diff --git a/.github/workflows/version-bump.yaml b/.github/workflows/version-bump.yaml
index 9e3a73e0..708a068e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/version-bump.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/version-bump.yaml
@@ -87,18 +87,11 @@ jobs:
             fi
             # Replace only the first occurence of $NEWS_VERSION,
             # but only if it's not already set to (development version)
-            if [ "$NEWS_VERSION" != "(development version)" ]
+            if [ "${NEWS_VERSION}" != "(development version)" ]
             then {
               sed -i "0,/$NEWS_VERSION/s/$NEWS_VERSION/$DESC_VERSION/" NEWS.md
             }
             fi
-            NEWS_VERSION=$(awk '/^#+ /{print $3,$4; exit}' NEWS.md)
-            echo "Updated NEWS.md version: $NEWS_VERSION"
-            if (test $DESC_VERSION != $NEWS_VERSION ); then
-              echo "🙈 Updated NEWS.md and DESCRIPTION have different versions!"
-              echo "Please ensure that the versions in the NEWS.md and DESCRIPTION are the same 🙏"
-              exit 1
-            fi
             echo "NEW_PKG_VERSION=${DESC_VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           }
           fi
diff --git a/.github/workflows/version.yaml b/.github/workflows/version.yaml
index fcb35eeb..d0ca738f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/version.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/version.yaml
@@ -44,13 +44,13 @@ jobs:
           DESC_DEV_VERSION=$(echo $DESC_VERSION | awk -F '.' '{print $NF}')
           echo "NEWS.md version: $NEWS_VERSION"
           echo "DESCRIPTION version: $DESC_VERSION"
-          if [[ "$DESC_VERSION" == "$NEWS_VERSION" ]]
+          if [[ "${DESC_VERSION}" == "${NEWS_VERSION}" ]]
           then {
             echo "NEWS.md and DESCRIPTION have the same version 🎉"
             exit 0
           }
           fi
-          if [[ $DESC_DEV_VERSION -ge 9000 && "$NEWS_VERSION" == "(development version)" ]]
+          if [[ $DESC_DEV_VERSION -ge 9000 && "${NEWS_VERSION}" == "(development version)" ]]
           then {
             echo "NEWS.md and DESCRIPTION file versions are okay as package is in development mode."
             echo "All is okay 🆗"