diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 69c6fc79b..988eaf8ef 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -4,15 +4,9 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
-  # release is done from main branch.
-  confirm-public-repo-main-branch:
-    name: 'Confirm release is run from public/main branch'
-    uses: mParticle/mparticle-workflows/.github/workflows/sdk-release-repo-branch-check.yml@main
-
   release:
     name: Perform Release
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: confirm-public-repo-main-branch
 
     env:
       GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
@@ -23,11 +17,10 @@ jobs:
       NPM_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
 
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout public main branch
+      - name: Checkout public branch
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
-          ref: main
 
       - name: Import GPG Key
         uses: crazy-max/ghaction-import-gpg@v4
@@ -39,10 +32,15 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Setup Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 'lts/*'
 
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: npm ci
 
+      - name: Verify the integrity of provenance attestations and registry signatures for installed dependencies
+        run: npm audit signatures
+
       - name: Build dist
         run: npm run build-dist
 
diff --git a/release.config.js b/release.config.js
index 58e6f2c05..f764a064c 100644
--- a/release.config.js
+++ b/release.config.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 module.exports = {
-  branches: ['main'],
+  branches: ['main', 'next'],
   tagFormat: 'v${version}',
   repositoryUrl: 'https://github.com/mParticle/aquarium',
   plugins: [