diff --git a/docs/development/releasing.md b/docs/development/releasing.md
index 324ceb9206..0c9aa3f8b3 100644
--- a/docs/development/releasing.md
+++ b/docs/development/releasing.md
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@
 1. Version starts with "v", e.g. "vX.Y.Z".
 1. Fill "Raw notes".
     - `git fetch --tags upstream`
-    - `git log --pretty="%h - %s" v0.11.1..HEAD`
+    - `git log --pretty="%h - %s" $(git describe --tags --abbrev=0)..HEAD`
 1. Fill "Bug fixes".
-    - `git log v0.11.1..HEAD`
+    - `git log $(git describe --tags --abbrev=0)..HEAD`
     - Manually look for `#1234` references in commit messages.
 1. Fill "Current status".
     - `node utils/print_versions.js`
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@
 1. Fill "Highlights" if any.
     - Be creative.
 1. Fill "Breaking API Changes" if any.
-    - `git diff v0.11.1:docs/api.md docs/api.md`
+    - `git diff $(git describe --tags --abbrev=0):docs/api.md docs/api.md`
 1. Fill "New APIs" if any.
-    - `git diff v0.11.1:docs/api.md docs/api.md`
+    - `git diff $(git describe --tags --abbrev=0):docs/api.md docs/api.md`
 1. When making links to the API, copy actual links from [GitHub](https://github.com/microsoft/playwright/blob/master/docs/api.md), and not from `api.md` source - these might be incorrect.
     - Before publishing, replace `blob/master/docs` with `blob/vX.Y.Z/docs` in all the links.
 1. Use "Save Draft", not "Publish".
@@ -26,8 +26,7 @@
 1. Announce `PSA: release vX.Y.Z in progress. Please do not commit anything.`
     - **Important**: no other commits should land in-between release commit and bump commit.
 1. Mark a new version.
-    - Bump `package.json` version to `vX.Y.Z`.
-    - `node utils/sync_package_versions.js && npm run doc`.
+    - `node utils/update_version.js vX.Y.Z && npm run doc`.
     - Send a PR titled `chore: mark version vX.Y.Z`.
     - Make sure the PR passes all required checks and merge it.
 1. Publish to npm.
@@ -35,7 +34,6 @@
     - `utils/publish_all_packages.sh --release`
 1. Click 'Publish release' button on the prepared release notes.
 1. Mark post release.
-    - Bump `package.json` version to `vX.Y.Z-post`.
-    - `node utils/sync_package_versions.js && npm run doc`.
+    - `node utils/update_version.js vX.Y.Z-post && npm run doc`.
     - Merge a PR titled `chore: bump version to vX.Y.Z-post`.
 1. Announce `PSA: release vX.Y.Z is out.`
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 15ca774c41..0a8d6589da 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@
     "prepare": "node install-from-github.js",
     "build": "node utils/runWebpack.js --mode='development' && tsc -p .",
     "watch": "node utils/runWebpack.js --mode='development' --watch --silent | tsc -w -p .",
-    "version": "node utils/sync_package_versions.js && npm run doc",
     "test-types": "npm run generate-types && npx -p typescript@3.7.5 tsc -p utils/generate_types/test/tsconfig.json",
     "generate-types": "node utils/generate_types/"
   },
diff --git a/utils/sync_package_versions.js b/utils/update_version.js
similarity index 64%
rename from utils/sync_package_versions.js
rename to utils/update_version.js
index 54954b2d69..d7c6b22125 100644
--- a/utils/sync_package_versions.js
+++ b/utils/update_version.js
@@ -13,19 +13,32 @@
  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
  * limitations under the License.
  */
+
 const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
-const {version} = require('../package.json');
+let version = process.argv[2];
+
+if (!version || !version.match(/^v\d+\.\d+\.\d+(-post)?$/)) {
+  console.error(`Malformed version "${version}"`);
+  console.error(`Correct examples:`);
+  console.error(`  update_version.js v1.0.0`);
+  console.error(`  update_version.js v1.0.0-post`);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+version = version.substring(1);
+updatePackage(path.join(__dirname, '..', 'package.json'), packageJSON => {
+  packageJSON.version = version;
+});
 
 for (const packageName of ['playwright-chromium', 'playwright-firefox', 'playwright-webkit', 'playwright']) {
-  updatePackage(packageName, packageJSON => {
+  updatePackage(path.join(__dirname, '..', 'packages', packageName, 'package.json'), packageJSON => {
     packageJSON.version = version;
     packageJSON.dependencies['playwright-core'] = `=${version}`;
   });
 }
 
-function updatePackage(packageName, transform) {
-  const packageJSONPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'packages', packageName, 'package.json');
+function updatePackage(packageJSONPath, transform) {
   console.log(`Updating ${packageJSONPath} to ${version}.`);
   const packageJSON = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(packageJSONPath));
   transform(packageJSON);