diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 614312418..ccc7852d7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@master
     - name: Exit if any RC release
-      if: contains(github.ref, 'rc') == false
+      if: contains(${{ github.ref }}, 'rc') == false
       uses: everlytic/branch-merge@1.1.2
       with:
         github_token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index f2433f6df..febaceb40 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "tidy3d"
-version = "2.6.0rc1"  # Thinking about bump2version
+version = "2.6.0"  # Thinking about bump2version
 description = "A fast FDTD solver"
 authors = ["Tyler Hughes <tyler@flexcompute.com>"]
 license = "LGPLv2+"