diff --git a/.bazelrc b/.bazelrc
index 185842a..5151bee 100644
--- a/.bazelrc
+++ b/.bazelrc
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@
 # Mock versioning command to test the --stamp behavior
 build --workspace_status_command="echo BUILD_SCM_VERSION 1.2.3"
 
-common --compilation_mode opt
+# For releasing, use --workspace_status_command and stamp
+# before adding more flags to the release config make sure it does not
+# affect the hashes of /tools. See tools/release.bzl for opt transition
+# add appropriate commandline transition there to match the configuration.
+common:release -c opt
 
 # Load any settings & overrides specific to the current user from `.aspect/bazelrc/user.bazelrc`.
 # This file should appear in `.gitignore` so that settings are not shared with team members. This
diff --git a/.github/workflows/integrity.jq b/.github/workflows/integrity.jq
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b2d9b4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/integrity.jq
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# JQ filter to transform sha256 files to a value we can read from starlark.
+# NB: the sha256 files are expected to be newline-terminated.
+#
+# Input looks like
+# 48552e399a1f2ab97e62ca7fce5783b6214e284330c7555383f43acf82446636 unpack-linux-aarch64\nfd265552bfd236efef519f81ce783322a50d8d7ab5af5d08a713e519cedff87f unpack-linux-x86_64\n
+#
+# Output should look like
+# {
+#  "unpack-linux-aarch64": "48552e399a1f2ab97e62ca7fce5783b6214e284330c7555383f43acf82446636",
+#  "unpack-linux-x86_64": "fd265552bfd236efef519f81ce783322a50d8d7ab5af5d08a713e519cedff87f"
+# }
+
+.
+# Don't end with an empty object
+| rtrimstr("\n")
+| split("\n")
+| map(
+    split(" ")
+    | {"key": .[1], "value": .[0]}
+  )
+| from_entries
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index afbea14..f04d023 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -10,47 +10,43 @@
 
 jobs:
   build:
+    # Go cross-compilation works from linux -> any platform
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Mount bazel caches
-        uses: actions/cache@v4
-        with:
-          path: |
-            ~/.cache/bazel
-            ~/.cache/bazel-repo
-          key: bazel-cache-release-${{ hashFiles('.bazelrc', '.bazelversion', '.bazeliskrc', '**/BUILD', '**/BUILD.bazel', '**/*.bzl', 'WORKSPACE', 'WORKSPACE.bazel', 'WORKSPACE.bzlmod', 'MODULE.bazel') }}
-          restore-keys: bazel-cache-release-
-      - name: bazel test //... (release)
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Build Go Binaries
         env:
-          # Bazelisk will download bazel to here
-          XDG_CACHE_HOME: ~/.cache/bazel-repo
+          # NB: this variable is read by tools/release/copy_release_artifacts.sh
+          DEST: artifacts
         run: |
-          bazel --bazelrc=.aspect/bazelrc/ci.bazelrc \
-            --bazelrc=.github/workflows/ci.bazelrc \
-            --bazelrc=.aspect/bazelrc/bazel6.bazelrc \
-            test --config=local //...
-      - name: Build release artifacts
-        run: |
-          if [ -n "$(git status --porcelain)" ]; then
-            >&2 echo "ERROR: the git state is not clean, aborting build..."
-            exit 1
-          fi
-          rm -rf /tmp/aspect/release
-          bazel --bazelrc=.aspect/bazelrc/ci.bazelrc \
-            --bazelrc=.github/workflows/ci.bazelrc \
-            --bazelrc=.aspect/bazelrc/bazel6.bazelrc \
-            run --config=local //tools/release -- /tmp/aspect/release
+          rm -rf ${{ env.DEST }}
+          mkdir -p ${{ env.DEST }}
+          bazel --bazelrc=.github/workflows/ci.bazelrc \
+            run --config=release //tools/release:copy_release_artifacts
+      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: artifacts
+          path: artifacts/
+          retention-days: 1
+
+  release:
+    needs: build
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      # Fetch the built artifacts from build jobs above and extract into
+      # ${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/artifacts/*
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+
       - name: Prepare workspace snippet
-        run: .github/workflows/release_prep.sh ${{ env.GITHUB_REF_NAME }} > release_notes.txt
-      - name: Release
-        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v1
+        run: .github/workflows/release_prep.sh > release_notes.txt
+
+      - uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
         with:
           # Use GH feature to populate the changelog automatically
           generate_release_notes: true
           files: |
-            /tmp/aspect/release/*
+            artifacts/*
             bazel-lib-*.tar.gz
           body_path: release_notes.txt
           fail_on_unmatched_files: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release_prep.sh b/.github/workflows/release_prep.sh
index 01c2c45..f25b93d 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/release_prep.sh
+++ b/.github/workflows/release_prep.sh
@@ -10,9 +10,37 @@
 # with minimal differences in their code (e.g. strip_prefix remains the same)
 PREFIX="bazel-lib-${TAG:1}"
 ARCHIVE="bazel-lib-$TAG.tar.gz"
+ARCHIVE_TMP=$(mktemp)
 
