diff --git a/.github/workflows/create_release.yml b/.github/workflows/create_release.yml
index 1db5986925..e00c09f2d7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create_release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create_release.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ jobs:
               "datacatalog",
               "flyteadmin",
               "flytecopilot",
-              "flyteidl",
               "flyteplugins",
               "flytepropeller",
               "flytestdlib",
diff --git a/.github/workflows/flytectl-release.yml b/.github/workflows/flytectl-release.yml
index 2bfa6f28eb..2aba67dbe9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/flytectl-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/flytectl-release.yml
@@ -1,13 +1,34 @@
 name: Flytectl release
 
 on:
-  push:
-    tags:
-      - flytectl/v*.*.*
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      version:
+        description: "version. Do *not* use the `flytectl/` prefix, e.g. `flytectl/v1.2.3`, instead use only `v1.2.3` (including the `v`)"
+        required: true
 
 jobs:
+  push-flytectl-tag:
+    name: Push git tag containing the `flyteidl/` prefix
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: '0'
+      - uses: actions/github-script@v6
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{ secrets.FLYTE_BOT_PAT }}
+          script: |
+            github.rest.git.createRef({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              ref: `refs/tags/flytectl/${{ github.event.inputs.version }}`,
+              sha: context.sha
+            })
   release:
     name: Goreleaser
+    needs:
+      - push-flytectl-tag
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/.github/workflows/flyteidl-release.yml b/.github/workflows/flyteidl-release.yml
index 94c13645b2..2b19f7942d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/flyteidl-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/flyteidl-release.yml
@@ -1,12 +1,33 @@
-name: Upload flyteidl to PyPI and npm
+name: Release flyteidl
 
 on:
-  push:
-    tags:
-      - flyteidl/v*.*.*
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      version:
+        description: "version. Do *not* use the `flyteidl/` prefix, e.g. `flyteidl/v1.2.3`, instead use only `v1.2.3` (including the `v`)"
+        required: true
 
 jobs:
+  push-flyteidl-tag:
+    name: Push git tag containing the `flyteidl/` prefix
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: '0'
+      - uses: actions/github-script@v6
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{ secrets.FLYTE_BOT_PAT }}
+          script: |
+            github.rest.git.createRef({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              ref: `refs/tags/flyteidl/${{ github.event.inputs.version }}`,
+              sha: context.sha
+            })
   deploy-to-pypi:
+    needs:
+      - push-flyteidl-tag
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     defaults:
       run:
@@ -29,6 +50,8 @@ jobs:
           python -m build
           twine upload dist/*
   deploy-to-npm:
+    needs:
+      - push-flyteidl-tag
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     defaults:
       run:
diff --git a/flytectl/RELEASE.md b/flytectl/RELEASE.md
index 646f7465a6..414aa24199 100644
--- a/flytectl/RELEASE.md
+++ b/flytectl/RELEASE.md
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 
 Flytectl releases map to git tags with the prefix `flytectl/` followed by a semver string, e.g. [flytectl/v0.9.0](https://github.com/flyteorg/flyte/releases/tag/flytectl%2Fv0.9.0).
 
-To release a new version of flytectl push a new git tag in the format described above. This will kick off a <[github workflow](https://github.com/flyteorg/flyte/blob/master/.github/workflows/flytectl-release.yml) responsible for releasing this new version. Note how the git tag has to be formatted a certain way for the workflow to run.
+To release a new version of flytectl run the <[github workflow](https://github.com/flyteorg/flyte/blob/master/.github/workflows/flytectl-release.yml), which is responsible for releasing this new version. Remember to use valid semver versions, including adding the prefix `v`, e.g. `v1.2.3`.
diff --git a/flyteidl/RELEASE.md b/flyteidl/RELEASE.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eaaa4d51f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flyteidl/RELEASE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# Release Process
+
+To release a new version of flyteidl run the <[github workflow](https://github.com/flyteorg/flyte/blob/master/.github/workflows/flyteidl-release.yml), which is responsible for releasing this new version. Remember to use valid semver versions, including adding the prefix `v`, e.g. `v1.2.3`.
+