diff --git a/.ci/release.sh b/.ci/release.sh
index 1cae23691..a0d3457ee 100755
--- a/.ci/release.sh
+++ b/.ci/release.sh
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ if [[ "$dry_run" == "true" ]] ; then
     publishArg='publishAllPublicationsToDryRunRepository'
 else
     echo "--- Build and publish the release :package:"
-    ### TODO: changeme
-    publishArg='assemble'
+    publishArg='publishToSonatype closeAndReleaseStagingRepository'
 fi
 
 ./gradlew \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/gradle-goal/action.yml b/.github/workflows/gradle-goal/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..62bfaf43d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/gradle-goal/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+---
+
+name: gradle-goal
+description: Install specific JDK and run a command
+  
+inputs:
+  version:
+    description: 'Java version'
+    required: true
+    default: '17'
+  distribution:
+    description: 'Java distribution'
+    required: true
+    default: 'temurin'
+  command:
+    description: 'Command to execute'
+    required: true
+  shell:
+    description: 'Default shell'
+    default: 'bash'
+    required: false
+  
+runs:
+  using: "composite"
+  steps:
+    - name: Set up JDK
+      uses: actions/setup-java@v4
+      with:
+        java-version: ${{ inputs.version }}
+        distribution: ${{ inputs.distribution }}
+        cache: 'gradle'
+    - run: ${{ inputs.command }}
+      shell: ${{ inputs.shell }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pre-post-release.yml b/.github/workflows/pre-post-release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..764bfd470
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/pre-post-release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+---
+
+name: Pre/Post Release
+  
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      ref:
+        description: 'Branch or tag ref to run the workflow on'
+        type: string
+        required: true
+        default: 'main'
+      version:
+        description: 'The version to release (e.g. 1.2.3). This workflow will automatically perform the required version bumps'
+        type: string
+        required: true
+      phase:
+        description: 'Pre or post release phase'
+        type: string # valid values are 'pre' or 'post'
+        required: true
+
+env:
+  RELEASE_VERSION: ${{ inputs.version }}
+  BRANCH_NAME: ${{ inputs.phase }}-release-v${{ inputs.version }}
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  validate-tag:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - name: Validate release tag does not exist in repo
+        uses: ./.github/workflows/validate-tag
+        with:
+          tag: v${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}
+  
+  create-pr:
+    name: "Bump versions and create PR"
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs:
+      - validate-tag
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+    steps:
+      - uses: elastic/apm-pipeline-library/.github/actions/github-token@current
+        with:
+          url: ${{ secrets.VAULT_ADDR }}
+          roleId: ${{ secrets.VAULT_ROLE_ID }}
+          secretId: ${{ secrets.VAULT_SECRET_ID }}
+  
+      - uses: elastic/apm-pipeline-library/.github/actions/setup-git@current
+        with:
+          username: ${{ env.GIT_USER }}
+          email: ${{ env.GIT_EMAIL }}
+          token: ${{ env.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+  
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ inputs.ref }}
+          token: ${{ env.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+  
+      - name: Create the release tag (post phase)
+        if: inputs.phase == 'post'
+        run: |
+          git tag "v${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}"
+          git push origin "v${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}"
+  
+      - name: Create a ${{ inputs.phase }} release branch
+        run: git checkout -b ${{ env.BRANCH_NAME }}
+  
+      - name: Set release version (pre release)
+        if: inputs.phase == 'pre'
+        uses: ./.github/workflows/gradle-goal
+        with:
+          command: ./gradlew -q setVersion -PnewVersion=${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}
+  
+      - name: Set next snapshot version (post release)
+        if: inputs.phase == 'post'
+        uses: ./.github/workflows/gradle-goal
+        with:
+          command: ./gradlew -q setNextVersion
+  
+      - name: Push the ${{ inputs.phase }} release branch
+        run: |
+          git add --all
+          git commit -m "${{ inputs.phase }} release: elastic-otel-java v${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}"
+          git push origin ${{ env.BRANCH_NAME }}
+  
+      - name: Create the ${{ inputs.phase }} release PR
+        run: gh pr create --title="${{ inputs.phase }} release v${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}" --base main --head ${{ env.BRANCH_NAME }} -b "${{ inputs.phase }} release v${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}"
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ env.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml b/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4d97c1fff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+---
+
+name: Pre release
+  
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      ref:
+        description: 'Branch or tag ref to run the workflow on'
+        required: true
+        default: 'main'
+      version:
+        description: 'The version to release (e.g. 1.2.3). This workflow will automatically perform the required version bumps'
+        required: true
+  
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+  
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}
+  
+jobs:
+  pre-release:
+    name: "Bump versions and create PR"
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/pre-post-release.yml
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+    with:
+      ref: ${{ inputs.ref }}
+      version: ${{ inputs.version }}
+      phase: 'pre'
+    secrets: inherit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index c18d50e4d..b10cdb4e2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,22 +1,75 @@
 ---
-name: release
+
+name: Release
 
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
+      ref:
+          description: 'Branch or tag ref to run the workflow on'
+          required: true
+          default: "main"
+      version:
+        description: 'The version to release (e.g. 1.2.3). This workflow will automatically perform the required version bumps'
+        required: true
       dry_run:
         description: If set, run a dry-run release
         default: false
         type: boolean
+      skip_maven_deploy:
+        description: |
+          If enabled, the deployment to maven central will be skipped.
+          Select this if the deployment job for this release failed in a previous version but the release was actually published.
+          Check manually on maven central beforehand!
+        type: boolean
+        required: true
+        default: false
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
 
