diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index b56f9b9..81e4a7e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -21,14 +21,14 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: Get the release version from the tag
         if: env.VERSION == ''
-        run: echo "VERSION=v${{ github.ref_name }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+        run: echo "VERSION=${{ github.ref_name }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Show the version
         run: |
           echo "version is: $VERSION"
       - name: Check that tag version and Cargo.toml version are the same
         shell: bash
         run: |
-          if ! grep -q "version = \"$VERSION\"" Cargo.toml; then
+          if ! grep -q "version = \"${VERSION#v}\"" Cargo.toml; then
             echo "version does not match Cargo.toml" >&2
             exit 1
           fi