diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 0289a80c..65230c39 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -286,4 +286,72 @@ jobs:
         name: systemtests-linux-trx-v${{ needs.build.outputs.product_full_version }}
         if-no-files-found: error
         path: "TestResults/*.trx"
-    
\ No newline at end of file
+    
+  release:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: [build, specs, system-tests-windows, system-tests-linux]
+    environment: production_environment
+    if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' && needs.build.outputs.deploy_packages == 'true'
+    permissions:
+      # Give the default GITHUB_TOKEN write permission to commit and push the
+      # added or changed files to the repository.
+      contents: write
+
+    steps:
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      with:
+        fetch-depth: 0 # avoid shallow clone git commit
+        ref: ${{ github.head_ref }}
+        ssh-key: ${{secrets.RELEASE_GIT_SSH_KEY}}
+    - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+      with:
+        name: packages-v${{ needs.build.outputs.product_full_version }}
+        path: release_packages
+    - name: Display structure of downloaded files
+      run: ls -R
+    - name: Simulate Deployment
+      env:
+        NUGET_PUBLISH_KEY: ${{ secrets.NUGET_PUBLISH_KEY }}      
+      shell: pwsh
+      run: |
+        Write-Output "Deploying (prod: ${{ needs.build.outputs.deploy_packages }}) ${{ needs.build.outputs.product_full_version }} (${{ needs.build.outputs.product_main_version }}) / key: $env:NUGET_PUBLISH_KEY"
+
+    - name: Calculate Next Version
+      if: needs.build.outputs.is_production_release == 'true'
+      id: next_version
+      shell: pwsh
+      run: |
+        $patchVersion = "${{ needs.build.outputs.product_patch_version }}"
+        $nextPatch = [int]$patchVersion + 1
+        $nextVersion = "${{ needs.build.outputs.product_main_version }}.$nextPatch"
+        Write-Output "product_next_version=$nextVersion" >> $env:GITHUB_OUTPUT
+        Write-Output "Product Next Version: $nextVersion"
+
+    - name: Bump Version
+      if: needs.build.outputs.is_production_release == 'true'
+      shell: pwsh
+      run: |
+        [System.IO.File]::WriteAllText("Directory.Build.props", [System.IO.File]::ReadAllText("Directory.Build.props").Replace("<VersionPrefix>${{ needs.build.outputs.product_version_prefix }}</VersionPrefix>", "<VersionPrefix>${{ steps.next_version.outputs.product_next_version }}</VersionPrefix>"))
+        git status
+
+    - name: Update Changelog
+      if: needs.build.outputs.is_production_release == 'true'
+      shell: pwsh
+      run: |
+        $newHeading = "# [vNext]$([Environment]::NewLine)$([Environment]::NewLine)## Improvements:$([Environment]::NewLine)$([Environment]::NewLine)## Bug fixes:$([Environment]::NewLine)$([Environment]::NewLine)*Contributors of this release (in alphabetical order):* $([Environment]::NewLine)$([Environment]::NewLine)"
+        $releaseDate = [System.DateTime]::Today.ToString("yyyy-MM-dd")
+        $newHeading = $newHeading + "# ${{ needs.build.outputs.product_full_version }} - $releaseDate"
+        $content = [System.IO.File]::ReadAllText("CHANGELOG.md").Replace("# [vNext]",$newHeading)
+        [System.IO.File]::WriteAllText("CHANGELOG.md", $content)
+
+    - name: Update changes in GitHub repository
+      if: needs.build.outputs.is_production_release == 'true'
+      run: |
+        git config --global user.name 'Reqnroll CI' 
+        git config --global user.email 'ci@reqnroll.net'
+        git tag v${{ needs.build.outputs.product_full_version }}
+        git push --dry-run origin tag v${{ needs.build.outputs.product_full_version }}
+        git add -u
+        git commit -m '[automated commit] bump version after release of ${{ needs.build.outputs.product_full_version }}'
+        git push --dry-run
+        
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