 # NB: configuration for 'git archive' is in /.gitattributes
-git archive --format=tar --prefix=${PREFIX}/ ${TAG} | gzip >$ARCHIVE
+git archive --format=tar --prefix=${PREFIX}/ ${TAG} >$ARCHIVE_TMP
+
+############
+# Patch up the archive to have integrity hashes for built binaries that we downloaded in the GHA workflow.
+# Now that we've run `git archive` we are free to pollute the working directory.
+
+# Delete the placeholder file
+tar --file $ARCHIVE_TMP --delete ${PREFIX}/tools/integrity.bzl
+
+mkdir -p ${PREFIX}/tools
+cat >${PREFIX}/tools/integrity.bzl <<EOF
+"Generated during release by release_prep.sh, using integrity.jq"
+
+RELEASED_BINARY_INTEGRITY = $(
+  jq \
+    --from-file .github/workflows/integrity.jq \
+    --slurp \
+    --raw-input artifacts/*.sha256
+)
+EOF
+
+# Append that generated file back into the archive
+tar --file $ARCHIVE_TMP --append ${PREFIX}/tools/integrity.bzl
+
+# END patch up the archive
+############
+
+gzip <$ARCHIVE_TMP >$ARCHIVE
 SHA=$(shasum -a 256 $ARCHIVE | awk '{print $1}')
 
 cat <<EOF
diff --git a/e2e/coreutils/md5.txt b/e2e/coreutils/md5.txt
index b75ade6..f334dad 100644
--- a/e2e/coreutils/md5.txt
+++ b/e2e/coreutils/md5.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-160e389707f172f2d1333084fec4e650 test.bin
\ No newline at end of file
+160e389707f172f2d1333084fec4e650 test.bin
diff --git a/e2e/coreutils/sha1.txt b/e2e/coreutils/sha1.txt
index 6929021..c993181 100644
--- a/e2e/coreutils/sha1.txt
+++ b/e2e/coreutils/sha1.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-b3dd96b0db6a12a3ae53899e8fbc04b749c980d6 test.bin
\ No newline at end of file
+b3dd96b0db6a12a3ae53899e8fbc04b749c980d6 test.bin
diff --git a/e2e/coreutils/sha256.txt b/e2e/coreutils/sha256.txt
index 4241fd0..227825a 100644
--- a/e2e/coreutils/sha256.txt
+++ b/e2e/coreutils/sha256.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-3285d399e870df47749162ab2ebfd0b727e9142925ab5f5ad221c3a42a852b08 test.bin
\ No newline at end of file
+3285d399e870df47749162ab2ebfd0b727e9142925ab5f5ad221c3a42a852b08 test.bin
diff --git a/lib/private/copy_directory_toolchain.bzl b/lib/private/copy_directory_toolchain.bzl
index dcafb66..3fd617d 100644
--- a/lib/private/copy_directory_toolchain.bzl
+++ b/lib/private/copy_directory_toolchain.bzl
@@ -1,12 +1,7 @@
 "Setup copy_directory toolchain repositories and rules"
 
