diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 3e25145a0e..c2c2a64b31 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs:
       - await-maven-central-artifact
+      - create-github-release
     env:
       SONATYPE_FALLBACK: 1
     steps:
@@ -143,11 +144,11 @@ jobs:
           secretId: ${{ secrets.VAULT_SECRET_ID }}
       - name: "Build docker image"
         shell: bash
-        run: ./scripts/docker-release/build_docker.sh
+        run: ./scripts/docker-release/build_docker.sh "${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}"
       - name: "Push docker image"
         if: ${{ ! inputs.dry_run }}
         shell: bash
-        run: ./scripts/docker-release/push_docker.sh
+        run: ./scripts/docker-release/push_docker.sh "${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}"
 
   publish-aws-lambda:
     name: "Publish AWS Lambda"
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 480fb99a67..2a5689fa04 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ If you wish to use a locally built artifact in the built image, execute [`./mvnw
 and ensure that artifacts are present in `elastic-apm-agent/target/*.jar`.
 
 To create a Docker image from artifacts generated by [`./mvnw package`](mvnw),
-run [`scripts/docker-release/build_docker.sh`](scripts/docker-release/build_docker.sh).
+run [`scripts/docker-release/build_docker.sh`](scripts/docker-release/build_docker.sh) with the release version.
 
 Alternatively, it is also possible to use the most recent artifact from the [Sonatype
 repository](https://oss.sonatype.org/#nexus-search;gav~co.elastic.apm~apm-agent-java~~~).
@@ -383,4 +383,4 @@ Prior to pushing images, you must login to the Elastic Docker repo using the cor
 credentials using the [`docker login`](https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/commandline/login/) command.
 
 To push an image, run the [`scripts/docker-release/push_docker.sh`](scripts/docker-release/push_docker.sh)
-script. An image will be pushed.
+script with the release version. An image will be pushed.
diff --git a/scripts/docker-release/build_docker.sh b/scripts/docker-release/build_docker.sh
index ebcc63c543..26268f279d 100755
--- a/scripts/docker-release/build_docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/docker-release/build_docker.sh
@@ -12,18 +12,7 @@ elif ! docker version
 then
   echo "ERROR: Building Docker image requires Docker daemon to be running" && exit 1
 fi
-
-echo "INFO: Determining latest tag"
-if [ ! -z ${TAG_NAME+x} ]
-then
-  echo "INFO: Detected TAG_NAME variable. Probably a Jenkins instance."
-  readonly GIT_TAG_DEFAULT=$(echo $TAG_NAME|sed s/^v//)
-else
-  echo "INFO: Did not detect TAG_NAME. Examining git log for latest tag"
-  readonly GIT_TAG_DEFAULT=$(git describe --abbrev=0|sed s/^v//)
-fi
-
-readonly GIT_TAG=${GIT_TAG:-$GIT_TAG_DEFAULT}
+readonly RELEASE_VERSION=${1}
 
 readonly SCRIPT_PATH="$( cd "$(dirname "$0")" ; pwd -P )"
 readonly PROJECT_ROOT=$SCRIPT_PATH/../../
@@ -36,21 +25,21 @@ then
   find -E ${PROJECT_ROOT}elastic-apm-agent/target -regex '.*/elastic-apm-agent-[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+(-SNAPSHOT)?.jar' -exec cp {} ${PROJECT_ROOT}apm-agent-java.jar \; || echo "INFO: No locally built image found"
 elif [ ! -z ${SONATYPE_FALLBACK+x} ]
 then
-  echo "INFO: No local build artifact and SONATYPE_FALLBACK. Falling back to downloading artifact from Sonatype Nexus repository for version $GIT_TAG"
+  echo "INFO: No local build artifact and SONATYPE_FALLBACK. Falling back to downloading artifact from Sonatype Nexus repository for version $RELEASE_VERSION"
   if ! command -v curl
   then
       echo "ERROR: Pulling images from Sonatype Nexus repo requires cURL to be installed" && exit 1
   fi
   curl -L -s -o apm-agent-java.jar \
-    "https://oss.sonatype.org/service/local/artifact/maven/redirect?r=releases&g=co.elastic.apm&a=elastic-apm-agent&v=$GIT_TAG"
+    "https://oss.sonatype.org/service/local/artifact/maven/redirect?r=releases&g=co.elastic.apm&a=elastic-apm-agent&v=$RELEASE_VERSION"
   else
     echo "ERROR: No suitable build artifact was found. Re-running this script with the SONATYPE_FALLBACK variable set to true will try to use the Sonatype artifact for the latest tag"
     exit 1
 fi
 
