diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-cli.yml b/.github/workflows/release-cli.yml
index 715af36..3d581b8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-cli.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-cli.yml
@@ -9,19 +9,8 @@ permissions:
   contents: write
 
 jobs:
-  make-release:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/create-release@latest
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-        with:
-          tag_name: ${{ github.ref }}
-          release_name: ${{ github.ref }}
   build-all-for-all:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs:
-      - make-release
     strategy:
       matrix:
         goos: [linux, freebsd, windows]
@@ -40,16 +29,14 @@ jobs:
           github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           goos: ${{ matrix.goos }}
           goarch: ${{ matrix.goarch }}
-          ldflags: -X main.version=${{ github. ref_name }}
+          ldflags: -X main.version=${{ github.ref_name }}
           overwrite: true
-          md5sum:  false
+          md5sum: false
           sha256sum: false
           compress_assets: false
 
   build-darwin:
     runs-on: macos-latest
-    needs:
-      - make-release
     strategy:
       matrix:
         goarch: [amd64, arm64]
@@ -68,14 +55,10 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           go build -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ github.ref_name }}" -o nak-${{ github.ref_name }}-darwin-${{ matrix.goarch }}
       - name: Upload Release Asset
-        uses: actions/upload-release-asset@v1
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets. GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v1
         with:
-          upload_url: ${{ needs.make-release.outputs.upload_url }}
-          asset_path: ./nak-${{ github.ref_name }}-darwin-${{ matrix.goarch }}
-          asset_name: nak-${{ github.ref_name }}-darwin-${{ matrix.goarch }}
-          asset_content_type: application/octet-stream
+          files: ./nak-${{ github.ref_name }}-darwin-${{ matrix.goarch }}
+
   smoke-test-linux-amd64:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs:
@@ -131,7 +114,7 @@ jobs:
           # test NIP-49 key encryption/decryption
           echo "testing NIP-49 key encryption/decryption..."
           ENCRYPTED_KEY=$(./nak key encrypt $SECRET_KEY "testpassword")
-          echo "encrypted key: ${ENCRYPTED_KEY:0:20}..."
+          echo "encrypted key: ${ENCRYPTED_KEY: 0:20}..."
           DECRYPTED_KEY=$(./nak key decrypt $ENCRYPTED_KEY "testpassword")
           if [ "$DECRYPTED_KEY" != "$SECRET_KEY" ]; then
             echo "nip-49 encryption/decryption test failed!"