diff --git a/.releaserc b/.releaserc
index b03c40cdc..4be8a8a59 100644
--- a/.releaserc
+++ b/.releaserc
@@ -53,13 +53,12 @@
           ["@semantic-release/exec", {
             "prepareCmd": "mvn versions:set -DnewVersion=${nextRelease.version} \
                     -DautoVersionSubmodules=true && find README.md -type f \
-                    -exec sed -i '' 's/<version>.*<\\/version>/<version>${nextRelease.version}<\\/version>/g' {} \\;"
+                    -exec sed -i 's/<version>.*<\\/version>/<version>${nextRelease.version}<\\/version>/g' {} \\;"
           }],
           ["@semantic-release/git", {
             "assets": ["./CHANGELOG.md", "./pom.xml", "./README.md"],
-            "message": "AWS Encryption SDK ${nextRelease.version} Release \n\n${nextRelease.notes}"
+            "message": "AWS Encryption SDK ${nextRelease.version} Release -- $(date +%Y-%m-%d) \n\n${nextRelease.notes}"
           }],
-          #@semantic-release/github"
     ],
     "repositoryUrl": "https://github.com/aws/aws-encryption-sdk-java",
 }
diff --git a/codebuild/release/artifact-hunt.yml b/codebuild/release/artifact-hunt.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b56c4af22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/codebuild/release/artifact-hunt.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+## Copyright Amazon.com Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
+## SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+version: 0.2
+
+env:
+  variables:
+    BRANCH: "master"
+
+phases:
+  install:
+    runtime-versions:
+      java: corretto11
+  pre_build:
+    commands:
+      - git checkout $BRANCH
+      - export VERSION=$(grep version pom.xml | head -n 1 | sed -n 's/[ \t]*<version>\(.*\)<\/version>/\1/p')
+  build:
+    commands:
+      - ./look_4_version.sh $VERSION
diff --git a/codebuild/release/release-prod.yml b/codebuild/release/release-prod.yml
index 9699c27a8..6d5e9d835 100644
--- a/codebuild/release/release-prod.yml
+++ b/codebuild/release/release-prod.yml
@@ -13,10 +13,9 @@ env:
 phases:
   install:
     runtime-versions:
-      java: openjdk11
+      java: corretto11
   pre_build:
     commands:
-      - export VERSION=$(grep version pom.xml | head -n 1 | sed -n 's/[ \t]*<version>\(.*\)<\/version>/\1/p')
       - export SETTINGS_FILE=$(pwd)/codebuild/release/settings.xml
       - aws secretsmanager get-secret-value --region us-west-2 --secret-id Maven-GPG-Keys --query SecretBinary --output text | base64 -d > ~/mvn_gpg.tgz
       - tar -xvf ~/mvn_gpg.tgz -C ~
@@ -35,4 +34,3 @@ phases:
           -Dsonatype.password="$SONA_PASSWORD" \
           --no-transfer-progress \
           -s $SETTINGS_FILE
-      - ./look_4_version.sh $VERSION
diff --git a/codebuild/release/release.yml b/codebuild/release/release.yml
index 4044673b6..cb6845c77 100644
--- a/codebuild/release/release.yml
+++ b/codebuild/release/release.yml
@@ -70,10 +70,16 @@ batch:
       - version
     buildspec: codebuild/release/release-prod.yml
 
+# Search for published Artifact
+  - identifier: artifact_hunt
+    depend-on:
+      - publish
+    buildspec: codebuild/release/artifact-hunt.yml
+
 # Validate Maven Central with supported JDK and Corretto
   - identifier: validate_prod_release_openjdk8
     depend-on:
-      - publish
+      - artifact_hunt
     buildspec: codebuild/release/validate-prod.yml
     env:
       variables:
@@ -83,7 +89,7 @@ batch:
 
   - identifier: validate_prod_release_openjdk11
     depend-on:
-      - publish
+      - artifact_hunt
     buildspec: codebuild/release/validate-prod.yml
     env:
       variables:
@@ -93,7 +99,7 @@ batch:
 
   - identifier: validate_prod_release_corretto8
     depend-on:
-      - publish
+      - artifact_hunt
     buildspec: codebuild/release/validate-prod.yml
     env:
       variables:
@@ -103,7 +109,7 @@ batch:
 
   - identifier: validate_prod_release_corretto11
     depend-on:
-      - publish
+      - artifact_hunt
     buildspec: codebuild/release/validate-prod.yml
     env:
       variables:
diff --git a/codebuild/release/upload_artifacts.yml b/codebuild/release/upload_artifacts.yml
index 8122e09e8..871a325ee 100644
--- a/codebuild/release/upload_artifacts.yml
+++ b/codebuild/release/upload_artifacts.yml
@@ -37,4 +37,4 @@ phases:
         mvn org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-dependency-plugin:3.1.2:get \
           -DrepoUrl=https://aws.oss.sonatype.org \
           -Dartifact=com.amazonaws:aws-encryption-sdk-java:${VERSION}:jar:javadoc
-      - gh release upload v${VERSION} ~/.m2/repository/com/amazonaws/aws-encryption-sdk-java/${VERSION}/*.jar
+      - gh release create v${VERSION} ~/.m2/repository/com/amazonaws/aws-encryption-sdk-java/${VERSION}/*.jar -d -F CHANGELOG.md -t "AWS Encryption SDK ${VERSION} Release -- $(date +%Y-%m-%d)"
diff --git a/codebuild/release/version.yml b/codebuild/release/version.yml
index 5414c11b4..ade257726 100644
--- a/codebuild/release/version.yml
+++ b/codebuild/release/version.yml
@@ -26,4 +26,4 @@ phases:
       - git checkout $BRANCH
   build:
     commands:
-      - npx semantic-release --no-ci
+      - npx semantic-release --branches $BRANCH --no-ci