diff --git a/.github/project.yml b/.github/project.yml
index 0b1aa71f2..5fc544e9e 100644
--- a/.github/project.yml
+++ b/.github/project.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 name: Quarkus QE Test Framework
 release:
-  current-version: 1.4.2.Beta8
-  next-version: 1.4.3.Beta8
+  current-version: 1.4.2.Beta9
+  next-version: 1.4.3.Beta2
diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-release-version.yml b/.github/workflows/check-release-version.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..189008a7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-release-version.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+name: Check release version
+on:
+  push:
+    paths:
+      - .github/project.yml
+jobs:
+  check-release-version:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - name: Check release version
+        run: |
+          release=$(curl -sSL "https://github.com/gitapi/repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/releases/latest" | jq -r .tag_name)
+          release_subversion=$(echo "$release" | cut -d"." -f3,3)
+          release_stage_number=$(echo "$release" | cut -d"." -f4,4 | grep -o '[0-9]'  || true)
+
+          next_version=$(grep -E 'current-version:\s*' .github/project.yml | awk '{print $2}')
+          next_version_subversion=$(echo "$next_version" | cut -d"." -f3,3)
+          next_version_stage_number=$(echo "$next_version" | cut -d"." -f4,4 | grep -o '[0-9]' || true)
+
+          if ! [[ $release =~ .*Final$ ]]; then
+            if [[ $next_version_subversion > $release_subversion ]]; then
+              echo "Error: you are bumping the FW sub version when the previous release was not Final"
+              exit 1;
+            fi
+            if [[ $next_version_stage_number != $(("$release_stage_number" + 1)) ]]; then
+              echo "Error: release stage numbers should go in sequence"
+              exit 1;
+            fi
+          else
+            if [[ $(("$release_subversion" + 1)) != $next_version_subversion || ($next_version_stage_number != 1) ]]; then
+                echo "Error: release sub versions should go in sequence"
+                exit 1;
+              fi
+          fi
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-notes.yml b/.github/workflows/release-notes.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 135c28a47..000000000
--- a/.github/workflows/release-notes.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-name: Release notes
-on:
-  workflow_dispatch:
-  milestone:
-    types: [closed]
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-jobs:
-  update_release_draft:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: release-drafter/release-drafter@v6
-        with:
-          config-name: upstream-release-drafter.yml
-        env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 76cc4af25..000000000
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,62 +0,0 @@
-name: Release
-
-on:
-  pull_request:
-    types: [closed]
-    paths:
-      - '.github/project.yml'
-
-jobs:
-  release:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    name: release
-    if: ${{github.event.pull_request.merged == true}}
-
-    steps:
-      - uses: radcortez/project-metadata-action@master
-        name: Retrieve project metadata
-        id: metadata
-        with:
-          github-token: ${{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}
-          metadata-file-path: '.github/project.yml'
-
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Import GPG key
-        id: import_gpg
-        uses: crazy-max/ghaction-import-gpg@v6
-        with:
-          gpg_private_key: ${{ secrets.GPG_PRIVATE_KEY }}
-          passphrase: ${{ secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE }}
-
-      - name: Install JDK 17
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
-        with:
-          distribution: 'temurin'
-          java-version: 17
-          check-latest: true
-
-      - name: Configure Git author
-        run: |
-          git config --local user.email "action@github.com"
-          git config --local user.name "GitHub Action"
-      - name: Maven release ${{steps.metadata.outputs.current-version}}
-        run: |
-          gpg --quiet --batch --yes --decrypt --passphrase="${{secrets.GPG_PASSPHRASE}}" --output maven-settings.xml .github/release/maven-settings.xml.gpg
-          git checkout -b release
-          mvn -B release:prepare -Prelease,framework,extensions,examples -DautoVersionSubmodules -DreleaseVersion=${{steps.metadata.outputs.current-version}} -DdevelopmentVersion=${{steps.metadata.outputs.next-version}} -s maven-settings.xml
-          git checkout ${{github.base_ref}}
-          git rebase release
-          mvn -B release:perform -DskipITs -Prelease,framework -s maven-settings.xml
-      - name: Push changes to ${{github.base_ref}}
-        uses: ad-m/github-push-action@v0.8.0
-        with:
-          github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          branch: ${{github.base_ref}}
-
-      - name: Push tags
-        uses: ad-m/github-push-action@v0.8.0
-        with:
-          branch: ${{github.base_ref}}
-          github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          tags: true