diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index f2ec780e212d4..84019df220666 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ jobs:
           set -euo pipefail
           ref=HEAD
           old_version="$(git describe --abbrev=0 "$ref^1")"
-          version="$(./scripts/version.sh)"
+          version="v$(./scripts/version.sh)"
 
           # Generate notes.
           release_notes_file="$(mktemp -t release_notes.XXXXXX)"
diff --git a/scripts/release/generate_release_notes.sh b/scripts/release/generate_release_notes.sh
index cb2f37bb09981..aea595459d66a 100755
--- a/scripts/release/generate_release_notes.sh
+++ b/scripts/release/generate_release_notes.sh
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ fi
 if [[ -z $new_version ]]; then
 	error "No new version specified"
 fi
+if [[ $new_version != v* ]]; then
+	error "New version must start with a v"
+fi
 if [[ -z $ref ]]; then
 	error "No ref specified"
 fi