diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index f1f2631..0000000
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
-name: publish
-
-on:
-  release:
-    types: [published]
-
-permissions:
-  contents: read
-
-jobs:
-  build-publish:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Set up Python
-        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
-        with:
-          python-version: "3.12"
-
-      - name: Build wheel/sdist
-        run: |
-          python -m pip install --upgrade pip build
-          python -m build
-
-      - name: Publish to PyPI
-        uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@v1.10.3
-        with:
-          password: ${{ secrets.PYPI_API_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-please.yml b/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
index 0c41638..9224067 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
@@ -12,9 +12,66 @@ permissions:
 jobs:
   release-please:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      release_created: ${{ steps.release.outputs.release_created }}
+      tag_name: ${{ steps.release.outputs.tag_name }}
     steps:
       - name: Run release-please
+        id: release
         uses: google-github-actions/release-please-action@v4
         with:
           config-file: .github/release-please-config.json
           manifest-file: .release-please-manifest.json
+
+      # Checkout code only if a release was created
+      - name: Checkout code
+        if: ${{ steps.release.outputs.release_created }}
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      # Set up Python only if a release was created
+      - name: Set up Python
+        if: ${{ steps.release.outputs.release_created }}
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.12"
+
+      # Build the package only if a release was created
+      - name: Build wheel/sdist
+        if: ${{ steps.release.outputs.release_created }}
+        run: |
+          python -m pip install --upgrade pip build
+          python -m build
+
+      # Publish to PyPI only if a release was created
+      - name: Publish to PyPI
+        if: ${{ steps.release.outputs.release_created }}
+        uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@v1.10.3
+        with:
+          password: ${{ secrets.PYPI_API_TOKEN }}
+
+      # Optional: Add a comment to the release with PyPI link
+      - name: Add PyPI link to release
+        if: ${{ steps.release.outputs.release_created }}
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          script: |
+            const tagName = '${{ steps.release.outputs.tag_name }}';
+            const version = tagName.replace(/^v/, '');
+            const pypiUrl = `https://pypi.org/project/insdc-benchmarking-scripts/${version}/`;
+
+            // Get the release by tag
+            const { data: release } = await github.rest.repos.getReleaseByTag({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              tag: tagName
+            });
+
+            // Update release body with PyPI link
+            const updatedBody = `${release.body}\n\n---\n\n📦 **PyPI Package:** ${pypiUrl}`;
+
+            await github.rest.repos.updateRelease({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              release_id: release.id,
+              body: updatedBody
+            });