diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 03a6e7c5ce0..8d661be539c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@
     "packages": [
       "packages/*",
       "packages/sdk/*",
-      "packages/sdk/wallets/*",
-      "packages/protocol/abis"
+      "packages/sdk/wallets/*"
     ],
     "nohoist": [
       "**/openzeppelin-solidity",
diff --git a/packages/protocol/abis/package.json b/packages/protocol/abis/package.json
index e3a8a9a8b22..d0f6a38d0c6 100644
--- a/packages/protocol/abis/package.json
+++ b/packages/protocol/abis/package.json
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 {
   "name": "@celo/abis",
-  "version": "10.0.0-local",
   "author": "cLabs",
   "license": "LGPL-3.0",
   "main": "./dist/cjs/index.js",
   "module": "./dist/esm/index.js",
+  "private": "true",
   "types": "./dist/types/index.d.ts",
   "typings": "./dist/types/index.d.ts",
   "repository": {
diff --git a/packages/protocol/contracts/package.json b/packages/protocol/contracts/package.json
index f5e3d544ead..b4be0dad47a 100644
--- a/packages/protocol/contracts/package.json
+++ b/packages/protocol/contracts/package.json
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 {
   "name": "@celo/contracts",
-  "version": "0.0.0-template.version",
   "author": "cLabs",
   "license": "LGPL-3.0",
+  "private": "true",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
     "url": "https://github.com/celo-org/celo-monorepo.git",
diff --git a/packages/protocol/scripts/prepare-contracts-and-abis-publishing.ts b/packages/protocol/scripts/prepare-contracts-and-abis-publishing.ts
index 25b298c4a76..2b3d0cffea3 100644
--- a/packages/protocol/scripts/prepare-contracts-and-abis-publishing.ts
+++ b/packages/protocol/scripts/prepare-contracts-and-abis-publishing.ts
@@ -229,25 +229,35 @@ function processRawJsonsAndPrepareExports() {
   return exports
 }
 
-function prepareAbisPackageJson(exports) {
-  log('Preparing @celo/abis package.json')
-  const packageJsonPath = path.join(ABIS_PACKAGE_SRC_DIR, 'package.json')
+function replacePackageVersionAndMakePublic(packageJsonPath: string, onDone?: (json) => void) {
   const json = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(packageJsonPath).toString())
 
   if (process.env.RELEASE_VERSION) {
-    log('Replacing @celo/abis version with provided RELEASE_VERSION')
+    log(`Replacing ${json.name} version with provided RELEASE_VERSION`)
 
     json.version = process.env.RELEASE_VERSION
+    json.private = false
   } else {
     log('No RELEASE_VERSION provided')
   }
 
-  log('Setting @celo/abis exports')
-  json.exports = exports
+  if (onDone !== undefined) {
+    onDone(json)
+  }
 
   fs.writeFileSync(packageJsonPath, JSON.stringify(json, null, 2))
 }
 
+function prepareAbisPackageJson(exports) {
+  log('Preparing @celo/abis package.json')
+  const packageJsonPath = path.join(ABIS_PACKAGE_SRC_DIR, 'package.json')
+
+  replacePackageVersionAndMakePublic(packageJsonPath, (json) => {
+    log('Setting @celo/abis exports')
+    json.exports = exports
+  })
+}
+
 function prepareContractsPackage() {
   const contracts08CpCommand = `cp -r ${CONTRACTS_08_SOURCE_DIR} ${CONTRACTS_08_PACKAGE_DESTINATION_DIR}`
   log(contracts08CpCommand)
@@ -255,13 +265,8 @@ function prepareContractsPackage() {
 
   if (process.env.RELEASE_VERSION) {
     log('Replacing @celo/contracts version with RELEASE_VERSION)')
-    const contractsPackageJsonPath = path.join(CONTRACTS_PACKAGE_SRC_DIR, 'package.json')
-    const contents = fs.readFileSync(contractsPackageJsonPath).toString()
-
-    fs.writeFileSync(
-      contractsPackageJsonPath,
-      contents.replace('0.0.0-template.version', process.env.RELEASE_VERSION)
-    )
+    const packageJsonPath = path.join(CONTRACTS_PACKAGE_SRC_DIR, 'package.json')
+    replacePackageVersionAndMakePublic(packageJsonPath)
 
     return
   }