diff --git a/.github/workflows/components.yaml b/.github/workflows/components.yaml
index f0e796887..c519473c2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/components.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/components.yaml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ on:
   pull_request:
   workflow_call:
     inputs:
-      effective-version:
+      version:
         type: string
         required: false
         description: "The version to use for the build"
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ jobs:
           
           PATH=$PATH:$(go env GOPATH)/bin \
           CTF_TYPE=${{ env.CTF_TYPE }} \
-          EFFECTIVE_VERSION=${{ inputs.effective-version }} \
+          VERSION=${{ inputs.version }} \
           PLATFORMS="${{ env.PLATFORMS }}" \
           IMAGE_PLATFORMS="${{ env.IMAGE_PLATFORMS }}" \
           make \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 6f0308648..0fa62110c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ jobs:
   components:
     name: Component CTF Builds
     uses: ./.github/workflows/components.yaml
-    needs: [check,release-version]
+    needs: [ check,release-version ]
     with:
-      effective-version: ${{ needs.release-version.outputs.version_no_prefix }}
+      version: ${{ needs.release-version.outputs.version_no_prefix }}
       upload-ctf: true
       ref: ${{ github.ref }}
     permissions:
@@ -105,7 +105,6 @@ jobs:
       packages: write
     env:
       RELEASE_VERSION: ${{ needs.release-version.outputs.version }}
-      RELEASE_NOTES: ${{ fromJSON(needs.check.outputs.draft-release-notes).body }}
     steps:
     - name: Self Hosted Runner Post Job Cleanup Action
       uses: TooMuch4U/actions-clean@v2.2
@@ -183,19 +182,24 @@ jobs:
         msg="Release ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}"
         git tag --annotate --message "${msg}" ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}
         # push both the tag as well as a release branch with that tag.
-        git push origin releases/${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }} ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}
+        git push origin ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}
 
     - name: Create GPG Token file from Secret
       run: |
         echo "${{ secrets.GPG_PRIVATE_KEY_FOR_SIGNING }}" > ocm-releases-key.gpg
         echo "GPG_KEY_PATH=ocm-releases-key.gpg" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
+    - name: Setup Release Notes as File to make it readable by GoReleaser
+      run: |
+        echo "${{ fromJSON(needs.check.outputs.draft-release-notes).body }}" > $RUNNER_TEMP/RELEASE_NOTES.md
+        echo "RELEASE_NOTES=$RUNNER_TEMP/RELEASE_NOTES.md" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+        cat $RUNNER_TEMP/RELEASE_NOTES.md
     - name: Run GoReleaser
       uses: goreleaser/goreleaser-action@v6
       with:
         distribution: goreleaser
         version: 2.1.0
-        args: release --clean --timeout 60m --skip=validate --config=.github/config/goreleaser.yaml --release-notes=${{ env.RELEASE_NOTES_FILE }}
+        args: release --clean --timeout 60m --skip=validate --config=.github/config/goreleaser.yaml --release-notes=${{ env.RELEASE_NOTES }}
       env:
         GITHUBORG: ${{ github.repository_owner }}
         GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/components/demoplugin/Makefile b/components/demoplugin/Makefile
index ce83a088b..635e25fd5 100644
--- a/components/demoplugin/Makefile
+++ b/components/demoplugin/Makefile
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ PLATFORMS ?= linux/amd64 linux/arm64
 CTF_TYPE ?= directory
 
 REPO_ROOT                                      := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))/../..
-VERSION                                        = $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
+ifeq ($(VERSION),)
+VERSION                                        := $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
+endif
 COMMIT                                         = $(shell git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
 # if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION+COMMIT
 # this is not the same as '?=' because it will also set the value if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is set to an empty string
diff --git a/components/ecrplugin/Makefile b/components/ecrplugin/Makefile
index 548be8751..54384f3f3 100644
--- a/components/ecrplugin/Makefile
+++ b/components/ecrplugin/Makefile
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ CTF_TYPE ?= directory
 