 # https://github.com/aspect-build/bazel-lib/releases
-#
-# The integrity hashes can be automatically fetched for the latest copy_directory release by running
-# `tools/copy_directory/mirror_release.sh`. To calculate for a specific release run
-# `tools/copy_directory/mirror_release.sh <release_version>`
-
-load("//tools:integrity.bzl", "COPY_DIRECTORY_INTEGRITY")
+load("//tools:integrity.bzl", "RELEASED_BINARY_INTEGRITY")
 load("//tools:version.bzl", "VERSION")
 
 # Platform names follow the platform naming convention in @aspect_bazel_lib//:lib/private/repo_utils.bzl
@@ -156,19 +151,19 @@
     is_windows = rctx.attr.platform.startswith("windows_")
     meta = COPY_DIRECTORY_PLATFORMS[rctx.attr.platform]
     release_platform = meta.release_platform if hasattr(meta, "release_platform") else rctx.attr.platform
+    release_file = "copy_directory-{}{}".format(release_platform, ".exe" if is_windows else "")
 
     # https://github.com/aspect-build/bazel-lib/releases/download/v1.19.0/copy_directory-linux_amd64
-    url = "https://github.com/aspect-build/bazel-lib/releases/download/v{0}/copy_directory-{1}{2}".format(
+    url = "https://github.com/aspect-build/bazel-lib/releases/download/v{}/{}".format(
         VERSION,
-        release_platform,
-        ".exe" if is_windows else "",
+        release_file,
     )
 
     rctx.download(
         url = url,
         output = "copy_directory.exe" if is_windows else "copy_directory",
         executable = True,
-        integrity = COPY_DIRECTORY_INTEGRITY[release_platform],
+        integrity = RELEASED_BINARY_INTEGRITY[release_file],
     )
     build_content = """# @generated by @aspect_bazel_lib//lib/private:copy_directory_toolchain.bzl
 load("@aspect_bazel_lib//lib/private:copy_directory_toolchain.bzl", "copy_directory_toolchain")
diff --git a/lib/private/copy_to_directory_toolchain.bzl b/lib/private/copy_to_directory_toolchain.bzl
index 8792ac8..184c1f0 100644
--- a/lib/private/copy_to_directory_toolchain.bzl
+++ b/lib/private/copy_to_directory_toolchain.bzl
@@ -1,12 +1,7 @@
 "Setup copy_to_directory toolchain repositories and rules"
 
 # https://github.com/aspect-build/bazel-lib/releases
-#
-# The integrity hashes can be automatically fetched for the latest copy_to_directory release by running
-# `tools/copy_to_directory/mirror_release.sh`. To calculate for a specific release run
-# `tools/copy_to_directory/mirror_release.sh <release_version>`
-
-load("//tools:integrity.bzl", "COPY_TO_DIRECTORY_INTEGRITY")
+load("//tools:integrity.bzl", "RELEASED_BINARY_INTEGRITY")
 load("//tools:version.bzl", "VERSION")
 
 # Platform names follow the platform naming convention in @aspect_bazel_lib//:lib/private/repo_utils.bzl
@@ -156,19 +151,19 @@
     is_windows = rctx.attr.platform.startswith("windows_")
     meta = COPY_TO_DIRECTORY_PLATFORMS[rctx.attr.platform]
     release_platform = meta.release_platform if hasattr(meta, "release_platform") else rctx.attr.platform
+    release_file = "copy_to_directory-{}{}".format(release_platform, ".exe" if is_windows else "")
 
