diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 7bb058036..6476419a9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -73,12 +73,16 @@ jobs:
           -q '.[] | select(.name == "${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION_NO_SUFFIX }}" and .draft == true) | .body' \
           | base64 \
         )
-        echo "release_notes_body_base64=${RELEASE_BODY_BASE64}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
         # if no draft release notes are found, we cannot continue
         if [ -z "${RELEASE_BODY_BASE64}" ]; then
           echo "No draft release notes found for ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION_NO_SUFFIX }}"
           exit 1
         fi
+        {
+            echo 'release_notes_body_base64<<EOF;'
+            ${RELEASE_BODY_BASE64}
+            echo 'EOF;'
+        } >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
   components:
     name: Component CTF Builds
     uses: ./.github/workflows/components.yaml