diff --git a/RELEASING.md b/RELEASING.md
index 1f12fef3e2..129335a202 100644
--- a/RELEASING.md
+++ b/RELEASING.md
@@ -62,8 +62,9 @@ a snapshot to https://repo.akka.io/snapshots from any branch.
 
 ## Release steps
 
-* Do a `project/scripts/release <version>` dry run
-* If all goes well, `project/scripts/release --real-run <version>`
+* Tag the release: `git tag -am "Version 2.6.x" v2.6.x`
+* Do a `project/scripts/release` dry run
+* If all goes well, `project/scripts/release --real-run`
 * Log into sonatype, 'close' the staging repo.
 * Test the artifacts by adding `resolvers += "Staging Repo" at "https://oss.sonatype.org/content/repositories/comtypesafe-xxxx"` to a test project
 * If all is well, 'release' the staging repo.
diff --git a/project/scripts/release b/project/scripts/release
index 9670ec1366..a5babb8363 100755
--- a/project/scripts/release
+++ b/project/scripts/release
@@ -76,9 +76,9 @@
 #
 # Run the script in two stages.
 #  First a dry run:
-#    shell> project/scripts/release <version>
+#    shell> project/scripts/release
 #  And if all goes well a real run:
-#    shell> project/scripts/release --real-run <version>
+#    shell> project/scripts/release --real-run
 #
 # The artifacts published to oss.sonatype.org needs to be released by following the
 # instructions under release here
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ declare -r script_dir="$(cd -P "$(dirname "${script_path}")" && pwd)"
 function usage {
   cat <<EOM
 Dry run is be default.
-Usage: ${script_name} [options] VERSION
+Usage: ${script_name} [options]
   -h | --help            Print this usage message
   -t | --run-tests       Run all tests before releasing
   -s | --server SERVER   Set the release server (default ${default_server})
@@ -163,12 +163,6 @@ while true; do
   esac
 done
 
-if [ $# != "1" ]; then
-  usage
-  fail "A release version must be specified"
-fi
-
-declare -r version=$1
 declare -r publish_path="${release_server}:${release_path}"
 
 JAVA_VERSION=`java -version 2>&1 | grep -E "java version|openjdk version" | cut -d '"' -f2 | cut -d '.' -f1`
@@ -215,8 +209,6 @@ function git_cleanup {
   echoerr "Cleaning up..."
   safely git reset --hard
   safely git clean -f
-  local tags=$(git tag -l)
-  [[ "${tags}" == *v${version}* ]] && safely git tag -d v${version}
 }
 
 # clean up and fail the script with an error message
@@ -241,7 +233,13 @@ function try {
   "$@" || bail_out "Failed to create release"
 }
 
-echolog "Creating release ${version} ..."
+declare -r version=$(get_current_version)
+
+if [ ${#version} -gt 6 ]; then
+  fail "Version [$version] is too long to be a regular release, have you created a tag?"
+fi
+
+echolog "Creating release ${version}..."
 
 if [ $dry_run ]; then
   echodry "Building everything but not pushing release"
@@ -255,14 +253,6 @@ fi
 echolog "Checking ssh connection to ${release_server}"
 try ssh -t ${release_server} echo "Successfully contacted release server."
 
-echolog "Getting current project version from sbt..."
-declare -r current_version=$(get_current_version)
-echolog "Current version is ${current_version}"
-
-if [ "${current_version:0:3}" != "${version:0:3}" ]; then
-  fail "Releasing $version from wrong branch with version $current_version"
-fi
-
 # start clean
 try sbt clean
 
@@ -273,6 +263,13 @@ if [ $run_tests ]; then
   echolog "All tests are green"
 fi
 
+# check binary compatibility for dry run
+if [ ! $no_mima ] && [ $dry_run ]; then
+  echodry "Running migration manager report..."
+  try sbt $RELEASE_OPT +mimaReportBinaryIssues
+  echodry "Finished migration manager report"
+fi
+
 # build the release
 echolog "Building the release..."
 if [ ! $dry_run ]; then
@@ -281,26 +278,18 @@ else
   RELEASE_OPT="-Dakka.genjavadoc.enabled=true"
 fi
 
-# tag this release
-echolog "Tagging..."
-try git tag -am "Version ${version}" v${version}
-
+# Release artifacts
 try sbt $RELEASE_OPT +buildRelease
+
+echolog "Successfully created released artifacts"
+
+# Build the docs
 try sbt $RELEASE_OPT buildDocs
 
-echolog "Successfully created local release"
-
-# check binary compatibility for dry run
-if [ ! $no_mima ] && [ $dry_run ]; then
-  echodry "Running migration manager report..."
-  try sbt $RELEASE_OPT +mimaReportBinaryIssues
-  echodry "Finished migration manager report"
-fi
+echolog "Successfully created docs"
 
 try sbt $RELEASE_OPT whitesourceCheckPolicies
 
-# the point of no return... we're now pushing out to servers
-
 # use a special failure from now on
 function arrgh {
   cat 1>&2 <<EOM
@@ -336,8 +325,8 @@ else
   important git push origin --tags
 fi
 
-# push the release to the server
-echolog "Pushing ${release_dir} to ${publish_path} ..."
+# push the docs to the server
+echolog "Pushing ${release_dir} docs to ${publish_path} ..."
 if [ $dry_run ]; then
   echodry "Not actually pushing to server. Commands:"
   echodry "  sbt $RELEASE_OPT deployRsync"
@@ -363,7 +352,6 @@ if [ $dry_run ]; then
     git_cleanup
   fi
   echodry "Successfully created release ${version}"
-  echodry "See ${release_dir}"
 else
   echolog "Successfully created release ${version}"
 fi