     # https://github.com/aspect-build/bazel-lib/releases/download/v1.19.0/copy_to_directory-linux_amd64
-    url = "https://github.com/aspect-build/bazel-lib/releases/download/v{0}/copy_to_directory-{1}{2}".format(
+    url = "https://github.com/aspect-build/bazel-lib/releases/download/v{}/{}".format(
         VERSION,
-        release_platform,
-        ".exe" if is_windows else "",
+        release_file,
     )
 
     rctx.download(
         url = url,
         output = "copy_to_directory.exe" if is_windows else "copy_to_directory",
         executable = True,
-        integrity = COPY_TO_DIRECTORY_INTEGRITY[release_platform],
+        integrity = RELEASED_BINARY_INTEGRITY[release_file],
     )
     build_content = """# @generated by @aspect_bazel_lib//lib/private:copy_to_directory_toolchain.bzl
 load("@aspect_bazel_lib//lib/private:copy_to_directory_toolchain.bzl", "copy_to_directory_toolchain")
diff --git a/lib/private/expand_template_toolchain.bzl b/lib/private/expand_template_toolchain.bzl
index 7e12398..fad524c 100644
--- a/lib/private/expand_template_toolchain.bzl
+++ b/lib/private/expand_template_toolchain.bzl
@@ -1,12 +1,7 @@
 "Setup expand_template toolchain repositories and rules"
 
 # https://github.com/aspect-build/bazel-lib/releases
-#
-# The integrity hashes can be automatically fetched for the latest expand_template release by running
-# `tools/expand_template/mirror_release.sh`. To calculate for a specific release run
-# `tools/expand_template/mirror_release.sh <release_version>`
-
-load("//tools:integrity.bzl", "EXPAND_TEMPLATE_INTEGRITY")
+load("//tools:integrity.bzl", "RELEASED_BINARY_INTEGRITY")
 load("//tools:version.bzl", "VERSION")
 
 # Platform names follow the platform naming convention in @aspect_bazel_lib//:lib/private/repo_utils.bzl
@@ -156,19 +151,19 @@
     is_windows = rctx.attr.platform.startswith("windows_")
     meta = EXPAND_TEMPLATE_PLATFORMS[rctx.attr.platform]
     release_platform = meta.release_platform if hasattr(meta, "release_platform") else rctx.attr.platform
+    release_file = "expand_template-{}{}".format(release_platform, ".exe" if is_windows else "")
 
     # https://github.com/aspect-build/bazel-lib/releases/download/v1.19.0/expand_template-linux_amd64
-    url = "https://github.com/aspect-build/bazel-lib/releases/download/v{0}/expand_template-{1}{2}".format(
+    url = "https://github.com/aspect-build/bazel-lib/releases/download/v{}/{}".format(
         VERSION,
-        release_platform,
-        ".exe" if is_windows else "",
+        release_file,
     )
 
     rctx.download(
         url = url,
         output = "expand_template.exe" if is_windows else "expand_template",
         executable = True,
-        integrity = EXPAND_TEMPLATE_INTEGRITY[release_platform],
+        integrity = RELEASED_BINARY_INTEGRITY[release_file],
     )
     build_content = """# @generated by @aspect_bazel_lib//lib/private:expand_template_toolchain.bzl
 load("@aspect_bazel_lib//lib/private:expand_template_toolchain.bzl", "expand_template_toolchain")
diff --git a/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/expansions_golden b/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/expansions_golden
index beab6c7..690910e 100644
--- a/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/expansions_golden
+++ b/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/expansions_golden
@@ -1,16 +1,16 @@
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/expansions_out
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/expansions_out
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions
 lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
 lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
 aspect_bazel_lib/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
 aspect_bazel_lib/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
-opt
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
+fastbuild
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin
 PLATFORM
 lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/BUILD.bazel
 bazel-out/volatile-status.txt
diff --git a/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/expansions_golden_bzlmod b/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/expansions_golden_bzlmod
index 5070125..053f1e5 100644
--- a/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/expansions_golden_bzlmod
+++ b/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/expansions_golden_bzlmod
@@ -1,16 +1,16 @@
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/expansions_out
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/expansions_out
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions
 lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
 lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
 _main/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
 _main/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
-opt
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin
-bazel-out/PLATFORM-opt/bin
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin/lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/src_1
+fastbuild
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin
+bazel-out/PLATFORM-fastbuild/bin
 PLATFORM
 lib/tests/run_binary_expansions/BUILD.bazel
 bazel-out/volatile-status.txt
diff --git a/tools/BUILD.bazel b/tools/BUILD.bazel
index dce562a..21c8b59 100644
--- a/tools/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/tools/BUILD.bazel
@@ -1,19 +1,4 @@
 load("@bazel_skylib//:bzl_library.bzl", "bzl_library")
-load("//lib:utils.bzl", "is_bazel_6_or_greater")
-load("//lib:write_source_files.bzl", "write_source_files")
-
-exports_files([
-    "create_release.sh",
-    "create_version.sh",
-])
-
-write_source_files(
-    name = "releases_versions_check_in",
-    files = {
-        "integrity.bzl": "//tools/release:release_versions",
-    },
-    tags = (["manual"] if not is_bazel_6_or_greater() else []),
-)
 
