diff --git a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/release_template.md b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/release_template.md
index a88b6de1..73d6ac0a 100644
--- a/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/release_template.md
+++ b/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/release_template.md
@@ -8,11 +8,10 @@ TODO
 
 ## TODOs
 
-- [ ] test locally
-- [ ] upload assets to draft release
-- [ ] test one of the release packages locally
+Follow "Publishing a release" steps in `ci/README.md`
+
+<!-- Note some of these steps below are redudant since they're listed in the "Publishing a release" docs -->
+
 - [ ] double-check github release tag is the commit with artifacts (_note gets messed up after uploading assets_)
-- [ ] publish release
-- [ ] merge PR
-- [ ] update the homebrew package
+- [ ] publish release and merge PR
 - [ ] update the AUR package