diff --git a/.github/workflows/check_version_markers.sh b/.github/workflows/check_version_markers.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..b8d35aec9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/check_version_markers.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -o nounset
+set -o pipefail
+set -o errexit
+
+set -x
+
+TAG=${1:-}
+if [ -n "$TAG" ]; then
+  # If the workflow checks out one commit, but is releasing another
+  git fetch origin tag "$TAG"
+  # Update our local state so the grep command below searches what we expect
+  git checkout "$TAG"
+fi
+
+grep_exit_code=0
+# Exclude dot directories, specifically, this file so that we don't
+# find the substring we're looking for in our own file.
+# Exclude CONTRIBUTING.md, RELEASING.md because they document how to use these strings.
+grep --exclude=CONTRIBUTING.md \
+  --exclude=RELEASING.md \
+  --exclude=release.py \
+  --exclude=release_test.py \
+  --exclude-dir=.* \
+  VERSION_NEXT_ -r || grep_exit_code=$?
+
+if [[ $grep_exit_code -eq 0 ]]; then
+  echo
+  echo "Found VERSION_NEXT markers indicating version needs to be specified"
+  exit 1
+fi
diff --git a/.github/workflows/create_archive_and_notes.sh b/.github/workflows/create_archive_and_notes.sh
index a3cf8280a2..91ffe4ad32 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/create_archive_and_notes.sh
+++ b/.github/workflows/create_archive_and_notes.sh
@@ -29,22 +29,6 @@ git fetch origin tag "$TAG"
 # Update our local state so the grep command below searches what we expect
 git checkout "$TAG"
 
-# Exclude dot directories, specifically, this file so that we don't
-# find the substring we're looking for in our own file.
-# Exclude CONTRIBUTING.md, RELEASING.md because they document how to use these strings.
-grep --exclude=CONTRIBUTING.md \
-  --exclude=RELEASING.md \
-  --exclude=release.py \
-  --exclude=release_test.py \
-  --exclude-dir=.* \
-  VERSION_NEXT_ -r || grep_exit_code=$?
-
-if [[ $grep_exit_code -eq 0 ]]; then
-  echo
-  echo "Found VERSION_NEXT markers indicating version needs to be specified"
-  exit 1
-fi
-
 # A prefix is added to better match the GitHub generated archives.
 PREFIX="rules_python-${TAG}"
 ARCHIVE="rules_python-$TAG.tar.gz"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index c565b03fa0..5e7c040bf1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
         with:
           ref: ${{ github.ref_name }}
+      - name: Check version markers
+        run: .github/workflows/check_version_markers.sh ${{ inputs.tag_name || github.ref_name }}
       - name: Create release archive and notes
         run: .github/workflows/create_archive_and_notes.sh ${{ inputs.tag_name || github.ref_name }}
       - name: Release