-echo "INFO: Starting Docker build for version $GIT_TAG"
+echo "INFO: Starting Docker build for version $RELEASE_VERSION"
 
-docker build -t docker.elastic.co/$NAMESPACE/apm-agent-java:$GIT_TAG \
+docker build -t docker.elastic.co/$NAMESPACE/apm-agent-java:$RELEASE_VERSION \
   --build-arg JAR_FILE=apm-agent-java.jar \
   --build-arg HANDLER_FILE=apm-agent-lambda-layer/src/main/assembly/elastic-apm-handler .
 
diff --git a/scripts/docker-release/push_docker.sh b/scripts/docker-release/push_docker.sh
index 2953639ce9..b30fd7e5ad 100755
--- a/scripts/docker-release/push_docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/docker-release/push_docker.sh
@@ -20,48 +20,24 @@ readonly RETRIES=3
 # creating a Docker image to push. If this script does not detect an image
 # to be uploaded, it will fail.
 
-# This script is intended to be run from a CI job and will not work if run in
-# standalone manner unless certain envrionment variables are set.
-
 # Grab the tag we are working with
 
-echo "INFO: Determining latest tag"
-if [ ! -z ${TAG_NAME+x} ]
-then
-  echo "INFO: Detected TAG_NAME variable. Probably a Jenkins instance."
-  readonly GIT_TAG_DEFAULT=$(echo $TAG_NAME|sed s/^v//)
-else
-  echo "INFO: Did not detect TAG_NAME. Examining git log for latest tag"
-  readonly GIT_TAG_DEFAULT=$(git describe --abbrev=0|sed s/^v//)
-fi
-
-readonly CUR_TAG=${CUR_TAG:-$GIT_TAG_DEFAULT}
+readonly RELEASE_VERSION=${1}
 readonly DOCKER_REGISTRY_URL="docker.elastic.co"
 readonly DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME="observability/apm-agent-java"
-readonly DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE="$DOCKER_REGISTRY_URL/$DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME:$CUR_TAG"
+readonly DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE="$DOCKER_REGISTRY_URL/$DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME:$RELEASE_VERSION"
 readonly DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE_LATEST="$DOCKER_REGISTRY_URL/$DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME:latest"
 
 # Proceed with pushing to the registry
 echo "INFO: Pushing image $DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE to $DOCKER_REGISTRY_URL"
 
-if [ ${WORKERS+x} ]  # We are on a CI worker
-then
-  retry $RETRIES docker push $DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE || echo "Push failed after $RETRIES retries"
-else  # We are in a local (non-CI) environment
-  docker push $DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE || { echo "You may need to run 'docker login' first and then re-run this script"; exit 1; }
-fi
+docker push $DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE || { echo "You may need to run 'docker login' first and then re-run this script"; exit 1; }
 
 readonly LATEST_TAG=$(git tag --list --sort=version:refname "v*" | grep -v RC | sed s/^v// | tail -n 1)
 
-if [ "$CUR_TAG" = "$LATEST_TAG" ]
+if [ "$RELEASE_VERSION" = "$LATEST_TAG" ]
 then
-  echo "INFO: Current version ($CUR_TAG) is the latest version. Tagging and pushing $DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE_LATEST ..."
+  echo "INFO: Current version ($RELEASE_VERSION) is the latest version. Tagging and pushing $DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE_LATEST ..."
   docker tag $DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE $DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE_LATEST
-
-  if [ ${WORKERS+x} ]  # We are on a CI worker
-  then
-    retry $RETRIES docker push $DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE_LATEST || echo "Push failed after $RETRIES retries"
-  else  # We are in a local (non-CI) environment
-    docker push $DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE_LATEST || { echo "You may need to run 'docker login' first and then re-run this script"; exit 1; }
-  fi
+  docker push $DOCKER_PUSH_IMAGE_LATEST || { echo "You may need to run 'docker login' first and then re-run this script"; exit 1; }
 fi