 
 REPO_ROOT                                      := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))/../..
-VERSION                                        = $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
+ifeq ($(VERSION),)
+VERSION                                        := $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
+endif
 COMMIT                                         = $(shell git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
 # if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION+COMMIT
 # this is not the same as '?=' because it will also set the value if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is set to an empty string
diff --git a/components/helmdemo/Makefile b/components/helmdemo/Makefile
index 351a5626b..4b9bedbd4 100644
--- a/components/helmdemo/Makefile
+++ b/components/helmdemo/Makefile
@@ -8,9 +8,11 @@ CTF_TYPE ?= directory
 HELMINSTCOMP = $(PROVIDER)/toi/installers/helminstaller
 
 REPO_ROOT                                     := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))/../..
-VERSION                                        = $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
+ifeq ($(VERSION),)
+VERSION                                        := $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
+endif
 COMMIT                                         = $(shell git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
-# if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION-COMMIT
+# if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION+COMMIT
 # this is not the same as '?=' because it will also set the value if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is set to an empty string
 ifeq ($(EFFECTIVE_VERSION),)
 EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              := $(VERSION)+$(COMMIT)
diff --git a/components/helminstaller/Makefile b/components/helminstaller/Makefile
index 761c0fd44..e6c8d43b1 100644
--- a/components/helminstaller/Makefile
+++ b/components/helminstaller/Makefile
@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@ IMAGE_PLATFORMS ?= linux/amd64 linux/arm64
 CTF_TYPE ?= directory
 
 REPO_ROOT                                      := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))/../..
+ifeq ($(VERSION),)
 VERSION                                        := $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
+endif
 COMMIT                                         := $(shell git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
-# if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION-COMMIT
+# if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION+COMMIT
 # this is not the same as '?=' because it will also set the value if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is set to an empty string
 ifeq ($(EFFECTIVE_VERSION),)
 EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              := $(VERSION)+$(COMMIT)
diff --git a/components/ocmcli/Makefile b/components/ocmcli/Makefile
index b9ca7a137..18d955580 100644
--- a/components/ocmcli/Makefile
+++ b/components/ocmcli/Makefile
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ CTF_TYPE ?= directory
 
 REPO_ROOT                                      := $(dir $(realpath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))../..
 GIT_TREE_STATE                                 = $(shell [ -z "$$(git status --porcelain 2>/dev/null)" ] && echo clean || echo dirty)
-VERSION                                        = $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
+ifeq ($(VERSION),)
+VERSION                                        := $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
+endif
 COMMIT                                         = $(shell git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
 # if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION+COMMIT
 # this is not the same as '?=' because it will also set the value if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is set to an empty string
diff --git a/components/subchartsdemo/Makefile b/components/subchartsdemo/Makefile
index 7f67b5a7c..03a1f68a2 100644
--- a/components/subchartsdemo/Makefile
+++ b/components/subchartsdemo/Makefile
@@ -13,9 +13,11 @@ PODINFO_CHART_VERSION = 6.3.5
 
 REPO_ROOT                                     := $(shell dirname $(realpath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))))/../..
 GIT_TREE_STATE                                 = $(shell [ -z "$$(git status --porcelain 2>/dev/null)" ] && echo clean || echo dirty)
-VERSION                                        = $(shell go run $(REPO_ROOT)/api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
+ifeq ($(VERSION),)
+VERSION                                        := $(shell go run ../../api/version/generate/release_generate.go print-rc-version $(CANDIDATE))
+endif
 COMMIT                                         = $(shell git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
-# if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION-COMMIT
+# if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is not set, set it to VERSION+COMMIT
 # this is not the same as '?=' because it will also set the value if EFFECTIVE_VERSION is set to an empty string
 ifeq ($(EFFECTIVE_VERSION),)
 EFFECTIVE_VERSION                              := $(VERSION)+$(COMMIT)