diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 1e41d4a545..d88d70dbbf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -135,12 +135,9 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: generate-and-upload-tarball
         run: |
-          tag=$(echo $GITHUB_REF | cut -d/ -f3-)
-          tarball="kata-containers-$tag-vendor.tar.gz"
-          pushd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE
-          bash -c "tools/packaging/release/generate_vendor.sh ${tarball}"
-          GITHUB_TOKEN=${{ secrets.GIT_UPLOAD_TOKEN }} gh release upload "${tag}" "${tarball}"
-          popd
+          ./tools/packaging/release/release.sh upload-vendored-code-tarball
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
 
   upload-libseccomp-tarball:
     needs: upload-cargo-vendored-tarball
diff --git a/tools/packaging/release/release.sh b/tools/packaging/release/release.sh
index 93cc410d58..ea13ec7a93 100755
--- a/tools/packaging/release/release.sh
+++ b/tools/packaging/release/release.sh
@@ -83,6 +83,17 @@ function _upload_versions_yaml_file()
 	gh release upload "${RELEASE_VERSION}" "${versions_file}"
 }
 
+function _upload_vendored_code_tarball()
+{
+	_check_required_env_var "GH_TOKEN"
+
+	[ -z "${RELEASE_VERSION}" ] && RELEASE_VERSION=$(cat "${repo_root_dir}/VERSION")
+
+	vendored_code_tarball="kata-containers-${RELEASE_VERSION}-vendor.tar.gz"
+	bash -c "${repo_root_dir}/tools/packaging/release/generate_vendor.sh ${vendored_code_tarball}"
+	gh release upload "${RELEASE_VERSION}" "${vendored_code_tarball}"
+}
+
 function main()
 {
 	action="${1:-}"
@@ -91,6 +102,7 @@ function main()
 		publish-multiarch-manifest) _publish_multiarch_manifest ;;
 		upload-kata-static-tarball) _upload_kata_static_tarball ;;
 		upload-versions-yaml-file) _upload_versions_yaml_file ;;
+		upload-vendored-code-tarball) _upload_vendored_code_tarball ;;
 		*) >&2 _die "Invalid argument" ;;
 	esac
 }