diff --git a/.github/workflows/new-release.yml b/.github/workflows/new-release.yml
index de6d6647320..cc71a0f0cbc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/new-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/new-release.yml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ jobs:
 
     - uses: dtinth/setup-github-actions-caching-for-turbo@v1
 
-    - name: Build
+    - name: Build packages
       run: yarn build
 
     - name: Start next release
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-release.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-release.yml
index 6234889d7ac..1f2f83266ea 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-release.yml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - uses: dtinth/setup-github-actions-caching-for-turbo@v1
 
-      - name: Build
+      - name: Build packages
         run: yarn build
 
       - name: Publish final release
diff --git a/packages/release-action/src/index.ts b/packages/release-action/src/index.ts
index 1e2e446cfa6..89b3888e2e5 100644
--- a/packages/release-action/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/release-action/src/index.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import { setupGitUser } from './gitUtils';
 	const mainPackagePath = path.join(cwd, 'apps', 'meteor');
 
 	if (action === 'publish-final') {
-		await publishRelease({ githubToken, exitCandidate: true, mainPackagePath });
+		await publishRelease({ githubToken, mergeFinal: true, mainPackagePath });
 	} else if (action === 'publish') {
 		await publishRelease({ githubToken, baseRef, mainPackagePath });
 	} else if (action === 'bump') {
diff --git a/packages/release-action/src/publishRelease.ts b/packages/release-action/src/publishRelease.ts
index c828d86c208..7d396c55734 100644
--- a/packages/release-action/src/publishRelease.ts
+++ b/packages/release-action/src/publishRelease.ts
@@ -14,14 +14,14 @@ import { checkoutBranch, commitChanges, createTag, getCurrentBranch, mergeBranch
 export async function publishRelease({
 	githubToken,
 	mainPackagePath,
-	exitCandidate = false,
+	mergeFinal = false,
 	baseRef,
 	cwd = process.cwd(),
 }: {
 	githubToken: string;
 	mainPackagePath: string;
 	baseRef?: string;
-	exitCandidate?: boolean;
+	mergeFinal?: boolean;
 	cwd?: string;
 }) {
 	const octokit = setupOctokit(githubToken);
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export async function publishRelease({
 
 	const { version: currentVersion } = await readPackageJson(cwd);
 
-	if (exitCandidate) {
+	if (mergeFinal) {
 		let preRelease = false;
 		try {
 			fs.accessSync(path.resolve(cwd, '.changeset', 'pre.json'));
@@ -76,12 +76,14 @@ export async function publishRelease({
 
 	await commitChanges(`Release ${newVersion}`);
 
-	// get current branch name
-	const branchName = await getCurrentBranch();
+	if (mergeFinal) {
+		// get current branch name
+		const branchName = await getCurrentBranch();
 
-	// merge release changes to master
-	await checkoutBranch('master');
-	await mergeBranch(branchName);
+		// merge release changes to master
+		await checkoutBranch('master');
+		await mergeBranch(branchName);
+	}
 
 	core.info('fix dependencies in workspace packages');
 	await fixWorkspaceVersionsBeforePublish();