diff --git a/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml b/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
index 0be6b24..b202ac5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/npm-publish.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
       - uses: actions/setup-node@v3
         with:
-          node-version: 16
+          node-version: 18
       - run: npm ci
       - run: npm test
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/semver.yml b/.github/workflows/semver.yml
index 3beee4a..bb85ff4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/semver.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/semver.yml
@@ -39,3 +39,9 @@ jobs:
         git commit -m "Update package.json version to ${{ steps.get_version.outputs.version }}"
         git push https://${{ secrets.PAT_TOKEN }}@github.com/${{ github.repository }}.git HEAD:master
 
+    - name: Create and push release branch
+      run: |
+        TAG_NAME=${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}
+        RELEASE_BRANCH=release/$TAG_NAME
+        git checkout -b $RELEASE_BRANCH
+        git push origin $RELEASE_BRANCH
\ No newline at end of file