 bzl_library(
     name = "integrity",
diff --git a/tools/integrity.bzl b/tools/integrity.bzl
index 2a49d5b..6d06b98 100644
--- a/tools/integrity.bzl
+++ b/tools/integrity.bzl
@@ -1,26 +1,10 @@
-"AUTO GENERATED. DO NOT EDIT"
+"""Release binary integrity hashes.
 
-COPY_DIRECTORY_INTEGRITY = {
-    "darwin_amd64": "sha256-EH6Qpf/IzIaGncigN+cMc2xCb0C3XuV8I4cUBtaZ7GE=",
-    "darwin_arm64": "sha256-DH2vl4k0MSyp+lnvfiiOu0ifc+tZSgJUIOFthSOMMvg=",
-    "freebsd_amd64": "sha256-ogXy1bGEMB4EnuF606H1Vi0h77B3xg+9rSnghDHyVEw=",
-    "linux_amd64": "sha256-QGFIoivc0z92barkw/JL4LbggV89nmCfsRkDK7fz4gY=",
-    "linux_arm64": "sha256-lSUkiCmhQaSxPNDaW8Ny+cipW1fcvNogX5Ex3zN1784=",
-    "windows_amd64": "sha256-ioAUxcSJhMRG7tghZRDH/WjATUEUjVyNN1Cs2BAozJs=",
-}
-COPY_TO_DIRECTORY_INTEGRITY = {
-    "darwin_amd64": "sha256-u2pIpD+qv/C58iLcJ0pfDs9U8kM2dIMMVW3YYTiRaBA=",
-    "darwin_arm64": "sha256-esM3e/Zez9ynrIhjgwq85ZEOd3KT9TZsDgsGuxIrNHw=",
-    "freebsd_amd64": "sha256-fJpbdVvTSwUfyGtngmaLeppFKdyw9BjFS0G/bYT8ZaY=",
-    "linux_amd64": "sha256-EoFMz8FEZIOSoUizTKnEQikrevmUwSw+JvPUidxAYa4=",
-    "linux_arm64": "sha256-+5u2Pz57OK64RDA4JDsvUnIkJUXkH4CfgCA3bx3vUPc=",
-    "windows_amd64": "sha256-nLybvOhMDWUw+2OyjfaFzmn08IwpO1tF80KwP2rrAPs=",
-}
-EXPAND_TEMPLATE_INTEGRITY = {
-    "darwin_amd64": "sha256-pu46U2pS+Sw54B1Bx0OBKvztzBBwnxLQp5fstbrx+To=",
-    "darwin_arm64": "sha256-wn39/0aGKGd6O6ZCZJnVIPwuScDieELUwrhRITHSPJU=",
-    "freebsd_amd64": "sha256-5q9RKZAyoxJiwD1dyjeAmo0g/sMVWM4m//DkmkJIZQo=",
-    "linux_amd64": "sha256-fuHVMGdTm9Ubfk5yufvGbV4g7d9dXUQqUu1kAiawmB4=",
-    "linux_arm64": "sha256-TLZIWcAB/YvXDM0RSGS/i7mO9ZadAiJ+uByX11uyJeI=",
-    "windows_amd64": "sha256-rhF8EkJ1y/3Hp/dKZwTJ3HtVPV+B6uqmtkhjUNFQRXA=",
+This file contents are entirely replaced during release publishing.
+The checked in content is only here to allow load() statements in the sources to resolve.
+"""
+
+RELEASED_BINARY_INTEGRITY = {
+    "copy_directory-darwin_amd64": "sha256-EH6Qpf/IzIaGncigN+cMc2xCb0C3XuV8I4cUBtaZ7GE=",
+    # ...etc
 }
diff --git a/tools/release/BUILD.bazel b/tools/release/BUILD.bazel
index 964c1ff..e540b84 100644
--- a/tools/release/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/tools/release/BUILD.bazel
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 load("@bazel_skylib//:bzl_library.bzl", "bzl_library")
-load(":release.bzl", "multi_platform_go_binaries", "release")
+load(":release.bzl", "multi_platform_go_binaries")
 
