diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish_canary_npm.yml b/.github/workflows/publish_canary_npm.yml
index ed05ad7abf..219148a282 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish_canary_npm.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish_canary_npm.yml
@@ -23,15 +23,22 @@ jobs:
     - run: npm ci
     - run: npm run build
     - run: npx playwright install-deps
-    - name: Publish to NPM (@next)
+    - name: "@next: publish with commit timestamp (triggered manually)"
+      if: contains(github.ref, 'master') && github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+      run: |
+        node utils/build/update_canary_version.js --today-date
+        utils/publish_all_packages.sh --next
+      env:
+        NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
+    - name: "@next: publish with today's date (triggered automatically)"
       if: contains(github.ref, 'master') && github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch'
       run: |
         node utils/build/update_canary_version.js --today-date
-        utils/publish_all_packages.sh --tip-of-tree
+        utils/publish_all_packages.sh --next
       env:
         NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
-    - name: Publish to NPM (@beta)
-      if: contains(github.ref, 'release') || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+    - name: "@beta: publish with commit timestamp (triggered automatically)"
+      if: contains(github.ref, 'release') && github.event_name != 'workflow_dispatch'
       run: |
         node utils/build/update_canary_version.js --commit-timestamp
         utils/publish_all_packages.sh --beta
diff --git a/utils/publish_all_packages.sh b/utils/publish_all_packages.sh
index cc8fd4f96c..54b6e2e4ba 100755
--- a/utils/publish_all_packages.sh
+++ b/utils/publish_all_packages.sh
@@ -15,18 +15,18 @@ trap "cleanup; cd $(pwd -P)" EXIT
 cd "$(dirname $0)"
 
 if [[ $1 == "--help" ]]; then
-  echo "usage: $(basename $0) [--release|--tip-of-tree]"
+  echo "usage: $(basename $0) [--release|--next|--beta]"
   echo
   echo "Publishes all packages."
   echo
   echo "--release                publish @latest version of all packages"
-  echo "--tip-of-tree            publish @next version of all packages"
+  echo "--next                   publish @next version of all packages"
   echo "--beta                   publish @beta version of all packages"
   exit 1
 fi
 
 if [[ $# < 1 ]]; then
-  echo "Please specify either --release or --tip-of-tree"
+  echo "Please specify either --release, --beta or --next"
   exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -57,20 +57,13 @@ if [[ $1 == "--release" ]]; then
     exit 1
   fi
   NPM_PUBLISH_TAG="latest"
-elif [[ $1 == "--tip-of-tree" ]]; then
+elif [[ $1 == "--next" ]]; then
   # Ensure package version contains dash.
   if [[ "${VERSION}" != *-* ]]; then
-    echo "ERROR: cannot publish release version with --tip-of-tree flag"
+    echo "ERROR: cannot publish release version with --next flag"
     exit 1
   fi
 
-  # Ensure this is actually tip-of-tree.
-  UPSTREAM_SHA=$(git ls-remote https://github.com/microsoft/playwright --tags $(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD) | cut -f1)
-  CURRENT_SHA=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
-  if [[ "${UPSTREAM_SHA}" != "${CURRENT_SHA}" ]]; then
-    echo "FYI: REFUSING TO PUBLISH since this is not tip-of-tree"
-    exit 0
-  fi
   NPM_PUBLISH_TAG="next"
 elif [[ $1 == "--beta" ]]; then
   # Ensure package version contains dash.