diff --git a/.github/workflows/check.yml b/.github/workflows/check.yml
index 7fb7963..064b0c5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ name: check
 on:
   push:
     branches: [main, master]
-    tags: ['v*']
   pull_request:
     branches: [main, master]
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index f0cb3e2..ac1b581 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -2,53 +2,58 @@ name: release
 
 on:
   push:
-    tags: ['v*']
+    branches: [main, master]
 
 jobs:
-  check-tag:
+  release:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    outputs:
-      should-release: ${{ steps.check.outputs.should-release }}
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+
     steps:
     - name: Checkout code
       uses: actions/checkout@v4
       with:
         fetch-depth: 0  # Fetch all history and tags
         fetch-tags: true  # Ensure all tags are fetched for version resolution
+        token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
-    - name: Check if tag is on main/master branch
-      id: check
+    - name: Detect version and tag
+      id: version
       run: |
-        # Get the commit that the tag points to
-        TAG_COMMIT=$(git rev-list -n 1 ${{ github.ref_name }})
-        echo "Tag ${{ github.ref_name }} points to commit: $TAG_COMMIT"
+        echo "🔍 Checking for version tags in this push to main/master..."
         
-        # Check if this commit is reachable from main or master
-        if git branch -r --contains $TAG_COMMIT | grep -E "(origin/main|origin/master)" > /dev/null; then
-          echo "✅ Tag ${{ github.ref_name }} is on main/master branch"
-          echo "should-release=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+        # Check if this push contains a commit with "Version" in the message
+        # This indicates a release was created locally and pushed
+        if git log --oneline -1 --grep="Version" | grep -q "Version"; then
+          # Get the commit hash of the "Version" commit
+          VERSION_COMMIT=$(git log --oneline -1 --grep="Version" --format="%H")
+          echo "Found version commit: $VERSION_COMMIT"
+          
+          # Find tags that point to this specific commit
+          TAGS_ON_COMMIT=$(git tag --points-at $VERSION_COMMIT | grep "^v" | head -1)
+          
+          if [ -n "$TAGS_ON_COMMIT" ]; then
+            VERSION=${TAGS_ON_COMMIT#v}
+            echo "version=$VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "tag_name=$TAGS_ON_COMMIT" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            echo "✅ Version tag found for this commit: $TAGS_ON_COMMIT"
+          else
+            echo "⚠️ Version commit found but no tag points to it"
+            echo "should_release=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+            exit 0
+          fi
         else
-          echo "⚠️  Tag ${{ github.ref_name }} is NOT on main/master branch"
-          echo "Available branches containing this commit:"
-          git branch -r --contains $TAG_COMMIT
-          echo "This release will be skipped for security reasons."
-          echo "To release, merge your changes to main/master first, then tag from there."
-          echo "should-release=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "⚠️ No version commit found in this push"
+          echo "should_release=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          exit 0
         fi
 
-  release:
-    needs: check-tag
-    if: needs.check-tag.outputs.should-release == 'true'
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    permissions:
-      contents: write
-
-    steps:
-    - name: Checkout code
-      uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      with:
-        fetch-depth: 0  # Fetch all history and tags
-        fetch-tags: true  # Ensure all tags are fetched for version resolution
+    - name: Check if release should proceed
+      if: steps.version.outputs.should_release == 'false'
+      run: |
+        echo "Skipping release - no version tag found"
+        exit 0
 
     - name: Set up Python
       uses: actions/setup-python@v5
@@ -91,11 +96,11 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         pip install dist/*.whl
 
-    - name: Extract version
-      id: get_version
+    - name: Display release info
       run: |
-        VERSION=${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/v}
-        echo "version=$VERSION" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+        echo "🚀 Releasing version: ${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}"
+        echo "📦 Tag name: ${{ steps.version.outputs.tag_name }}"
+        echo "🏷️  Is tag push: ${{ steps.version.outputs.is_tag_push }}"
 
     - name: Publish to PyPI
       env:
@@ -106,8 +111,8 @@ jobs:
     - name: Create Release
       uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v1
       with:
-        tag_name: ${{ github.ref }}
-        name: Release of version ${{ steps.get_version.outputs.version }}
+        tag_name: ${{ steps.version.outputs.tag_name }}
+        name: Release of version ${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}
         body: |
           Changes in this Release
           - Automated release notes
diff --git a/CITATION.cff b/CITATION.cff
index 90f5577..10154e5 100644
--- a/CITATION.cff
+++ b/CITATION.cff
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ cff-version: 1.2.0
 message: If you use this software, please cite it using the metadata from this file.
 type: software
 title: 'pycoupler: dynamic model coupling of LPJmL'
-version: 1.6.2
+version: 1.6.3
 date-released: '2025-09-22'
 abstract: An LPJmL-Python interface for operating LPJmL in a Python environment
   and coupling it with Python models, programmes or simple programming scripts.