diff --git a/.github/workflows/changelog_trigger.yml b/.github/workflows/changelog_trigger.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index f3456d9b196..00000000000
--- a/.github/workflows/changelog_trigger.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-name: Trigger Changelog Generation
-
-on:
-  release:
-    types: [published]
-
-jobs:
-  trigger-website-repo-workflow:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Trigger Generate Changelog Workflow in website repo
-        if: "!github.event.release.prerelease"
-        env:
-          GITHUB_PAT: ${{ secrets.WEBSITE_ACCESS_TOKEN }}
-          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ github.event.release.tag_name }}
-        run: |
-          curl -L \
-            -X POST \
-            -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-            -H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_PAT" \
-            -H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2022-11-28" \
-            https://api.github.com/repos/sagemath/website/actions/workflows/generate_changelog.yml/dispatches \
-            -d '{"ref":"master","inputs":{"release_tag":"'"$RELEASE_TAG"'"}}'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dist.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
similarity index 80%
rename from .github/workflows/dist.yml
rename to .github/workflows/release.yml
index f92d718aa34..6876ce880b3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dist.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Prepare source distributions and wheels
+name: Release
 
 on:
   push:
@@ -12,25 +12,14 @@ on:
       - '[0-9]+.[0-9]+.[0-9]+.rc[0-9]+'
   pull_request:
     paths:
-      - '.github/workflows/dist.yml'
+      - '.github/workflows/release.yml'
   workflow_dispatch:
     # Allow to run manually
 
 jobs:
 
-  release_dist:
-
-    # This job first checks whether "configure --enable-download-from-upstream-url"
-    # (the default since #32390) is needed.
-    #
-    # In this way, we check that all necessary package tarballs
-    # have already been uploaded to the Sage server at the time
-    # of pushing a release tag.
-    #
-    # It also uses "bootstrap -D", thus checking that the "configure"
-    # tarball has been uploaded to the Sage server at the time
-    # of pushing a release tag.
-
+  package_tarballs:
+    name: Create tarballs
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -38,48 +27,31 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           sudo DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get update
           sudo DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install $(build/bin/sage-get-system-packages debian _bootstrap _prereq)
-      - name: make dist (--disable-download-from-upstream-url)
-        id: make_dist
-        run: |
-          ./bootstrap -D && ./configure --disable-download-from-upstream-url && make dist
-        env:
-          MAKE: make -j8
-      - name: make download (--disable-download-from-upstream-url)
-        id: make_download
-        run: |
-          make -k download DOWNLOAD_PACKAGES=":all: --no-file huge"
-        env:
-          MAKE: make -j8
-      - name: Reconfigure with --enable-download-from-upstream-url
-        if: (success() || failure()) && (steps.make_dist.outcome != 'success' || steps.make_download.outcome != 'success')
+
+      - name: Configure
         run: |
+          ./bootstrap
           ./configure
-      - name: make dist (--enable-download-from-upstream-url)
-        if: (success() || failure()) && steps.make_dist.outcome != 'success'
-        run: |
-          make dist
-        env:
-          MAKE: make -j8
-      - name: make download (--enable-download-from-upstream-url)
-        if: (success() || failure()) && steps.make_download.outcome != 'success'
+
+      - name: Download tarballs of all packages
         run: |
-          make -k download DOWNLOAD_PACKAGES=":all: --no-file huge --allow-upstream"
-        env:
-          MAKE: make -j8
+          build/bin/sage-package download :all: --no-file huge --allow-upstream
+
       - name: Remove what cannot be distributed
-        if: success() || failure()
         run: |
           rm -f upstream/*do-not-distribute*
+
+      - name: List files
+        run: |
+          ls -l upstream
+
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        if: success() || failure()
         with:
-          path: |
-            dist/*.tar.gz
-            upstream
-          name: release_dist
+          path: upstream
+          name: package_tarballs
 
   sdists:
-
+    name: Publish source distribution
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     env:
       CAN_DEPLOY: ${{ secrets.SAGEMATH_PYPI_API_TOKEN != '' && github.event_name != 'pull_request' }}
@@ -118,30 +90,54 @@ jobs:
         if: env.CAN_DEPLOY == 'true'
 
   release:
-    needs: [release_dist, sdists]
+    name: Create GitHub release
+    needs: [package_tarballs, sdists]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    if: github.ref_type == 'tag'
     permissions:
       contents: write
+      discussions: write
+    env:
+      IS_PRERELEASE: ${{ contains(github.ref_name, 'beta') || contains(github.ref_name, 'rc') }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
-          name: release_dist
+          name: package_tarballs
+          path: tarballs
 
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: dist
           path: dist
 
-      - name: Create release assets
+      - name: List files
+        run: |
+          ls -l -R dist
+          ls -l -R tarballs
+
+      - name: Create release
         uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v2
         with:
           files: |
             dist/*
-            upstream/*
-          token: ${{ secrets.RELEASE_CREATION_TOKEN }}
+            tarballs/*
+          token: ${{ github.ref_type == 'tag' && github.token || 'FAIL' }}
           generate_release_notes: true
-          prerelease: ${{ contains(github.ref_name, 'beta') || contains(github.ref_name, 'rc') }}
+          prerelease: ${{ env.IS_PRERELEASE }}
+          discussion_category_name: releases
+
+      - name: Trigger Generate Changelog Workflow in website repo
+        if: github.ref_type == 'tag' && env.IS_PRERELEASE == 'false'
+        env:
+          GITHUB_PAT: ${{ secrets.WEBSITE_ACCESS_TOKEN }}
+          RELEASE_TAG: ${{ github.ref_name }}
+        run: |
+          curl -L \
+            -X POST \
+            -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
+            -H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_PAT" \
+            -H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2022-11-28" \
+            https://api.github.com/repos/sagemath/website/actions/workflows/generate_changelog.yml/dispatches \
+            -d '{"ref":"master","inputs":{"release_tag":"'"$RELEASE_TAG"'"}}'
 
   build_wheels:
     # Temporarily disabled due to build errors
diff --git a/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_coin/package-version.txt b/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_coin/package-version.txt
deleted file mode 120000
index c4fcb84c1a7..00000000000
--- a/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_coin/package-version.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-../../../VERSION.txt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_coin/package-version.txt b/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_coin/package-version.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1be519cd2ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_coin/package-version.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+10.4
diff --git a/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_cplex/package-version.txt b/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_cplex/package-version.txt
deleted file mode 120000
index c4fcb84c1a7..00000000000
--- a/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_cplex/package-version.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-../../../VERSION.txt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_cplex/package-version.txt b/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_cplex/package-version.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1be519cd2ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_cplex/package-version.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+10.4
diff --git a/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_gurobi/package-version.txt b/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_gurobi/package-version.txt
deleted file mode 120000
index c4fcb84c1a7..00000000000
--- a/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_gurobi/package-version.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-../../../VERSION.txt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_gurobi/package-version.txt b/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_gurobi/package-version.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1be519cd2ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/pkgs/sage_numerical_backends_gurobi/package-version.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+10.4