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}
+  
+env:
+  RELEASE_VERSION: ${{ inputs.version }}
+  
 jobs:
+  validate-tag:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          ref: ${{ inputs.ref }}
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - name: Warmup gradle wrapper
+        uses: ./.github/workflows/gradle-goal
+        with:
+          command: "./gradlew -q currentVersion"
+      - name: Validate release tag does not exist in repo
+        uses: ./.github/workflows/validate-tag
+        with:
+          tag: v${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}
+      - name: Validate tag match current version
+        run: |
+          if [ "$(./gradlew -q currentVersion)" != "${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}" ]; then
+            echo "Tag should match version set in 'version.properties'"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+      - name: Validate version is a release version
+        run: |
+          if [[ "$(./gradlew -q currentVersion)" =~ "-SNAPSHOT" ]]; then
+            echo "This is a snapshot version"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
   release:
     name: Release
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
+    if: ${{ ! inputs.skip_maven_deploy }}
+    needs:
+      - validate-tag
     steps:
       - id: buildkite
         name: Run Release
@@ -29,6 +82,7 @@ jobs:
           waitFor: true
           printBuildLogs: false
           buildEnvVars: |
+            ref=${{ inputs.ref }}
             dry_run=${{ inputs.dry_run || 'false' }}
 
       - if: ${{ success() && ! inputs.dry_run }}
@@ -52,14 +106,29 @@ jobs:
             :ghost: [${{ github.repository }}] Release *${{ github.ref_name }}* didn't get triggered in Buildkite.
             Build: (<${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}|here>)
 
-  post_release:
-    name: Post Release
-    needs: release
+  await-maven-central-artifact:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    permissions:
-      contents: write
+    name: Wait for release to be available on maven-central
+    if: inputs.dry_run == false
+    needs:
+      - release
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: elastic/apm-pipeline-library/.github/actions/await-maven-artifact@current
+        with:
+          groupid: 'co.elastic.otel'
+          artifactid: 'elastic-otel-javaagent'
+          version: ${{ inputs.version }}
 
-      - if: ${{ ! inputs.dry_run }}
-        run: echo "TODO"
\ No newline at end of file
+  post-release:
+    name: "Bump versions and create PR"
+    needs:
+      - await-maven-central-artifact
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/pre-post-release.yml
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+    if: inputs.dry_run == false
+    with:
+      ref: ${{ inputs.ref }}
+      version: ${{ inputs.version }}
+      phase: 'post'
+    secrets: inherit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/snapshot.yml b/.github/workflows/snapshot.yml
index c31c19d5a..322f55c53 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/snapshot.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/snapshot.yml
@@ -16,10 +16,28 @@ permissions:
   contents: read
 
 jobs:
+  validate:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      is-snapshot: ${{ steps.validate.outputs.is-snapshot }}
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Validate version is a snapshot version
+        run: |
+          output=false
+          if [[ "$(./gradlew -q currentVersion)" =~ "-SNAPSHOT" ]]; then
+            echo "This is a snapshot version"
+            output=true
+          fi
+          echo "is-snapshot=${output}" >> "${GITHUB_OUTPUT}"
+
   deploy:
     name: Deploy
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
+    needs: 
+      - validate
+    if: ${{ contains(needs.validate.outputs.is-snapshot, 'true') }}
     steps:
       - id: buildkite
         name: Run Deploy
@@ -44,4 +62,3 @@ jobs:
           message: |
             :ghost: [${{ github.repository }}] Snapshot *${{ github.ref_name }}* didn't get triggered in Buildkite.
             Build: (<${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}|here>)
-
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-tag/action.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-tag/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c880256fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-tag/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+---
+
+name: validate-tag
+description: Validate tag format
+  
+inputs:
+  tag:
+    description: 'Tag to validate'
+    required: true
+  
+runs:
+  using: "composite"
+  steps:
+    - name: Validate tag does not exist on current commit
+      id: validate-tag
+      shell: 'bash'
+      run: |
+        if ! [ $(echo "${{ inputs.tag }}" | grep -P "(\d{1,2})\.(\d{1,2})\.(\d{1,2})") ]; then
+          echo "Tag should be a SemVer format"
+          exit 1
+        fi
+        if [ $(git tag -l "${{ inputs.tag }}") ]; then
+          echo "The tag ${{ inputs.tag }} already exists"
+          exit 1
+        fi
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index d99945e17..5d7ae7f5c 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -111,6 +111,30 @@ task copyGitHooks(type: Copy) {
   into layout.projectDirectory.dir(".git").dir("hooks")
 }
 
+task currentVersion {
+  doLast {
+    println project.version
+  }
+}
+
+task setVersion {
+  doLast {
+    def versionFile = file('version.properties')
+    versionFile.text = "version=${newVersion}\n"
+  }
+}
+
+task setNextVersion {
+  doLast {
+    def versionFile = file('version.properties')
+    def pattern = /version=(\d+\.\d+\.\d+)(-SNAPSHOT)?/
+    versionFile.text = versionFile.text.replaceFirst(pattern) { match, version, suffix ->
+      def (major, minor, patch) = version.split(/\./).collect { it as int }
+      "version=${major}.${minor}.${patch + 1}-SNAPSHOT"
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 tasks.configure {
   doLast {
     copyGitHooks