diff --git a/docs/RELEASE_ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md b/docs/RELEASE_ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md
index 7c34627c749..9b2d493172d 100644
--- a/docs/RELEASE_ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md
+++ b/docs/RELEASE_ISSUE_TEMPLATE.md
@@ -62,7 +62,10 @@ Checklist:
     - [ ] Deploy new version to a subset of Preload nodes
     - [ ] Collect metrics every day. Work with the Infrastructure team to learn of any hiccup
   - [ ] IPFS Application Testing -  Run the tests of the following applications:
-    - [ ] [IPFS Desktop](https://github.com/ipfs-shipyard/ipfs-desktop) - @lidel
+    - [ ] [IPFS Desktop](https://github.com/ipfs-shipyard/ipfs-desktop)
+      - [ ] Ensure the RC is published to [the NPM package](https://www.npmjs.com/package/go-ipfs?activeTab=versions) ([happens automatically, just wait for CI](https://github.com/ipfs/npm-go-ipfs/actions))
+      - [ ] Upgrade to the RC in [ipfs-desktop](https://github.com/ipfs-shipyard/ipfs-desktop) and push to a branch ([example](https://github.com/ipfs/ipfs-desktop/pull/1826/commits/b0a23db31ce942b46d95965ee6fe770fb24d6bde)), and open a draft PR to track through the final release ([example](https://github.com/ipfs/ipfs-desktop/pull/1826))
+      - [ ] Ensure CI tests pass, repeat for new RCs
     - [ ] [IPFS Companion](https://github.com/ipfs-shipyard/ipfs-companion) - @lidel
     - [ ] [NPM on IPFS](https://github.com/ipfs-shipyard/npm-on-ipfs) - @achingbrain
 - [ ] **Stage 2 - Community Dev Testing**
@@ -106,6 +109,7 @@ Checklist:
   - [ ] Merge the `release` branch back into `master`, ignoring the changes to `version.go` (keep the `-dev` version from master).
   - [ ] Create an issue using this release issue template for the _next_ release.
   - [ ] Make sure any last-minute changelog updates from the blog post make it back into the CHANGELOG.
+  - [ ] Mark PR draft created for IPFS Desktop as ready for review.
 
 ## ❤️ Contributors