diff --git a/.woodpecker/release.yaml b/.woodpecker/release.yaml
index 80dbb80..b936593 100644
--- a/.woodpecker/release.yaml
+++ b/.woodpecker/release.yaml
@@ -6,29 +6,25 @@ when:
 
 steps:
 
-  prepare:
+  maven:
     image: maven:3.9.10-eclipse-temurin-17
     commands:
+      # setup git
       - git config user.email "$GIT_USER_EMAIL"
       - git config user.name "$GIT_USER_NAME"
       - git config gpg.format ssh
-      - git config user.signingkey /tmp/ci
-      - echo $GIT_SIGN_KEY > /tmp/ci
-      - mvn release:prepare
-      - cat pom.xml.releaseBackup
-      - cat release.properties
-    environment:
-      MAVEN_ARGS: --batch-mode --color=always --no-transfer-progress --settings=.woodpecker/maven/settings.xml
-      GIT_SIGN_KEY: {from_secret: woodpecker_sign_key}
-      FORGEJO_USERNAME: {from_secret: woodpecker_username}
-      FORGEJO_PASSWORD: {from_secret: woodpecker_password}
-
-  perform:
-    image: maven:3.9.10-eclipse-temurin-17
-    commands: mvn release:perform
+      - git config user.signingkey /woodpecker/ci
+      - echo $GIT_SIGN_KEY > /woodpecker/ci
+      # release
+      - mvn release:prepare release:perform
+      # write version to env file for image
+      - echo "VERSION=$(grep "scm.tag="  release.properties | cut -d= -f2)" > /woodpecker/maven.env
     environment:
       MAVEN_ARGS: --batch-mode --color=always --no-transfer-progress --settings=.woodpecker/maven/settings.xml -DautoPublish=false
       MAVEN_GPG_KEY: {from_secret: woodpecker_gpg_key}
+      GIT_SIGN_KEY: {from_secret: woodpecker_sign_key}
+      FORGEJO_USERNAME: {from_secret: woodpecker_username}
+      FORGEJO_PASSWORD: {from_secret: woodpecker_password}
       SONATYPE_ORG_USERNAME: {from_secret: sonatype_org_username}
       SONATYPE_ORG_PASSWORD: {from_secret: sonatype_org_password}