diff --git a/docs/publishing-a-release.md b/docs/publishing-a-release.md
index 3ab3f77563b1..59fe5c015b88 100644
--- a/docs/publishing-a-release.md
+++ b/docs/publishing-a-release.md
@@ -9,12 +9,15 @@ _These steps are only relevant to Sentry employees when preparing and publishing
 2. Create a branch `prepare-release/VERSION`, eg. `prepare-release/7.37.0`, off develop
 3. Update [`CHANGELOG.md`](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-javascript/edit/master/CHANGELOG.md) to add an entry for
    the next release number and a list of changes since the last release. (See details below.)
-4. Create a PR towards `master` branch
-5. When the PR is merged, it will automatically trigger the
+4. Open a PR with the title `meta(changelog): Update changelog for VERSION` against `master` branch.
+5. **Be cautious!** The PR against `master` should be merged via "Merge Commit"
+6. When the PR is merged, it will automatically trigger the
    [Prepare Release](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-javascript/actions/workflows/release.yml) on master.
-6. A new issue should appear in https://github.com/getsentry/publish/issues.
-7. Ask a member of the [@getsentry/releases team](https://github.com/orgs/getsentry/teams/releases/members) to approve
-   the release. a. Once the release is completed, a sync from `master` ->` develop` will be automatically triggered
+7. A new issue should appear in https://github.com/getsentry/publish/issues.
+8. Wait until the CI check runs have finished successfully (there is a link to them in the issue).
+9. Once CI passes successfully, ask a member of the
+   [@getsentry/releases team](https://github.com/orgs/getsentry/teams/releases/members) to approve the release. a. Once
+   the release is completed, a sync from `master` ->` develop` will be automatically triggered
 
 ## Updating the Changelog
 
@@ -29,4 +32,4 @@ _These steps are only relevant to Sentry employees when preparing and publishing
    `Work in this release contributed by <list of external contributors' GitHub usernames>. Thank you for your contributions!`.
    If there's only one external PR, don't forget to remove the final `s`. If there are three or more, use an Oxford
    comma. (It's in the Sentry styleguide!)
-8. Commit, push, and open a PR with the title `meta(changelog): Update changelog for VERSION` against `master` branch.
+8. Commit, push, and continue with step 4 from the previous section with the general instructions (above).