 multi_platform_go_binaries(
     name = "copy_to_directory",
@@ -19,18 +19,18 @@
     tags = ["manual"],
 )
 
-release(
-    name = "release",
-    tags = [
-        "local",
-        "manual",
-        "no-remote",
-    ],
-    targets = [
-        ":copy_directory",
-        ":copy_to_directory",
-        ":expand_template",
-    ],
+RELEASE_ARTIFACTS = [
+    ":copy_directory",
+    ":copy_to_directory",
+    ":expand_template",
+]
+
+sh_binary(
+    name = "copy_release_artifacts",
+    srcs = ["copy_release_artifacts.sh"],
+    args = ["$(rlocationpaths {})".format(s) for s in RELEASE_ARTIFACTS],
+    data = RELEASE_ARTIFACTS,
+    deps = ["@bazel_tools//tools/bash/runfiles"],
 )
 
 # Demonstration delivery target for Aspect Workflows.
@@ -38,11 +38,7 @@
 sh_binary(
     name = "tools_delivery_only_on_change",
     srcs = ["delivery.sh"],
-    data = [
-        ":copy_directory",
-        ":copy_to_directory",
-        ":expand_template",
-    ],
+    data = RELEASE_ARTIFACTS,
     tags = ["deliverable"],
 )
 
@@ -51,11 +47,7 @@
 sh_binary(
     name = "tools_delivery",
     srcs = ["delivery.sh"],
-    data = [
-        ":copy_directory",
-        ":copy_to_directory",
-        ":expand_template",
-    ],
+    data = RELEASE_ARTIFACTS,
 )
 
 bzl_library(
diff --git a/tools/release/copy_release_artifacts.sh b/tools/release/copy_release_artifacts.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3432592
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/release/copy_release_artifacts.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# Copies release files from bazel-out to a common folder so the GitHub Actions
+# configuration can easily find them all
+
+# --- begin runfiles.bash initialization v3 ---
+# Copy-pasted from the Bazel Bash runfiles library v3.
+set -uo pipefail
+set +e
+f=bazel_tools/tools/bash/runfiles/runfiles.bash
+source "${RUNFILES_DIR:-/dev/null}/$f" 2>/dev/null ||
+  source "$(grep -sm1 "^$f " "${RUNFILES_MANIFEST_FILE:-/dev/null}" | cut -f2- -d' ')" 2>/dev/null ||
+  source "$0.runfiles/$f" 2>/dev/null ||
+  source "$(grep -sm1 "^$f " "$0.runfiles_manifest" | cut -f2- -d' ')" 2>/dev/null ||
+  source "$(grep -sm1 "^$f " "$0.exe.runfiles_manifest" | cut -f2- -d' ')" 2>/dev/null ||
+  {
+    echo >&2 "ERROR: cannot find $f"
+    exit 1
+  }
+f=
+set -e
+# --- end runfiles.bash initialization v3 ---
+
+if [[ -z "${DEST:-}" ]]; then
+  echo >&2 "ERROR: specify DEST environment variable"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+cd $BUILD_WORKSPACE_DIRECTORY
+for arg in "$@"; do
+  cp -pv "$(rlocation $arg)" $DEST
+done
diff --git a/tools/release/create_release.sh b/tools/release/create_release.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index badbdf2..0000000
--- a/tools/release/create_release.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-set -o errexit -o nounset -o pipefail
-
-echo '#!/bin/bash'
-echo 'set -o errexit -o nounset -o pipefail'
-# shellcheck disable=SC2016
-echo 'dst=$1'
-# shellcheck disable=SC2016
-echo 'mkdir -p "${dst}"'
-
-for artifact in "$@"; do
-  echo "echo \"Copying ${artifact} to \${dst}\""
-  echo "if [ -d \"${artifact}\" ]; then"
-  echo "  for f in \"${artifact}\"/*; do"
-  echo "    cp \"\${f}\" \"\${dst}\""
-  echo "  done"
-  echo "else"
-  echo "  cp \"${artifact}\" \"\${dst}\""
-  echo "fi"
-done
diff --git a/tools/release/delivery.sh b/tools/release/delivery.sh
index b88f661..76d26cd 100755
--- a/tools/release/delivery.sh
+++ b/tools/release/delivery.sh
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 
 set -o errexit -o nounset -o pipefail
 
