diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index cafdc7c6e..2faf016ee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -2,23 +2,17 @@ name: Release
 on:
   push:
     branches:
-      - release
+      - release/**
 jobs:
   release:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     # sonatype nexus sometimes hangs
     timeout-minutes: 20
     steps:
-      # The build number is stored as a tag in git
-      # If it needs to be reset (eg after a major number version change)
-      # run
-      # git tag -d build-number-<x>
-      # git push --delete origin build-number-<x>
-      - name: Generate build number
-        id: buildnumber
-        uses: einaregilsson/build-number@v3
-        with:
-          token: ${{secrets.github_token}}
+      - name: Extract branch name
+        shell: bash
+        run: echo "##[set-output name=branch;]$(echo ${GITHUB_REF##*/})"
+        id: extract_branch
       - name: Install gpg secret key
         run: |
           cat <(echo -e "${{ secrets.GPG_SECRET_KEY }}") | gpg --batch --import
@@ -43,7 +37,7 @@ jobs:
           git config user.email "actions@github.com"
           git config user.name "GitHub Actions"
       - name: Publish JAR
-        run: mvn -Dgpg.passphrase=${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE}} -B -Prelease deploy scm:tag -Drevision=${{ steps.buildnumber.outputs.build_number }} -DskipTests=true
+        run: mvn -Dgpg.passphrase=${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE}} -B -Prelease deploy scm:tag -Drevision=${{ steps.extract_branch.outputs.branch }} -DskipTests=true
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           MAVEN_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.OSSRH_USERNAME }}
diff --git a/pitest-aggregator/pom.xml b/pitest-aggregator/pom.xml
index a843b3cb7..a6df27b49 100644
--- a/pitest-aggregator/pom.xml
+++ b/pitest-aggregator/pom.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<groupId>org.pitest</groupId>
 		<artifactId>pitest-parent</artifactId>
-		<version>1.6.${revision}</version>
+		<version>${revision}</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>pitest-aggregator</artifactId>
 	<description>Aggregates the output of report XML documents into a new combined HTML report</description>
diff --git a/pitest-ant/pom.xml b/pitest-ant/pom.xml
index 6fdcccf08..af586754c 100644
--- a/pitest-ant/pom.xml
+++ b/pitest-ant/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<artifactId>pitest-parent</artifactId>
 		<groupId>org.pitest</groupId>
-		<version>1.6.${revision}</version>
+		<version>${revision}</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>pitest-ant</artifactId>
 	<name>pitest-ant</name>
diff --git a/pitest-build-config/pom.xml b/pitest-build-config/pom.xml
index a3203d444..453e5ead4 100644
--- a/pitest-build-config/pom.xml
+++ b/pitest-build-config/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <artifactId>pitest-parent</artifactId>
     <groupId>org.pitest</groupId>
-    <version>1.6.${revision}</version>
+    <version>${revision}</version>
   </parent>
 
 </project>
diff --git a/pitest-command-line/pom.xml b/pitest-command-line/pom.xml
index 75c211196..1e55c47e2 100644
--- a/pitest-command-line/pom.xml
+++ b/pitest-command-line/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<artifactId>pitest-parent</artifactId>
 		<groupId>org.pitest</groupId>
-		<version>1.6.${revision}</version>
+		<version>${revision}</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>pitest-command-line</artifactId>
 	<name>pitest-command-line</name>
diff --git a/pitest-entry/pom.xml b/pitest-entry/pom.xml
index b0b28180f..ce0bfb89f 100644
--- a/pitest-entry/pom.xml
+++ b/pitest-entry/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<artifactId>pitest-parent</artifactId>
 		<groupId>org.pitest</groupId>
-		<version>1.6.${revision}</version>
+		<version>${revision}</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>pitest-entry</artifactId>
 	<name>pitest-entry</name>
diff --git a/pitest-groovy-verification/pom.xml b/pitest-groovy-verification/pom.xml
index 9d60d4dfd..2fbfe1fff 100644
--- a/pitest-groovy-verification/pom.xml
+++ b/pitest-groovy-verification/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<artifactId>pitest-parent</artifactId>
 		<groupId>org.pitest</groupId>
-		<version>1.6.${revision}</version>
+		<version>${revision}</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>pitest-groovy-verification</artifactId>
 	<packaging>jar</packaging>
diff --git a/pitest-html-report/pom.xml b/pitest-html-report/pom.xml
index 259860948..6b320c7a1 100644
--- a/pitest-html-report/pom.xml
+++ b/pitest-html-report/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<artifactId>pitest-parent</artifactId>
 		<groupId>org.pitest</groupId>
-		<version>1.6.${revision}</version>
+		<version>${revision}</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>pitest-html-report</artifactId>
 	<name>pitest-html-report</name>
diff --git a/pitest-java8-verification/pom.xml b/pitest-java8-verification/pom.xml
index d2c959f37..30de4c586 100644
--- a/pitest-java8-verification/pom.xml
+++ b/pitest-java8-verification/pom.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<artifactId>pitest-parent</artifactId>
 		<groupId>org.pitest</groupId>
-		<version>1.6.${revision}</version>
+		<version>${revision}</version>
 	</parent>
 	<modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
 
diff --git a/pitest-maven-verification/pom.xml b/pitest-maven-verification/pom.xml
index f42724ef1..f8c81169e 100644
--- a/pitest-maven-verification/pom.xml
+++ b/pitest-maven-verification/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<artifactId>pitest-parent</artifactId>
 		<groupId>org.pitest</groupId>
-		<version>1.6.${revision}</version>
+		<version>${revision}</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>pitest-maven-verification</artifactId>
 	<packaging>jar</packaging>
diff --git a/pitest-maven/pom.xml b/pitest-maven/pom.xml
index 86e1bcf16..f272790c0 100644
--- a/pitest-maven/pom.xml
+++ b/pitest-maven/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<artifactId>pitest-parent</artifactId>
 		<groupId>org.pitest</groupId>
-		<version>1.6.${revision}</version>
+		<version>${revision}</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>pitest-maven</artifactId>
 	<packaging>maven-plugin</packaging>
diff --git a/pitest/pom.xml b/pitest/pom.xml
index 524e48053..74653afa0 100644
--- a/pitest/pom.xml
+++ b/pitest/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<artifactId>pitest-parent</artifactId>
 		<groupId>org.pitest</groupId>
-		<version>1.6.${revision}</version>
+		<version>${revision}</version>
 	</parent>
 	<artifactId>pitest</artifactId>
 	<packaging>jar</packaging>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index b8c7b4d9e..813f80de9 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 	</organization>
 	<artifactId>pitest-parent</artifactId>
 	<packaging>pom</packaging>
-	<version>1.6.${revision}</version>
+	<version>${revision}</version>
 	<name>pitest-parent</name>
 	<url>http://pitest.org</url>
 	<description>Mutation testing system for java - parent project</description>
@@ -395,8 +395,8 @@
 	<!-- versions of libraries which are used in different projects or which 
 		are used for few artifacts -->
 	<properties>
-		<!-- this revision number used only for local builds, release version is held within ci -->
-		<revision>0-SNAPSHOT</revision>
+		<!-- this revision number used only for local builds -->
+		<revision>1.0.0-SNAPSHOT</revision>
 		<project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
 		<project.reporting.outputEncoding>UTF-8</project.reporting.outputEncoding>