diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 056e1e899..0ae33a1a7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ on:
 concurrency: release
 
 env:
-  TOTAL_SHARDS: 256
+  TOTAL_SHARDS: 40
   TF_VAR_target_repository: cgr.dev/chainguard
 
 permissions: