSWORD }}
@@ -54,3 +61,8 @@ jobs:
           title: Version Release
           body: |
             Bumping project version after release.
+      - name: Run the pull request checks
+        # Pull requests opened with GITHUB_TOKEN don't trigger workflows, but a workflow_dispatch sent with it does
+        run: gh workflow run pull-request.yml --ref version-release
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/github-build.sh b/github-build.sh
index cbb928f3..7e16f617 100644
--- a/github-build.sh
+++ b/github-build.sh
@@ -13,8 +13,16 @@ requireSnapshot() {
   fi
 }
 
-removeSnapshots() {
-  sed -i 's/-SNAPSHOT//' pom.xml
+setReleaseVersion() {
+  if [[ ! ${RELEASE_VERSION} =~ ^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+    echo "Release version must look like 14.3.0: '${RELEASE_VERSION}'"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  sed -i "0,/<version>.*<\/version>/s//<version>${RELEASE_VERSION}<\/version>/" pom.xml
+  local PREVIOUS_VERSION=${PREVIOUS_TAG#v}
+  sed -i -e "s/graphql-java-tools:${PREVIOUS_VERSION}'/graphql-java-tools:${RELEASE_VERSION}'/" \
+    -e "s/<version>${PREVIOUS_VERSION}<\/version>/<version>${RELEASE_VERSION}<\/version>/" README.md
+  grep -q "<version>${RELEASE_VERSION}</version>" README.md || echo "::warning::README.md still shows another version, update it manually"
 }
 
 commitRelease() {
@@ -27,7 +35,6 @@ publishTag() {
   local APP_VERSION=$(getVersion)
   git push origin "v${APP_VERSION}"
   # Release tags aren't on master's first-parent history, so GitHub can't find the previous one on its own
-  local PREVIOUS_TAG=$(gh release view --json tagName --jq .tagName)
   gh release create "v${APP_VERSION}" --verify-tag --draft --generate-notes --notes-start-tag "${PREVIOUS_TAG}" --title "v${APP_VERSION}" \
     || echo "::warning::Draft release for v${APP_VERSION} was not created, create it manually"
 }
@@ -61,9 +68,10 @@ git config --global user.email "actions@github.com"
 git config --global user.name "GitHub Actions"
 
 requireSnapshot
+PREVIOUS_TAG=$(gh release view --json tagName --jq .tagName)
 
 echo "Deploying release to Maven Central"
-removeSnapshots
+setReleaseVersion
 
 mvn --batch-mode -Prelease deploy