diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-requests-release-manual.yaml b/.github/workflows/pull-requests-release-manual.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..13f23676
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull-requests-release-manual.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+name: Manual Release
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      tag:
+        description: 'Release tag (e.g. v0.1.3 or v0.1.3-rc1)'
+        required: true
+        type: string
+
+jobs:
+  finalize:
+    name: Finalize Release
+    runs-on: [self-hosted]
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+
+    if: |
+      github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' && github.ref_name == 'main'
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Create tag on merge commit
+        run: |
+          git tag -f ${{ steps.get_tag.outputs.tag }} ${{ github.sha }}
+          git push -f origin ${{ steps.get_tag.outputs.tag }}
+
+      - name: Ensure maintenance branch release-X.Y
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          script: |
+            const tag = '${{ inputs.tag }}';  // e.g. v0.1.3 or v0.1.3-rc3
+            const match = tag.match(/^v(\d+)\.(\d+)\.\d+(?:[-\w\.]+)?$/);
+            if (!match) {
+              core.setFailed(`❌ tag '${tag}' must match 'vX.Y.Z' or 'vX.Y.Z-suffix'`);
+              return;
+            }
+            const line = `${match[1]}.${match[2]}`;
+            const branch = `release-${line}`;
+
+            // Get main branch commit for the tag
+            const ref = await github.rest.git.getRef({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo:  context.repo.repo,
+              ref:   `tags/${tag}`
+            });
+
+            const commitSha = ref.data.object.sha;
+
+            try {
+              await github.rest.repos.getBranch({
+                owner: context.repo.owner,
+                repo: context.repo.repo,
+                branch
+              });
+           
+              await github.rest.git.updateRef({
+                owner: context.repo.owner,
+                repo: context.repo.repo,
+                ref: `heads/${branch}`,
+                sha: commitSha,
+                force: true
+              });
+              console.log(`🔁 Force-updated '${branch}' to ${commitSha}`);
+            } catch (err) {
+              if (err.status === 404) {
+                await github.rest.git.createRef({
+                  owner: context.repo.owner,
+                  repo: context.repo.repo,
+                  ref: `refs/heads/${branch}`,
+                  sha: commitSha
+                });
+                console.log(`✅ Created branch '${branch}' at ${commitSha}`);
+              } else {
+                console.error('Unexpected error --', err);
+                core.setFailed(`Unexpected error creating/updating branch: ${err.message}`);
+                throw err;
+              }
+            }
+
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-requests-release.yaml b/.github/workflows/pull-requests-release.yaml
index 7f7c2fcd..b4ca30d0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-requests-release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull-requests-release.yaml
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ jobs:
                 core.setFailed(`Unexpected error creating/updating branch: ${err.message}`);
                 throw err;
               }
+            }
 
       # Get the latest published release
       - name: Get the latest published release