-echo "Demostration delivery target"
+echo "Demonstration delivery target"
diff --git a/tools/release/hashes.bzl b/tools/release/hashes.bzl
index af4fb44..2227c39 100644
--- a/tools/release/hashes.bzl
+++ b/tools/release/hashes.bzl
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
         inputs = [file],
         tools = [coreutils.coreutils_info.bin],
         # coreutils has --no-names option but it doesn't work in current version, so we have to use cut.
-        command = """HASH=$({coreutils} hashsum --{algo} {src} | {coreutils} cut -f1 -d " ") && {coreutils} echo -ne "$HASH {basename}" > {out}""".format(
+        command = """HASH=$({coreutils} hashsum --{algo} {src} | {coreutils} cut -f1 -d " ") && {coreutils} echo -e "$HASH {basename}" > {out}""".format(
             coreutils = coreutils.coreutils_info.bin.path,
             algo = algo,
             src = file.path,
diff --git a/tools/release/release.bzl b/tools/release/release.bzl
index 40dc44c..f059251 100644
--- a/tools/release/release.bzl
+++ b/tools/release/release.bzl
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 """
 
 load("@io_bazel_rules_go//go:def.bzl", "go_binary")
-load("//lib:utils.bzl", "to_label")
 load(":hashes.bzl", "hashes")
 
 PLATFORMS = [
@@ -54,48 +53,3 @@
         srcs = targets,
         **kwargs
     )
-
-def release(name, targets, **kwargs):
-    """The release macro creates the artifact copier script.
-
-    It's an executable script that copies all artifacts produced by the given
-    targets into the provided destination. See .github/workflows/release.yml.
-
-    Args:
-        name: the name of the genrule.
-        targets: a list of filegroups passed to the artifact copier.
-        **kwargs: extra arguments.
-    """
-
-    native.genrule(
-        name = "{}_versions".format(name),
-        srcs = targets,
-        outs = ["{}_versions_generated.bzl".format(name)],
-        executable = True,
-        cmd = " && ".join([
-            """echo '"AUTO GENERATED. DO NOT EDIT"\n' >> $@""",
-        ] + [
-            "./$(location :create_versions.sh) {} $(locations {}) >> $@".format(to_label(target).name, target)
-            for target in targets
-        ]),
-        tools = [":create_versions.sh"],
-        # TODO: the hashes change when bzlmol is enabled
-        target_compatible_with = kwargs.pop("target_compatible_with", select({
-            "@aspect_bazel_lib//lib:bzlmod": ["@platforms//:incompatible"],
-            "//conditions:default": [],
-        })),
-        visibility = ["//tools:__pkg__"],
-        **kwargs
-    )
-
-    native.genrule(
-        name = name,
-        srcs = targets,
-        outs = ["release.sh"],
-        executable = True,
-        cmd = "./$(location //tools/release:create_release.sh) {locations} > \"$@\"".format(
-            locations = " ".join(["$(locations {})".format(target) for target in targets]),
-        ),
-        tools = ["//tools/release:create_release.sh"],
-        **kwargs
-    )