diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 3ff8d72d49..1e41d4a545 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -123,15 +123,10 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: upload versions.yaml
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GIT_UPLOAD_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          tag=$(echo $GITHUB_REF | cut -d/ -f3-)
-          pushd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE
-          versions_file="kata-containers-$tag-versions.yaml"
-          cp versions.yaml ${versions_file}
-          gh release upload "${tag}" "${versions_file}"
-          popd
+          ./tools/packaging/release/release.sh upload-versions-yaml-file
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
 
   upload-cargo-vendored-tarball:
     needs: upload-multi-arch-static-tarball
diff --git a/tools/packaging/release/release.sh b/tools/packaging/release/release.sh
index 21d3fab362..93cc410d58 100755
--- a/tools/packaging/release/release.sh
+++ b/tools/packaging/release/release.sh
@@ -74,6 +74,15 @@ function _upload_kata_static_tarball()
 	gh release upload "${RELEASE_VERSION}" "${new_tarball_name}"
 }
 
+function _upload_versions_yaml_file()
+{
+	[ -z "${RELEASE_VERSION}" ] && RELEASE_VERSION=$(cat "${repo_root_dir}/VERSION")
+
+	versions_file="kata-containers-${RELEASE_VERSION}-versions.yaml"
+	cp "${repo_root_dir}/versions.yaml" ${versions_file}
+	gh release upload "${RELEASE_VERSION}" "${versions_file}"
+}
+
 function main()
 {
 	action="${1:-}"
@@ -81,6 +90,7 @@ function main()
 	case "${action}" in
 		publish-multiarch-manifest) _publish_multiarch_manifest ;;
 		upload-kata-static-tarball) _upload_kata_static_tarball ;;
+		upload-versions-yaml-file) _upload_versions_yaml_file ;;
 		*) >&2 _die "Invalid argument" ;;
 	esac
 }