diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index f124b465..19d9d06c 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ jobs:
             make buildx-init
 
             # create the github release
-            goreleaser release \
+            GORELEASER_CURRENT_TAG=${CIRCLE_TAG} goreleaser release \
               --release-notes=${release_notes}
 
             # log into control plane ECR repo
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8d026d13..2d339aba 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ endif
 	@echo -n "Are you sure? [y/N] " && read ans && [ $${ans:-N} == y ]
 	git commit -m "build(release): bump version to $(VERSION)"
 	git push origin release/$(VERSION)
-	git tag $(VERSION)-rc.1
+	git tag -a -F changes/$(VERSION).md $(VERSION)-rc.1
 	git push origin $(VERSION)-rc.1
 	@echo "Go to https://github.com/pgEdge/control-plane/compare/release/$(VERSION)?expand=1 to open the release PR."