diff --git a/ci/README.md b/ci/README.md
index 19d6778e8..deea4c8f1 100644
--- a/ci/README.md
+++ b/ci/README.md
@@ -12,18 +12,7 @@ Any file or directory in this subdirectory should be documented here.
 
 ## Publishing a release
 
-Make sure you have `$GITHUB_TOKEN` set and [hub](https://github.com/github/hub) installed.
-
-1. Update the version of code-server and make a PR.
-   1. Update in `package.json`
-   2. Update in [./docs/install.md](../docs/install.md)
-   3. Update in [./ci/helm-chart/README.md](../ci/helm-chart/README.md)
-      - Remember to update the chart version as well on top of appVersion in `Chart.yaml`.
-      - Run `rg -g '!yarn.lock' -g '!*.svg' '3\.7\.5'` to ensure all values have been
-        changed. Replace the numbers as needed.
-        - You can install `rg` or `ripgrep` on macOS [here](https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ripgrep).
-   4. Update the code coverage badge (see [here](#updating-code-coverage-in-readme) for instructions)
-   5. Update the docs badge in [./README.md](../README.md)
+1. Run `yarn release:prep` and type in the new version i.e. 3.8.1
 2. GitHub actions will generate the `npm-package`, `release-packages` and `release-images` artifacts.
    1. You do not have to wait for these.
 3. Run `yarn release:github-draft` to create a GitHub draft release from the template with
diff --git a/ci/build/release-prep.sh b/ci/build/release-prep.sh
index 0b09bfebc..ee40f0f5e 100755
--- a/ci/build/release-prep.sh
+++ b/ci/build/release-prep.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # 1. Check that you have a $GITHUB_TOKEN set and hub installed
 # 2. Update the version of code-server (package.json, docs, etc.)
 # 3. Update the code coverage badge in the README
-# 4. Open a draft PR using the release_template.md
+# 4. Open a draft PR using the release_template.md and view in browser
 
 set -euo pipefail
 
@@ -90,12 +90,14 @@ main() {
   # See: https://github.com/cli/cli/issues/575
   git push -u origin "$CURRENT_BRANCH"
 
-  RELEASE_TEMPLATE_FILE="../../.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/pull_request_template.md"
+  RELEASE_TEMPLATE_STRING=$(cat ../../.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/release_template.md)
+
   echo -e "Opening a draft PR on GitHub\n"
   # To read about these flags, visit the docs: https://cli.github.com/manual/gh_pr_create
-  gh pr create --base main --title "release: $CODE_SERVER_VERSION_TO_UPDATE" --body-file "$RELEASE_TEMPLATE_FILE" --reviewer @cdr/code-server-reviewers --repo cdr/code-server --draft
+  gh pr create --base main --title "release: $CODE_SERVER_VERSION_TO_UPDATE" --body "$RELEASE_TEMPLATE_STRING" --reviewer @cdr/code-server-reviewers --repo cdr/code-server --draft
 
-  # TODO update docs under /ci
+  # Open PR in browser
+  gh pr view --web
 }
 
 main "$@"